Issue Brief

The Association of American Universities (AAU) urges Congress to sustain funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at FY25 levels. The administration’s proposal to cut the NIH by 40%

Underpinning the success and legitimacy of America’s scientific enterprise is merit review, a competitive process by which federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) allocate grants to support the highest quality university-based scientific, engineering and medical research.

The Association of American Universities urges Congress to fund the National Science Foundation (NSF) at $9 billion for FY26, the funding level approved by the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations in July. Funding the NSF at this level will enable the United States to maintain and strengthen our global leadership in scientific innovation.

America’s Seed Fund, made up of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, provides technology-focused entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses with early-stage funding to develop their ideas and a pathway to commercialization.

An advocacy brief focused on the critical role of ARPA-E in bolstering U.S. energy innovation leadership.

One pager for advocacy focused on securing scientific research against foreign threats.

The federal government sponsors university research to help our country prosper.

F&A Costs of Research one-pager

This background briefing on Foreign Malign Influence and Higher Education was prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This product is the result of years of effort by the interagency to create coordinated definitions for key threats to U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), including Foreign Malign Influence (FMI), Misappropriation of Research, and Transnational Repression (TNR).

One pager for advocacy focused on AAU's "Fund American Science" campaign.