Yesterday, President Trump signed S. 3971, the “Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act.” This legislation reauthorizes the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through 2031. Since 1982, the SBIR and STTR programs, known together as America’s Seed Fund, have invested more than $81 billion into over 34,000 small businesses. Authorization had lapsed as of September 30, freezing billions of dollars in funding across multiple agencies, as Congress debated new program reforms. This five-year extension is the longest extension in the program’s history. The legislation reforms include significant security screening expansion, proposal submission caps, and a “strategic breakthrough” award mechanism allowing for larger award amounts.
News and updates
NIH Budget Documents Now Available
The budget documents for NIH are now available on line here. The page includes both an overall summary of the agency budget request as well detailed requests for each of the institutes and centers.
Overall request is $41.5 billion for the agency, a $5-billon cut below the current programmatic level.
More Information on the Administration Budget Request
Total Basic Research (6.1): $2.144 billion (-$207 million compared to FY2026)
Total Applied Research (6.2): $6.087 billion (-$1.072 billion compared to FY2026)
Army
- 6.1 research: $396.1 million (-$129 million)
- 6.2 research: $914 million (-$608.9 million)
Navy
- 6.1 research: $525.4 million (-$71.1 million)
- 6.2 research: $935.3 million ($400)
Air Force
- 6.1 research: $387.1 million (-$20 million)
- 6.2 research: $1.258 billion (-$338 million)
Defense-wide
- 6.1 research: $800.1 million (+$13.7 million)
- 6.2 research: $2.746 billion (-$319 million)
National Science Foundation (NSF) Budget Request
Total discretionary funding request: $3.963 billion (-$4.787 billion compared to FY2026)
Total funding request (including mandatory funds): $5.103 billion (-$3.887 billion)
- The total request includes, among other items, $900 million for a new Antarctic Research Vessel from mandatory funds.
- Research and Related Activities (R&RA): $3.409 billion (-$4.706 billion)
- Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC): $173 million (-$78 million)
Within the R&RA account, every directorate would see a decrease, with the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences slated for elimination.
Please continue to check back on the blog for updates.
Agency-Specific Budget Request Documents Becoming Available
A number of agencies are making available their specific budget request documents.
- The NSF budget document is available here.
- The budget documents from the Department of Education are posted here.
- The initial requests from the Pentagon for its research budget are available here.
- The USGS budget document is available here.
- The Administration proposes to eliminate the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in its proposed budget.
- NASA budget documents can be found here.
- Department of Energy budget documents are available here.
Executive Order on Intercollegiate Athletics Issued
Late Friday afternoon, the President issued an executive order on intercollegiate athletics. Effective August 1, the executive order (EO) addresses a number of issues in the area of college sports, including, among other, those associated with Name Image Likeness, revenue sharing, and transfers.
The EO states that federal agencies that make grants and awards contracts to institutions of higher education would be required to evaluate whether the institutions that receive funds are in violation of rules and regulations that govern intercollegiate athletics.