ASPPH Statement on Cuts to Federal Research Grants Facilities and Administrative Costs

February 9, 2025

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) expresses grave concern over the recent reduction in federal research grants’ Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs, as announced in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) memo last week. Effective immediately, all grants will cap F&A costs at 15%. This abrupt decision jeopardizes lifesaving research and threatens to undermine the foundation of academic public health. We urge the NIH to reconsider this policy change and to actively engage universities regarding new F&A rates. This step is critical to ensure that proposed adjustments to F&A fairly reflect the true costs of research and maintain the sustainability of academic institutions in advancing innovation and discovery.

ASPPH members are dedicated to training the next generation of public health leaders, researchers, and practitioners who safeguard and improve lives. Their research is essential in advancing the understanding of critical health issues and developing innovative solutions to address them. Our institutions are hubs for groundbreaking discoveries and evidence-based practices that shape public health policies and interventions locally, nationally, and globally.

A significant portion of our members’ research funding comes from the NIH and operates under negotiated agreements encompassing direct funding and F&A costs (commonly called indirect costs). These indirect costs are vital to the sustainability of research, covering expenses such as laboratory maintenance, administrative support, regulatory compliance, and the infrastructure necessary for pioneering discoveries. F&A does not go to profits. F&A supports the research mission of the universities.

The universities’ F&A rates accurately reflect the true costs of conducting research. Reducing this rate to 15% will make it financially unsustainable for universities to maintain current research activities. Institutions cannot absorb this financial shortfall, leading to devastating consequences, including:

• The shutdown of groundbreaking research
• Layoffs of scientists, researchers, and lab staff, harming local economies and spiking unemployment
• Suspension of lifesaving public health initiatives

The Impact on Public Health Research

Public health research has been instrumental in developing effective strategies for preventing and controlling diseases such as smallpox, measles, tuberculosis, West Nile virus, diabetes, and heart disease.

These groundbreaking initiatives save lives, strengthen communities, and protect the nation’s health. Capping indirect cost funding at 15% will severely hinder these efforts, potentially setting public health research back by decades, and hamper discovery in the long term.

Call to Action

ASPPH urges the NIH to reconsider this policy. We also call on Congress to act swiftly to safeguard scientific progress and uphold the nation’s commitment to public health research.

If this detrimental cut is allowed to stand:

• The United States risks losing its position as a global leader in new discoveries and scientific breakthroughs that save lives.
• Our capacity to respond effectively to chronic and infectious diseases will be severely compromised.
• Future generations of researchers will be discouraged from pursuing academic careers due to inadequate funding support.

ASPPH calls on Congress, research institutions, and the public to unite in demanding that the NIH reconsider this decision. The health and well-being of all Americans depend on immediate action.

OTHER STATEMENTS:

ASPPH Statement on the Removal of Critical CDC Data Sets and the Suspension of Scientific Publications

February 3, 2025

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) is deeply alarmed by the recent removal of critical data sets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. These vital resources, now replaced with a “Page Not Found or Temporarily Unavailable” message, are essential for academic research and frontline public health interventions.

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ASPPH Addresses the Senate Labor-HHS-ED Appropriations Bill and its Impact on Public Health

August 2, 2024 

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) is pleased by the Senate’s approval of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS-ED) appropriations bill, which increases investment in federal public health programs. ASPPH has long advocated for enhanced funding for public health agencies, and despite the budget constraints set two years ago, the current funding levels are substantial.