7 Key Takeaways | The Changing Landscape of Federal Funding in the Trump Administration
Manufacturers considering new or expanded U.S. operations should review the plethora of financial incentives available at the federal, state, and local levels. As national economic policy aims to reshore domestic...more
Nonprofits and other federal grant recipients have struggled through 2025, a year of fiscal tightening in federal grant programs, from the termination of numerous grants and programs the current administration perceives as...more
As of July 1, 2025, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially ceased to implement foreign assistance. As of September 2, 2025, news reports indicated that USAID completed its “final mission” by...more
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) issued a news release announcing $86 million in grants to: …enhance states’ pipeline safety programs. PHMSA states that the grants will help its “state...more
In a significant move to reshape the landscape of federal grantmaking, the recently issued Executive Order, “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking,” is poised to transform how federal agencies administer grants. With the...more
RECENT LOBBYING, ETHICS & CAMPAIGN FINANCE UPDATES Campaign Finance & Lobbying Compliance - President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Thursday, August 27, 2025, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate...more
The Supreme Court recently ruled for the second time that federal district courts likely lack jurisdiction under the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”) to hear challenges to terminations of federal grants. The first such...more
President Donald Trump on Aug. 28, 2025, signed a presidential memorandum directing U.S. Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi to investigate whether federal grant funds are being used for lobbying and political activities in...more
An executive order (EO) issued August 7, 2025, Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking, announced significant changes in the way federal grants are awarded and administered. The Trump administration’s bases for the...more
Those doing business with the government may face an ogre’s choice at the intersection of two Supreme Court decisions and longstanding Federal Circuit precedent precluding jurisdiction over non-procurement contracts....more
It was Robert Conn’s turn to shine, or perhaps more accurately, to bask, as he accepted the National Science Board’s (NSB) highest honor. Essentially a lifetime achievement award, the Vannevar Bush award recognized Conn’s...more
On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order (EO) titled “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking,” which has the potential to fundamentally change the federal grant award and administration processes as we...more
The U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”), Civil Division, has started issuing Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) to federal contractors and grant recipients, seeking detailed information about their diversity, equity, and...more
Introduction The first eight months of the Trump administration saw dramatic changes in labor and employment policy—from civil rights to traditional labor law to immigration—with more to come as key positions at oversight...more
Directs the Attorney General to investigate whether federal grant funds are being illegally used for lobbying or partisan political activities, citing concerns over misuse and potential violations of federal law....more
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed last week to permit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to terminate hundreds of grants related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives worth approximately $800 million. The...more
The Trump administration has demonstrated a commitment to enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws through novel and varied mechanisms not historically associated with enforcement of such laws, upending 60-plus years of...more
On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14332, “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking”, a sweeping directive that reshapes the federal grantmaking process. Framed as a move to improve accountability and...more
As the Trump Administration implements its agenda, executive agencies have moved to terminate billions of dollars in federal grants authorized under the Biden Administration. This alert discusses the administrative process...more
An August 7, 2025, Executive Order (EO) may have significant impact on organizations that seek discretionary federal grants to fund projects or provide services. Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking includes direction...more
Organizations challenging an agency’s termination of a grant or government contract based on an allegedly illegal government policy need to master a two-step dance, according to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. Under the...more
On August 21, 2025, the United States Supreme Court allowed the federal government to proceed with the cancelation of $783 million in funding grants from the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) to universities and research...more
In two closely watched rulings, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island has temporarily blocked enforcement of federal grant restrictions targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and...more
On Aug. 7, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14332, titled “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking.” The executive order marks a new direction for federal grantmaking policy and oversight. In recent months, the...more
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a decision on 5 August 2025 finding that the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) violated the Impoundment Control Act...more