NSF Freezes Research Funding for Four Top Universities

Funding Freeze Implemented

The National Science Foundation (NSF) placed a hold on new research funding for four highly selective universities starting April 9. The affected institutions include Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Duke University.

According to internal agency database records, the NSF’s Office of Award Management—the division responsible for overseeing the foundation's finances and grants—marked the accounts of these four universities with a specific note. The note explicitly stated, “Future Awards to Organization on Hold”.

Status of Current Awards

Initial reports indicated that Duke and Harvard had received no funding from the foundation during the period of the freeze. While the number of new grants received by each of the four institutions so far this year has decreased significantly compared to previous years, recent updates suggest a shift in status.

As of Thursday, the NSF has reversed the funding freeze for three of the four institutions. The “hold” note has been removed from the accounts of Duke, Harvard, and Yale. However, the restriction remains in place for Princeton University, as the note has not yet been removed from its account.

Broader Policy Context

The funding freeze occurs amid broader shifts in federal grant oversight. The Trump administration has utilized funding freezes as a tool to target higher education institutions.

Simultaneously, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed new rules to establish political oversight of federal grants. These proposed rules would allow federal agencies to cancel any grant at any time based on the assertion that the funding is not in the “national interest”. Additionally, the OMB proposal suggests that publication costs may not be inherently necessary to carry out core programmatic objectives and may instead serve institutional or professional interests.