National Science Foundation Freezes Funding for Four Elite Universities Amidst Trump Administration Policies
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has implemented a freeze on new funding for four prestigious universities: Duke, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. This decision is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to limit funding to higher education institutions. According to internal documents obtained by Nature, the NSF placed a hold on future awards for these universities as of April 9. Since then, the allocation of new grants has been minimal, with only 13 new grants awarded this fiscal year compared to 218 in 2024. Notably, Duke and Harvard have not received any new grants since the freeze began. The NSF's Office of Award Management has also paused 33 proposals from researchers at these institutions, with the average processing time extending from 10 days to 91 days. The reasons for targeting these specific universities remain unclear, and the NSF has declined to comment on the matter.