NSF Holds Grants to Ivy League, Slowing 33 Proposals

The National Science Foundation’s Office of Award Management has put a hold on new grants to four Ivy League universities, stalling 33 research proposals and cutting new awards to 13 this fiscal year.

Hold Mechanics and Timing

On April 9, 2026, the NSF’s OAM applied a note in its database stating “Future Awards to Organization on Hold” for Duke, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. The note, removed on May 28 for Duke, Harvard, and Yale, effectively halted the flow of new funding. While the OAM typically finalizes grants in ten days, proposals from the four institutions have lingered an average of 91 days—an almost ten‑fold delay.

Impact on Research Pipeline

In 2024, the four universities received 218 new NSF grants. This fiscal year, they have secured only 13 new awards, and none for Duke or Harvard since the hold. About 85 % of the stalled proposals involve mathematics, physical sciences, engineering, and quantum information science—fields the Trump administration has earmarked for priority. A five‑year grant for an early‑career researcher and a quantum centre at Yale are among the most affected.

Legal and Policy Context

Last September, a federal judge ruled that the NSF could not terminate grants to Harvard, permanently banning the agency from similar actions. Legal scholars warn that the current hold may violate that ruling. The Trump administration previously froze 75 % of Harvard’s NSF grants, citing anti‑discrimination policy violations. The NSF’s budget stands at US$8.8 billion, yet internal documents show the OAM’s processing remained consistent despite a 43‑day shutdown and delayed budget release.

If the hold persists, the NSF’s ability to fund cutting‑edge research at these institutions could be compromised, threatening the U.S.’s leadership in quantum science and pandemic preparedness.

Source: Top U.S. science funder slows research grants to universities
Domain: scientificamerican.com