Science changes lives, fuels our economy, trains the next generation and offers hope through medical breakthroughs. Right now, the funding for scientific and medical research is at risk. We all can help! Here are some resources to get you started.
Science changes lives, fuels our economy, trains the next generation and offers hope through medical breakthroughs. Right now, the funding for scientific and medical research is at risk. We all can help! Here are some resources to get you started.
Who funds scientific research in the USA?
The U.S. government funds more than half of the scientific research carried out in the USA. Two key agencies involved in this process are:
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Focused on improving health.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) – Dedicated to expanding human knowledge on topics related to new technology, oceans, outer space and more.
Why should we all care about science funding?
- Childhood Cancers: Imagine being a parent in the 1930’s with a child who was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia – back then, it was a death sentence. Now, these are still not words any parent wants to hear – but kids have a 90% chance of surviving thanks to NIH-supported research.
- Breast Cancers: Maybe you know a family member or friend who discovered they had a mutation in one of the BRCA genes and were able to be monitored closely. Imagine this led to the early detection and curing of their breast cancer. This work was made possible by the NIH-funded human genome project and the discovery of BRCA’s link to cancer.
- MRIs: Have you or someone you love ever had an MRI? Can you imagine how difficult it would be to diagnose and treat things like brain tumors without this technology? NSF-funded research helped bring us MRIs [archived link].
- Organ Donations: Have you ever met someone who needed a kidney donation? The system used to help match donors with recipients was supported by NSF [archived link].
- Weather forecasting: Do you know someone affected by hurricanes or the dry winds that fuel forest fires? NSF–funded research [archived link] has helped improve the national radar network, which forecasts weather and provides advanced warning of storms coming our way.
These are just a handful of thousands of examples of the benefit of federally funded scientific research.
What Is Happening Now? The Appropriations Process Explained.
Each year, Congress chooses how our tax dollars are spent through a process called appropriations. You can think of it like a giant pie. Congress decides how big each slice is and separates it out into programs like defense, education, health care, and scientific research.
One problem we are facing is that the slice of the pie given to scientific research may become much smaller. These concerns are motivated by the release of the administration’s suggested budget [archived link] for the fiscal year 2026, which proposes dramatic and devastating cuts to scientific research. It suggests reducing the NIH by 40%, the NSF by 55%, and more cuts to other federal agencies that fund science. These would be devastating to scientific progress in this country.
(Source: ASM)
If we don’t speak up, the pie will get smaller. This will have major negative impacts because without enough funding:
- Research progress to understand things about the world and human health will stop or be very slow.
- New progress in prevention or treatments will be delayed or absent.
- Young scientists will leave the field or move abroad.
- Promising breakthroughs will remain trapped in the lab instead of reaching the people who need them most.
These will all lead to health, career and economic consequences.
The good news is that Congress is in charge of the government’s purse, and they have the final say of how money is spent.
This is why contacting our representatives about this issue is important.
!Action Alert!
How do you contact your representatives and what to ask for?
It is important for all of us to let our elected officials know what issues we care about. This is true no matter if you agree or disagree with their views.
📣 It is easy to think that your voice doesn’t matter, but it does!
The more people who call about issues, the better. Here are some tips to help you do this:
- Find your Senators here and House Representatives here. Or consider using a tool like 5 Calls or democracy.io.
- Send a message, pick up the phone or, even better, request a virtual or in-person meeting.
What to say?
- Introduce Yourself: Who you are, where you’re from, what you do.
- Share Your Why: How has science impacted you, your family, or your community/state? Why do you care? Why should they care?
- The Asks for fiscal year 2026*:
- $9.9 billion for NSF.
- $51.3 billion for NIH.
- Immediate restoration of NIH grants.
- Example script:
Hi, I am [Insert Name] from [Insert town]. I’m writing as a constituent, and someone who cares about science. In particular [insert your reason for valuing science here i.e. as a cancer patient, as someone with a rare genetic disorder, as someone with a parent with dementia, etc.]. Please reject the devastating cuts and policy changes at U.S. science agencies and reaffirm your support for scientific research. This is necessary to protect our future, improve American Health and keep the U.S. as a leader in innovation. Specifically, I am asking that the fiscal year 2026 budget include:
- $9.9 billion for NSF.
- $51.3 billion for NIH.
- Immediate restoration of cancelled NIH grants.
Thank you for considering this important issue.
Bottom Line
Science benefits everyone in different ways. We all can play a role in making sure the people around us, including our elected representatives, know that science is important and is an issue we care about.
*Note: these are based on numbers scientific organizations are requesting and are only slightly more than prior years to keep up with inflation.
