Exclusive: NSF set to issue lowest number of new grants in four decades
Nature, Published online: 20 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02574-6 The US science-funding agency is withholding $1 billion of its budget so that the money can go to a special White House project.
The US National Science Foundation (NSF) is poised to issue the lowest number of new research grants in four decades, according to recent reports. The agency will award approximately 30% fewer research grants this fiscal year compared to the previous year, as revealed by the prestigious scientific journal Nature. This disturbing trend has been ongoing since the start of the current administration, following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
Written by urgent.news from Nature's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
