Research Funding at Stake: Urgent Advocacy Needed for NIH Indirect Cost Policy

UPDATE: On February 10, the attorneys general of 22 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for unlawfully imposing a 15% rate for Facilities and Administration (F&A) costs. A federal district court judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing DHHS/NIH from applying the new F&A rate in the 22 states involved in the lawsuit. In addition, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the Association of American Medical Colleges' motion for a nationwide temporary restraining order. However, additional legal rulings may allow DHHS/NIH to fully implement the new policy at a later time.

The recent abrupt change in the NIH's Facilities and Administration (F&A) cost policy will have a significant impact on the scientific community. On February 7, NIH announced an immediate cap of 15% on F&A payments included in grants provided to universities, hospitals, and research institutes. These payments help cover essential expenses such as lab space, utilities, and compliance with federal regulations on animal welfare, research security, and biosafety. Capping NIH indirect costs to 15% is concerning to both scientific research and the local economies supported by the research ecosystem. We encourage you to let Congress know the negative impact that this policy change will have on you and the human genetics and genomics research community. 

By entering your address, the form below will allow you to contact your members of Congress. We encourage you to personalize the letter to share details of the impact on your work. You can use the following resources to add additional details about federal research funding to your district and state:

• FASEB Federal Research Funding Data
• UMR NIH In Your State
• Costs of Federally Sponsored Research
• Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs of Research

You can also contact your House Representative or Senators by phone by calling the Capitol Switchboard. Simply call this number (202) 224-3121, give the operator your zip code, and they will connect you with your elected officials' office.