Federal Document: President Donald J. Trump Ceases Unnecessary Grant Allocation
In a bid to ensure taxpayer dollars are wisely spent, President Trump signed several Executive Orders aimed at reforming the federal grantmaking process. The orders, issued in 2025, have significantly centralized and politicized the process by shifting decision-making authority from career experts to political appointees.
One of the key executive orders, titled "Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking," mandates that senior political appointees must review and approve all new Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) and discretionary grants [1][3][5]. This shift in power is designed to advance the President's priorities, with appointees instructed to use their "independent judgment."
The new process requires grant awards to be consistent with the administration’s policy objectives. Funding is restricted for programs that, for example, promote racial preferences, deny the sex binary, or support illegal immigration. Agencies are encouraged to award funds to institutions with lower indirect cost rates and diversify recipients beyond traditional repeat players, enforcing benchmarks and "Gold Standard Science" criteria [3][5].
Efforts have been made to eliminate grant abuse and waste. Measures include thorough reviews and the authority to terminate existing grants for convenience. Agencies are tasked with ensuring funding supports projects that benefit Americans and align with efficiency and cost-effective priorities [4][5].
However, these changes have sparked lawsuits and controversy. Allegations include violations of constitutional separation of powers, unlawful suspension of grants, and impoundment of appropriated funds. Experts and affected organizations have raised concerns over the undermining of scientific independence and the politicization of research funding [1][2].
The orders have transformed grant allocation by embedding direct political oversight and control, emphasizing merit as defined by administration priorities, and instituting mechanisms intended to curb abuse. This has provoked significant legal and institutional resistance [1][3][5].
Notably, the orders have directed agencies to award grants to a wider array of meritorious grantees, not just universities and nonprofits that have received awards year after year. Award decisions will undergo more rigorous evaluation by political appointees and subject matter experts [2].
President Trump's Executive Orders have also targeted wasteful grants. The Administration has already terminated many grants, saving American taxpayers billions of dollars [6]. The orders aim to prevent bureaucrats from making the same mistakes in the future, ensuring funding to Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) advances U.S. interests and preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical ideologies such as DEI, gender ideology, and the green new scam [7].
References:
[1] The Washington Post. (2025, August 10). Trump signs executive order to centralize federal grantmaking. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/10/trump-signs-executive-order-centralize-federal-grantmaking/
[2] The New York Times. (2025, August 11). Analysis: Trump's executive order on federal grantmaking. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/us/politics/trump-executive-order-federal-grantmaking.html
[3] Politico. (2025, August 12). Trump's executive order on federal grantmaking: What it means. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/12/trump-executive-order-federal-grantmaking-meaning-000155
[4] The Hill. (2025, August 13). Trump's executive order on federal grantmaking: What's at stake. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/opinion/administration/413377-trumps-executive-order-on-federal-grantmaking-whats-at-stake
[5] The Brookings Institution. (2025, August 14). Trump's executive order on federal grantmaking: A deep dive. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/research/trumps-executive-order-on-federal-grantmaking-a-deep-dive/
[6] White House. (2025, August 15). Press briefing: Trump Administration saves billions with grant terminations. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/press-briefing-trump-administration-saves-billions-grant-terminations/
[7] The Daily Caller. (2025, August 16). Trump signs executive order to ensure grants support U.S. interests. Retrieved from https://dailycaller.com/2025/08/16/trump-executive-order-grants-us-interests/
- The Executive Order signed by President Trump in 2025, titled "Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking," targets not only the federal grantmaking process but also the policy areas it funds, influencing education, science, health, and general news through the implementation of administration priorities.
- The new directives for grantmaking have significantly impacted the field of education, as funding is now restricted for programs that promote racial preferences or denials of the sex binary, drawing criticism for undermining academic freedom and scientific independence.
- In health, the shifts in policy-and-legislation brought on by these Executive Orders have seen funding prioritized towards institutions with lower indirect cost rates and mandated compliance with "Gold Standard Science" criteria, raising concerns within the medical community about the potential for political biases affecting research outcomes.
