Recent Executive Orders may signal shifts in federal priorities, potentially impacting both existing awards and pending funding decisions from federal agencies and sponsors. As these changes unfold, the Offices of the Provost and Vice Provost for Research remain committed to keeping you informed, offering guidance, and providing access to relevant resources to help you navigate this evolving landscape.

Information & Resources

• Lewis Burke Associates - Tracker on Trump Administration’s Executive Orders
• Lewis Burke Associates - Agency Responses to Executive Orders
• Summary of Executive Orders (Council on Governmental Relations)
• Other Related Resources (Council on Governmental Relations)
• The Role of Facilities and Administrative Costs in Supporting NIH-Funded Research (Written Testimony of Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier, 2017)
• Research Guides@Tufts
• Guidance on Termination Cost Recovery
• APLU Guide to F&A

UPDATES:

April 16, 2025

The Department of Energy (DOE) released a new policy titled “Department of Energy Overhauls Policy for College and University Research, Saving $405 Million Annually for American Taxpayers.” on April 11, 2025. This policy introduces significant changes to the way indirect costs are handled for grants awarded to institutions of higher education (IHEs). All DOE grants to IHEs will be subject to a 15% cap on indirect cost recovery. This represents a major departure from prior practice and has serious implications for the financial sustainability of university research. Leadership at Tufts is actively analyzing the guidance and is working in concert with national higher education associations to assess the full impact of this policy.

On April 14, 2025, the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities jointly filed a new lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, along with a number of impacted research university co-plaintiffs, seeking to halt the proposed DOE F&A cut. Tufts University has submitted a declaration in support of the legal action challenging the DOE’s new policy, aligning with broader efforts to preserve fair and sustainable research funding practices.

On April 16, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that halts the Department of Energy (DOE) from implementing its recently announced 15% cap on Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs for grants to institutions of higher education.

For now, institutions are not required to comply with the 15% F&A cap, and existing grants cannot be terminated due to noncompliance with the proposed rate reduction. Institutions can continue operating under their negotiated indirect cost rates while the legal process continues.

February 12, 2025

Three separate lawsuits were filed in the US District Court in Boston challenging the NIH’s February 7 notice imposing a flat 15% indirect cost rate on research institutions. The lawsuits sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) to prevent the NIH from implementing this change. Tufts University was a co-plaintiff in a joint filling by the AAU, APLU and ACE in support of member institutions.

As of midnight on Feb. 10, the court has granted two TROs, including one preventing implementation of the 15% rate across the United States. As a result of these TROs, the rate cut is currently on hold nationwide.

Federal Government Communications

• Apr. 25 – NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders
• Mar. 13 – NSF Letter to the Community.
• Mar. 13 – Department of Education Initiates a Reduction in Force.
• Feb. 26 – Executive Order Release: IMPLEMENTING THE PRESIDENT’S “DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY” COST EFFICIENCY INITIATIVE.
• Feb. 10 – Lawsuit filed in response to NIH announcement on indirect costs.
• Feb. 7 – National Institutes of Health (NIH) General Notice: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates.
• Jan. 31 – Temporary Restraining Order ordered by Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
• Jan. 29 – Office of Management and Budget Memorandum Rescission (PDF | 113KB).
• Jan. 28 – Federal judge blocks the President's freeze of federal grant funds.
• Jan. 28 – U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF): NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders.
• Jan. 28 – Department of Energy Office of Science Ends Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plans.
• Jan. 28 – Office of Management and Budget Questions & Answers (PDF | 212KB).
• Jan. 27 – Office of Management and Budget Memorandum (PDF | 196KB) instructing Federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance and other relevant activities that may be implicated by [the President’s] executive orders.
• Jan. 27 – National Institutes of Health (NIH) Acting Director Memorandum regarding the Department of Health and Human Services pause on mass communications and public appearances.
• Jan. 26 – U.S. Department of State Press Statement: Implementing the President’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid.
• Jan. 24 – U.S. Department of State Memorandum: Executive Order of Review of Foreign Assistance Programs.
• Jan. 23 – NASA Memorandum about the termination of DEIA initiatives for grant recipients.
• Jan. 20 – Executive Order: Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.

Higher Education and Other Organization Communications

• Feb. 10 – Higher Education Organizations and Universities File Suit in Response to NIH Announcement of February 7, 2025 (PDF).
• Feb. 7 – Statement by American Council on Education (ACE) President Ted Mitchell on NIH Announcement about Indirect Cost Rates.
• Feb. 7 – Statement by Association of American Universities (AAU) President Barbara R. Snyder on NIH Announcement about Indirect Cost Rates.
• Jan. 31 – Association of American Universities (AAU) Summary Report of Federal Developments (incl. February 2, 2025 updates).
• Jan. 28 – Association of American Universities (AAU) President's Report (PDF | 2.1 MB).
• The Council on Government Relations (COGR) research-focused web page is regularly updated for topics related to the 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources.
• Jan. 28 – National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Message by Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A., President urging NAICU member presidents to call their Representatives, Senators, and others in the Trump Administration to ensure that student aid programs are protected (PDF | 219KB).
• Jan. 24 – Association of American Universities (AAU) Presidential Memorandum on the HHS/NIH Suspension of Communications and Study Sections and DEI Executive Order (PDF | 253KB).