Note the Monday, July 13th deadline for comments!

Tara C. Smith, an epidemiologist who has an excellent page on Facebook, has sounded the alarm over the changes to grant funding proposed by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB):

“Under the proposal, every funded application would have to adhere to “Presidential priorities”–whatever they decide those are. Grants could be rescinded at any time. Anything dubbed “DEI”–including likely all research examining health disparities–would be forbidden. Collaboration with many partners outside of the US could be banned depending on how they define “adversaries”. Scientists that also contribute to groups that the administration considers “activists” could also be denied funding, even if their grants were highly reviewed. Travel allowing scientists to present results would be eliminated, as would funding to publish results of the research–so Americans would have a hard time accessing the science that you, collectively, funded.

“And all of that would also apply to all. federal. grants. and contracts.

“This goes to any money coming to states from Housing and Urban Development, the VA, Education, NASA, and more. The administration decides it doesn’t like your Mayor? Reason to deny funding for sewer or street projects. This encompasses just about everything that relies on federal grant allocations.“

Please comment on the OMB proposal BY JULY 13. The link contains instructions and additional information.

Here are more comment instructions, key provisions of the proposed changes, and potential community impacts.