Sent to all federal PIs, research associate deans, other academic leaders, and central and departmental research administrators.
Dear Research Colleagues,
We wanted to inform you that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has recently issued a Statement of Priorities (April 18, 2025), reaffirming its commitment to supporting research aligned with its mission and statutory obligations. This includes continued use of the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts review criteria, as well as emphasis on broadening participation in STEM in ways that "create opportunities for all Americans" that do not "exclude individuals or groups based on protected characteristics."
As part of this shift, NSF has also undertaken a review of its award portfolio and notified institutions of the termination of specific awards that the agency has determined no longer align with current NSF priorities. This action, effective immediately, was made under the “Termination and Enforcement” clause of NSF’s General Conditions (GC-1). At the University of Minnesota, six awards have been terminated as of April 18, 2025.
NSF has stated that costs incurred up to the termination date may be reimbursed if otherwise allowable. Institutions have 30 days to provide a summary of progress and an itemized accounting of costs incurred.
There may be legal challenges to the NSF grant terminations; if so, we will contact the impacted principal investigators. We are closely monitoring the situation, including any further guidance or implications this may have for active or planned proposals. NSF has already shared some guidance in its FAQs. While these developments represent a significant shift in interpretation and implementation, we remain committed to supporting our researchers in navigating these changes.
For questions, contact David Hagen at [email protected].
Please continue to visit our SPA Federal Executive Orders and Other Policy Directives website for the most up-to-date guidance.
Sincerely,
April Coon, Director, Sponsored Projects Administration
David Hagen, Director, Office of Cost Analysis