Navigating the Federal Research Landscape

April 14, 2025

Dear Colleagues:

Major research universities nationwide are facing substantial federal funding cuts. More than a dozen grants have been targeted at Rutgers–New Brunswick; as a result, we must prepare a practical institutional approach to these and further potential reductions in funding for our research, scholarly, and artistic endeavors. 

During our recent listening sessions, my leadership team and I have learned a great deal from faculty and staff about how these challenges affect our campus community and your important work. Let’s work together to assess emerging needs, identify potential gaps in support, and develop strategies that uphold our research mission, support our faculty and staff, and sustain the academic progress of our students.

To that end, we are asking: (1) for Principal Investigators of existing grants impacted by the federal mandates to complete a Scholarly Impact Research Survey; (2) for graduate students and post-docs who have been impacted to apply for emergency funding; and (3) for faculty and staff to join us in developing strategies for the current challenges.

Principal Investigators: Please complete this survey to help us assess the potential impact of federal funding changes on research, scholarly, and artistic endeavors. While the university has been tracking the number of federal grant terminations, this survey will help us understand the impact on students, post-docs, faculty and staff. The survey should be completed, for example, by PIs whose grants have been stopped or terminated; or who experienced delays in receiving awards, non-competitive renewals, or no-cost extensions; or other impacts.

Graduate Students and Postdocs: We intend to provide emergency support for those of you who have been negatively affected by a termination or delay in current, existing federal funding through June 30, 2025. PIs should indicate in the survey above if current personnel will be affected in FY26.

1. Basic needs: The Office of the Dean of Students is helping with housing needs, emergency student funding grants, and other practical needs through the Basic Needs Center.
2. Research-related funding: Affected graduate students and post-docs should use this link to apply for funding through the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. Questions can be sent to nb-research@rutgers.edu.

Faculty and Staff Workshop: We will host a collaborative, in-person workshop for faculty and staff, “Navigating the Federal Research Landscape,” on Wednesday, April 23, from 10 am to noon in Douglass Student Center’s Trayes Hall. Please register here to attend. This allows us to collectively explore the impacts of federal funding changes and identify practical, transparent strategies for supporting affected students and researchers. Please understand that capacity is limited. You will receive an email from the Chancellor’s Office when your attendance is confirmed.

Thank you for your partnership and commitment to our shared mission.

Sincerely,

Francine Conway, Ph.D.
Chancellor and Distinguished Professor
Rutgers University–New Brunswick