White House Plan Shifts Federal Grants From Merit to Policy Alignment, Sparking Scientist Backlash
The White House Office of Management and Budget proposed a sweeping rule to overhaul federal grantmaking by letting political appointees override merit reviews and require funding decisions to demonstrably advance the President’s priorities, with a 45-day public comment period ending July 13; critics warn the change could undermine scientific independence, limit international collaboration, and create instability for local infrastructure projects that rely on federal funding.
