The landscape of federal funding for biomedical research is undergoing significant changes, as recent actions by the Trump administration and Congress signal a potential shake-up in how research institutions receive support for their work. The House Committee on Appropriations has advanced legislation that would place limits on National Institutes of Health payments for research overhead, particularly for private universities and colleges with substantial endowments. Additionally, an executive order on grantmaking has directed federal agencies to prioritize institutions with lower indirect cost rates, with the intention of reducing the use of grant dollars for overhead expenses such as building maintenance and administrative salaries.
To gain a deeper understanding of these potential changes and how the current system operates, STAT spoke with Gil Tran, a seasoned expert in federal funding for research facilities and administrative expenses. With extensive experience in negotiating payment rates with research institutions and developing government-wide guidelines for managing grants, Tran is now part of a coalition working to find a compromise between the administration and research institutions. The group’s FAIR model, which stands for Financial Accountability in Research, aims to provide a more balanced solution than the 15% cap proposed by the administration earlier this year. However, Tran anticipates that the Office of Management and Budget is likely to propose a plan closer to the 15% cap, despite interest from a Senate committee in the coalition’s work.
As the future of federal funding for biomedical research remains uncertain, it is crucial for stakeholders in the research community to stay informed and engaged in discussions surrounding these potential changes. Stay tuned for further developments in this evolving landscape, as researchers, institutions, and policymakers navigate the complexities of funding allocation in the field of biomedical research.
