Harvard Responds to Massive Federal Grant Cuts with $250M Research Fund
Harvard University is taking a bold step after facing a massive funding cut from the federal government—announcing a $250 million plan to support ongoing research that’s now at risk.
This move comes after U.S. agencies decided to slash around $2.6 billion in research grants, accusing the Ivy League school of discriminatory practices. In response, Harvard has filed a lawsuit, arguing that the government’s actions amount to overreach.
In a joint statement, Harvard President Alan Garber and Provost John Manning acknowledged that the school can’t fully cover the loss but said it will step in to keep essential research going, at least for now.
“We can’t absorb the entire financial hit,” they said, “but we will do what we can to keep critical work moving forward.” They added that the university is also helping its researchers find other funding options.
The statement strongly criticized the grant freezes and cancellations, saying they’ve already disrupted important scientific progress—some of it years in the making.
Harvard, which currently holds an endowment worth more than $53 billion, has come under political fire recently. The school declined to accept federal oversight on admissions, staffing, and its political environment—leading to what many see as retaliation from the Trump administration.
Last month, $2.2 billion in federal funds were frozen, and an additional $450 million cut was announced this week.
The administration says the clampdown is aimed at curbing anti-Semitism and scaling back diversity programs it believes have gone too far. It has also taken action against international students involved in Gaza-related protests, threatening them with deportation over alleged ties to extremist groups.
These developments have further fueled ongoing debates over the role of politics on college campuses, especially when it comes to free speech, race, and equity.
