Williams College's Pause on NSF and NIH Grants: Navigating Shifting Federal Policies
Williams College recently made the decision to temporarily pause the certification of new awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This decision, seemingly the first of its kind among higher education institutions, stems from concerns surrounding new restrictions imposed by the Trump administration pertaining to the promotion or advancement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, potentially in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws. This article delves into the context, implications, and potential future of this pause.
The Genesis of the Pause
The Trump administration's executive orders and statements targeting "illegal DEI" have created ambiguity around what federal officials consider to be a violation of federal antidiscrimination laws. In response, the NIH announced that institutions would have to certify that they don’t operate any DEI or accessibility programs that violate federal antidiscrimination laws. About a month later, the NSF followed suit. This ambiguity has created a treacherous legal environment for colleges and universities, necessitating a thorough review of existing policies and grant agreements.
Williams College, taking its legal obligations seriously, initiated a legal review to ensure compliance with federal antidiscrimination laws in the context of these evolving federal policies. The pause affects grants already approved by the agencies, which the College then must certify before faculty can begin to draw down funds, a step that now includes agreeing to the new condition about DEI programs. This led to the temporary pause on accepting new grants from these federal agencies. The brief initial message said only that the school would pause acceptance of new grants pending a legal review of new clauses added by the Trump administration which targeted diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Faculty Response and Concerns
The announcement of the pause generated a range of reactions among Williams College faculty. Many professors didn’t understand why, exactly, the pause had been put in place, nor how long it might last. Dozens signed a petition which expressed “deep concern” about the situation and asked for more information. College officials held meetings with faculty to discuss the pause.
Professor of Computer Science Rohit Bhattacharya - who has received NSF funding in the past - said that he was initially unsure about the pause. “The pause came out of nowhere,” he told the Record. “I was a little conflicted, because at first, I thought this might be [that] we’re taking a moral stand. Associate Professor of Mathematics Leo Goldmakher told the Record that he did not view the pause as a political statement. “It has been interpreted as an act of resistance -- it is in no way that,” he said.
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Some faculty members expressed concerns about the potential impact on research funding, collaboration opportunities, and career advancement. Goldmakher emphasized the importance of accessing NSF and NIH funds. “Doing science research requires quite a lot of funding … and getting NSF and NIH grants facilitates participation in a larger scientific community outside of Williams,” he said.
Like Jacobson, Bhattacharya said that he is proceeding with a new grant application even in light of the pause, but noted that it contributes to a sense of instability among College faculty. “I worry about the general trend of administrations - not just at Williams - trying to read what the government wants of them,” he continued.
The Broader Implications
The situation at Williams College reflects a larger trend of increasing federal scrutiny and intervention in higher education. As part of its broader pressure campaign against universities, the Trump administration has also created a treacherous legal environment, full of fast-changing regulations and ambiguous terms.
Jacobson said that disruptions to federal funding have already compromised her work at the College, as a grant she submitted last year for the economics department’s annual Promoting Inclusion in Economic Research (PIER) conference faced delays.
“The real story is that the Trump administration is trying - through the use of legal tricks and cutting funding and making other funding more difficult to get - to create booby traps so that higher education institutions will be unable to execute their missions,” said Sarah Jacobson, an economics professor who chairs Williams' environmental studies program.
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Navigating those legal “booby traps” has created costs for Williams - including the sudden pause on new research grants and the frayed nerves that followed. “Broadly, faculty just want to make sure they can still do what they came here to do,” said mathematics professor Leo Goldmakher. “Part of that is teaching, and part of that is research. For most faculty, being a researcher is an integral part of their identity.”
The Role of NSF and NIH Grants
NSF and NIH grants serve a number of important functions for researchers. Most obviously, funds from federal grants pay for lab equipment, student salaries and overhead expenses. But grants also facilitate collaboration. “All of my grants have been collaborative with other institutions,” said Luana Maroja, a biology professor. “If you remove our ability to apply, why will other institutions collaborate with us? Williams College opened a new science center in 2018.
Federal grants are also a way for faculty to advance their careers. External grants “signify your importance within the greater research community,” said Goldmakher. In their petition, many STEM professors went further, saying the disruption could harm Williams’ academic reputation and its ability to hire and retain faculty.
Legal Considerations and the False Claims Act
Another concern, Kaan said, is a Civil War-era statute called the False Claims Act. For decades, the False Claims Act has been used by federal prosecutors to target companies and organizations suspected of committing fraud. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that he would launch a new initiative focusing on civil rights violations. The initiative would rely heavily on the False Claims Act and, in part, target schools.
“The federal False Claims Act is probably the federal government’s premier civil anti-fraud enforcement tool,” Cunha said. “It’s an extraordinarily powerful anti-fraud lever.” The False Claims Act is powerful for two reasons, Cunha explained. First, the law says an institution which knowingly submits a false claim - like accepting a grant while violating one of its contractual terms - can be held liable for triple damages. Second, the False Claims Act includes a “qui tam” provision, which allows private individuals to file a lawsuit on behalf of the government - and potentially receive a share of the reward. Because the government does not have the resources to identify all sources of potential fraud - especially across a sprawling higher education landscape - this provision allows whistleblowers, regardless of motive, to allege misconduct as well.
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Several legal experts previously told Undark that universities are “well-positioned to prevail in court” against False Claims Act challenges. But going through extensive litigation proceedings - the primary way to concretely resolve ambiguously worded clauses - is costly and time-consuming. And the whistleblower provision increases the likelihood that such lawsuits are filed, Cunha said.
The legal environment is growing more treacherous for colleges in other ways, too. The federal government is also investigating schools for antisemitic discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and for gender-related issues under Title IX. And the government is cutting grants, targeting international students and pushing for an endowment tax. “We’ve seen instances where the federal government is bringing to bear pretty much every lever that it has to try and change behavior,” Cunha said.
Alternative Funding Sources
While federal funding is crucial for many research projects, Williams College faculty can also explore alternative funding sources, such as private foundations. Though private funding sources likely won’t equate to federal awards that are multi-year and much larger, there are foundation grants that might help your research needs. Williams College faculty received 17 grants from private foundations in 2024 and 2025. Here are some examples:
The Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program: Supports the research and teaching careers of talented early-career faculty in the chemical sciences at primarily undergraduate institutions. For the 2025 proposal cycle, eligibility is limited to faculty members who started their first tenure-track appointment anytime in calendar year 2022. Cottrell Scholar Awards support three-year $120,000 projects.
Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship: The Harvard Radcliffe Institute has announced that the application for the 2026-2027 Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship is now open for submissions! Applicants must have received their doctorate (or appropriate terminal degree) at least four years prior to their appointment as a fellow (December 2022 for the 2026-27 fellowship year). Applicants in the humanities and social science must have published a monograph or at least two articles in refereed journals or edited collections. For applicants in the humanities, social sciences, and creative arts, your complete application, including letters of recommendation, should be submitted by Thursday, September 11, 2025 (11:59 PM ET). For applicants in science, engineering, and mathematics, your complete application, including letters of recommendation, should be submitted by Thursday, September 30, 2025 (11:59 PM ET).
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is seeking proposals for its Exploring Equitable Futures program. The full funding opportunity can be read here. The program includes skills-building sessions on technology in the classroom, grant writing, academic publishing, professional networking, and more. The workshop includes time for intensive discussion and collaboration around pedagogy and curriculum as well as personal reflection and developing connections across institutions. The full program announcement and application information is here. Review of applications begins June 29, 2025.
Russell Sage Foundation: Visiting Scholars Program: The Russell Sage Foundation’s Visiting Scholars Program provides a unique opportunity for select scholars in the social, economic, political and behavioral sciences to pursue their data analysis and writing while in residence at the foundation’s headquarters in New York City. Applicants must be at least two years beyond the Ph.D. The 10-month residential fellowship runs from September 1st through June 30th, with salary support of up to 50 percent of an applicant’s academic year salary - up to a maximum of $125,000 for the full year, or $62,500 for half of the year - when unavailable from research grants or other sources. and Canadian research universities and primarily undergraduate institutions.
Leakey Foundation: Research Grants: $30,000 research grants to fund research related to human origins, including dissertation research and exploratory studies.
American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR): Research & Travel Grants: The American Society for Theatre Research sponsors or coordinates several awards, grants, fellowships, and prizes to support and recognize outstanding scholarship in theatre and performance studies.
Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation: Distinguished Scholar Awards: HFG Distinguished Scholar Awards support research that investigates the basic mechanisms in the production of violence, but primacy is given to proposals that make a compelling case for the relevance of potential findings for policies intended to reduce these ills. Likewise, historical research is considered to the extent that it is relevant to a current situation of violence. One-to-two year grants totaling $15,000 to $75,000 per year are awarded to individuals.
William T. Grant Foundation: Major Research Grants: This program supports research to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5-25 in the US. The Grant Foundation prioritizes studies that aim to reduce inequalities that exist along dimensions of race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status, language minority status, or immigrant origins. The award, which requires an institutional nomination, is based on accomplishments in scholarly research with undergraduates, as well as a compelling commitment to teaching, and provides an unrestricted research grant of $75,000.
Early-career investigators, post-docs, clinical fellows, and other researchers in training who are 35 years old and younger and are deepening our understanding of human immunology and uncovering new approaches to combating diseases are eligible to apply.
The Future Landscape
The pause, if it is lifted as the Williams administration hopes, may not seriously affect research. Yet the disruption in the grant pipeline could presage more serious issues in the future. The Trump administration’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year slashes 55 percent of the NSF budget and 44 percent of the NIH budget. In total, the cuts will remove roughly $25 billion from the two agencies.
“I think a lot of faculty on campus have a lot of anxiety about what’s going to happen next, both about what’s going to hit us as an institution, and what is happening to our country and our world,” said Jacobson.
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