The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has terminated more than 1,000 grants totaling $1.02 billion, including funding for research on transgender issues, racial disparities, and social justice, according to information obtained by The Daily Signal. In addition to these cancellations, the agency has renegotiated about 5,000 additional grants. Some grants remain protected from cancellation by court orders and will be allowed to expire when their terms end.
Explainer Parental Rights in America: Defending Family Authority Amid Legal Challenges
The decision marks a significant shift in federal research funding priorities. Resources are being redirected to projects that align more closely with President Donald Trump's policy agenda. The NIH has not commented publicly on the decision or provided further explanation regarding the criteria used for terminating or renegotiating the grants.
This development comes amid an ongoing national debate over the use of federal funds for research on gender identity, racial disparities, and social determinants of health. Supporters of these grants argue that they address critical gaps in public health and social equity, helping to inform policies and interventions for marginalized populations. Critics, however, contend that many of these projects reflect ideological priorities rather than scientific merit, and question whether taxpayer dollars should support such research.
Grants Terminated and Projects Affected
Among the canceled grants was the $2.21 million ENTRUST project at the University of Central Florida. This project aimed to provide economic empowerment and tailored counseling to transgender women in Florida. According to the grant's author, the research was necessary because transgender women "are economically disadvantaged and at highest risk for substance use disorders, HIV transmission and/or non-adherence to antiretroviral treatment, yet remain underrepresented in research."
"Existing programs fail to address structural barriers such as socio-economic status and social marginalization that deter access to prevention services and care."
β Grant author, University of Central Florida
Another terminated grant, totaling $2.28 million, studied the effects of testosterone therapy on communication in gender-diverse individuals assigned female at birth. The project summary noted that up to 97% of such individuals experience gender-related voice problems, but there are no evidence-based treatments for voice masculinization. The study sought to provide guidance on how testosterone therapy impacts communication, aiming to fill a gap in clinical knowledge for transgender and gender-diverse populations.
A $1 million grant focused on the links between transgender identity, alcoholism, and domestic violence in rural Midwest communities was also canceled. The research aimed to understand how discrimination and minority stress contribute to alcohol use and intimate partner violence among sexual and gender minority couples, and to identify sources of resilience in these populations.
Broader Scope of Canceled Research
The NIH also ended a $2.4 million grant for the development of an app called SilverBills, which was designed to improve the financial well-being of elderly LGBTQ+ individuals with cognitive impairment. Another $2.87 million grant targeted increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake among young Black adults in the South, a group the grant summary described as a "super-spreader" population with low vaccination acceptance. The project intended to address barriers to vaccination and improve public health outcomes in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Additional terminated projects included a $2.4 million study on the impact of perceived racism on cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive aging in Black adults over 65. This research sought to examine how experiences of racism may contribute to health disparities in older Black adults. Another canceled grant, worth $2.16 million, investigated how structural racism affects disparities in end-stage kidney disease outcomes, aiming to identify factors that contribute to unequal health outcomes and inform strategies for reducing disparities.
Responses and Ongoing Debate
Researchers involved in the canceled grants have argued that their work addressed urgent public health needs and sought to close gaps in care for marginalized populations. The author of the ENTRUST grant wrote that "addressing this knowledge gap is critical for developing new health policies and biobehavioral and social interventions for healthy aging." Many researchers maintain that their studies were vital for understanding and addressing health disparities that affect vulnerable groups.
The NIH has not publicly addressed the specific reasons for terminating these grants or responded to criticism from affected researchers. Supporters of the funding cuts argue that the canceled projects reflected ideological priorities rather than scientific necessity, and that federal research dollars should be focused on projects with clear, broadly applicable scientific value. In contrast, advocates for the research maintain that the studies were essential for addressing persistent health disparities and informing evidence-based policy.
Some grants remain in place due to court protections, but the NIH has indicated that these will be allowed to expire at the end of their current terms rather than being renewed. The broader implications of these funding changes for public health research and marginalized communities remain the subject of ongoing debate among policymakers, researchers, and advocacy groups.
