NSF Plans to Boost Staffing, Halve Grant Solicitations
Following last year’s cuts, the chief management officer of the federal research funding agency says its number of employees is “too low.”
"[T]he National Science Board, which approves NSF policies, ... is trying to “consolidate” solicitations for grant awards to half, or less, of the usual amount of these funding opportunities—raising concerns that fewer researchers will receive funding.... this move would reduce workload, but also help applicants.
“The fewer solicitations you have, the less time grant applicants have to figure out which of our pigeonholes they fit into”
[...]
As for the staffing issues: “We are at about 1,300 on rolls, which is a 35 percent reduction from where we were this time last year, which is too low.” [Emphasis added] He didn’t say how many employees he wants to hire, and an agency spokesperson didn’t provide a figure Wednesday.
Cheatham said “almost all” of the agency’s staffing cuts “came through voluntary actions.” The NSF had three rounds of the deferred resignation program, through which employees typically resigned or retired as of Sept. 30, 2025, he said.
Full article: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/science-research-policy/2026/02/26/nsf-plans-boost-staffing-halve-grant