Will Federal Grants Be Weaponized?

The Trump administration has proposed new rules that would give them unprecedented power to punish organizations for their political views. The rules govern federal grants to nonprofits, universities, and other organizations. 

We’ve already seen the Trump administration weaponize immigration rules and federal funding for universities to try to silence critics of the administration. We can’t let them change these rules without a fight.

The most concerning provisions are buried within proposed major revisions to the Uniform Guidance – the rules that govern how federal agencies award and manage grants. While the changes are framed as “administrative reforms,” several provisions would allow political appointees to:

• Deny or terminate federal funding based on whether an organization aligns with current "administration priorities" (rather than objective grant criteria)

• Reject grant applications from organizations with "anti-American values" – a vague standard that could easily target groups critical of government policies

• Conduct invasive "risk assessments" of organizations before awarding or continuing grants

• Unilaterally terminate funding with minimal due process protections

These rule changes would make it far easier to weaponize federal funding decisions against any organization – including nonprofits – that holds political views the administration dislikes.

The public comment period is currently OPEN, and your voice matters. Federal agencies are required to respond to public comments before finalizing these rules. The Supreme Court ruled as recently as 2024 that failure to adequately address these comments is grounds for striking down the rule. 

This is a critical moment. We need nonprofits, academic leaders, civil liberties advocates, and concerned citizens to speak up NOW – before it's too late.

Thank you for defending the independence of American institutions.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Submitting Your Comment

1. Go to Regulations.gov

Visit: https://www.regulations.gov/document/OMB-2026-0034-0001

2. Click "Comment"

Look for the blue "Comment" button at the top left of the page

3. Fill Out the Comment Form

NJN has prepared a sample comment for you. Paste it into the text box. Feel free to personalize it:

Federal grants should never be used as a political weapon. The proposed changes would allow agencies to deny funding to organizations based on vague standards like “anti-American values,” effectively penalizing political speech and viewpoints. This threatens the independence of nonprofits and universities. I urge OMB to withdraw this proposal and protect merit-based federal grant decisions.

Key themes to include:

• Federal grants should be merit-based, not political

• "Alignment with administration priorities" is too vague and subjective

• These changes threaten organizational independence and free speech

• Universities and nonprofits must remain free from political retaliation

• Due process protections are being stripped away

Tips for comments:

• Comments don't need to be long – 3-4 sentences is perfectly fine

• Be clear and direct about your concerns

• Include your name and any organizational affiliation (optional but helpful)

• Submit early; don't wait until the last day

4. Submit: Click the “Submit Comment” button

5. You'll Receive Confirmation

• The system will assign your comment a tracking number

• If you choose to identify yourself and opt-in to emails, you may receive an email confirmation (check spam folder)

Deadline: July 13, 2026