Delay in Big Grants Hits Ivy League Schools

The Trump team has slowed the release of National Science Foundation money for four major universities. This pause is part of a larger effort to curb what the White House calls “woke” ideas on campuses. Because of this, projects that had already cleared the NSF review stage are now waiting for further checks.

• At least 40 grant applications—worth about $35 million—were put on hold.
• Harvard alone saw half of the delayed funds.
• The research covered fields from quantum physics to farm economics.

After questions from the media, the NSF finally approved almost a dozen of these grants in late March.

Critics say the delays may run afoul of earlier court decisions that protected Harvard’s funding rights. A law professor from North Carolina warned that the administration is playing a familiar game. University leaders have reported a noticeable slowdown in new federal awards, but they have not received clear explanations from government officials.

• The dean of research at Princeton and the vice president for government relations at Duke both voiced concerns.
• They highlighted how the hold on NSF money could hurt studies in emerging technologies that are vital for national security and economic growth.

Harvard has faced scrutiny since Trump returned to office, especially after the school successfully fought federal cuts in court. The administration plans to appeal that ruling while pushing for broader changes to how federal grants are awarded.

The president of a national education council described the slowdown as “substantial” and said the sector is confused because no clear reason has been given.