By Kritika Agarwal
More than 50 chambers of commerce across 29 states joined forces recently to relaunch the Business for Federal Research Funding (BFRF) Coalition.
The coalition, which includes prominent groups such as the Greater Boston, Detroit Regional, and Greater Omaha Chambers of Commerce, will present a united business community voice to members of Congress and the Trump administration in support of robust federal investments in research.
The effort revives a pre-pandemic initiative in response to recent cuts to federal research funding, including nearly $2.7 billion in cuts to National Institutes of Health grants and nearly $1 billion in cuts to National Science Foundation grants.
“Investing in federal research funding is one of the most valuable commitments we can make for America’s future,” said Heath Mello, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber, continuing: “It fosters innovative breakthroughs, stimulates job creation, [and] enhances our national competitiveness.”
One issue galvanizing the coalition is caps on indirect costs of research that have been proposed on grants made by the NIH, NSF, and the Department of Energy. As the Detroit Regional Chamber notes, indirect costs “pay for the buildings, infrastructure, and equipment needed to conduct research.” The chamber warns that restricting NIH funds, for example, will force researchers “to divert attention to administrative challenges instead of focusing on the research that will solve today’s most urgent health care challenges.”
The coalition is intentionally broad, uniting chambers from both red states and blue states. “If you’re in an ag state, it matters,” said James Rooney of the Greater Boston Chamber. “If you’re in a state that’s heavy in defense, that matters.”
The coalition’s message to the administration is clear: robust federal research funding is not just a scientific imperative, but a strategic investment in America’s economic future and global leadership.
Kritika Agarwal is senior editorial officer at AAU.