Alexandria-Based Agency Faces Reductions Under Trump: What To Know

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The National Science Foundation, an Alexandria-based independent federal agency that awards science research funding, is planning worker reductions and a full return to office plan amid other changes. The agency has also been in the spotlight for ending some research grants under the Trump administration's direction.

According to a staff memo reported by Fedscoop, the National Science Foundation will seek to reduce senior executive service positions from 143 to 59. The agency plans to move impacted workers to vacant senior executive service positions when possible or another position within the National Science Foundation. However, employees without "fallback rights" would lose their employment.

The target deadline for the reduction in force completion will be June 30. In addition, Fedscoop reported that the agency will look to reduce temporary workers from 368 to an estimated 70.

The agency is also pursuing a return to office by June 16. Exceptions may be granted workers with "reasonable accommodations, exceptions for hardship, and any employees who accepted the deferred resignation offer," according to Fedscoop.

The Trump administration has been seeking reductions in force as well as a full return to officer for its federal agencies to save taxpayer money. Other actions at the National Science Foundation to appease the administration's priorities are eliminating the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM and canceling some research funding awards. Grant Watch is tracking which National Science Foundation awards have been canceled.

"Awards that are not aligned with NSF's priorities have been terminated, including but not limited to those on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation," the National Science Foundation stated on its website.

The agency says it will still "prioritize cutting-edge discovery science and engineering (S&E) research, advancing technology and innovation."

However, Democrats on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology blasted the Trump administration's role in seeking research award cuts at the National Science Foundation in a May 8 letter. The members noted that the National Science Foundation has ended awards collectively totaling more than $1 billion.

"Researchers and educators have opened their inboxes to emails telling them they are no longer funded for their work that was previously selected in NSF’s highly competitive grant review process," the representatives wrote in the letter. "NSF awards had once been considered prestigious. Now, with this post-hoc politicization of the merit review process, they are merely a stamp indicating that a funded proposal has passed a secretive political test administered by an Administration that is unparalleled in its hostility to American science."

According to NPR, the proposed White House budget would make significant budget cuts to the National Science Foundation.

Amid the administration-ordered changes, National Science Foundation director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced on April 24 plans to resign. Panchanathan has been in the position since 2020 after being appointed by Trump. In a statement, he said it was time to "pass the baton to new leadership."

"This is a pivotal moment for our nation in terms of global competitiveness," said Panchanathan. "NSF is an extremely important investment to make U.S. scientific dominance a reality. We must not lose our competitive edge."

Congress created the National Science Foundation in 1950 as an independent federal agency and is one of Alexandria's major federal employers. The foundation supports science and engineering in the U.S. largely by making grants for research. The National Science Foundation provides key direction for the future of science research, accounting for about a quarter of federal support for research to college and universities.