NIH awards all grant money but delays and opaque decisions hinder researchers, cuts health disparity funding

The National Institutes of Health announced that it has allocated the full amount of its grant budget for fiscal year 2026, but the timing and transparency of award decisions have been problematic for investigators.

Researchers report that the slow, unclear process is slowing projects and creating uncertainty about funding continuity.

At the same time, the agency continued to trim grants that focus on health disparities, race and ethnicity, a trend that has drawn criticism from the scientific community.

Despite the budget being fully funded, the NIH made little headway on other administration‑driven priorities, leaving many stakeholders concerned about the overall impact on public‑health research.