Federal Funding
Garber Calls Harvard Legal Fees ‘Mind-Boggling’ as Federal Fight Drags On
Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 said Sunday that Harvard’s legal fees are “mind-boggling,” calling them the “price” of defending the University against a barrage of federal investigations and lawsuits.
Garber Announces $150 Million for Harvard Research Amid Federal Funding Uncertainty
Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 announced on Monday a $150 million investment in research and infrastructure intended to advance cutting-edge science at schools most exposed to federal funding shortfalls.
Garber Blasts Trump’s Proposed Order Politicizing NIH Grants on Alumni Call
Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 slammed the White House’s bid to politicize the approval of National Institutes of Health research funding as “unprecedented” during a Tuesday Zoom call with alumni.
FAS Launches Second $100 Million Drive for Ph.D. Fellowships After Meeting First Goal
Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences will begin a second $100 million fundraising challenge for endowed Ph.D. fellowships after donors helped the school meet its initial goal, FAS Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra announced Thursday.
Harvard and Yale Researchers Awarded $46 Million to Study Autism’s Origin in the Brain
Two Harvard Medical School researchers and one Yale University professor were awarded a $46 million grant from a privately funded autism initiative to study how the condition first emerges in the developing human brain, according to an HMS announcement last week.
Here’s Who Is Backing Harvard in Its Fight to Keep $2.7 Billion in Federal Funding
Universities, alumni, former government officials, hospitals, and advocacy groups are backing Harvard as it fights to preserve nearly $2.7 billion in restored federal research funding.
Federal Judge Allows Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Harvard Over NIH Grants to Proceed
A federal judge allowed most of a whistleblower lawsuit against Harvard to proceed Tuesday, letting two claims advance in a case accusing the University and a Harvard Catalyst principal investigator of misusing National Institutes of Health grant funding.
‘Huge Problem’: Graduate Students Warn Harvard Ph.D. Cuts Are Hitting Classrooms and Labs
The effects of Harvard’s planned reductions to Ph.D. admissions are already being felt across the University, graduate students said, as smaller cohorts strain teaching capacity and limit mentorship.
Harvard Spent Nearly $1 Million on Federal Lobbying in 2025, Including $230,000 in Q4
Harvard spent nearly $1 million in federal lobbying in 2025 — its highest total in more than two decades — as the University faced mounting financial and regulatory pressure from the Trump administration.
Ten Stories That Shaped 2025
At Harvard, 2025 opened with a showdown — and never relented. Federal demands threatening the University’s funding and autonomy plunged Harvard into a sustained clash with the Trump administration. The pressure reshaped budgets, shuttered diversity offices, and cast international students’ visa status into doubt. Amid the turmoil, President Alan M. Garber ’76 secured a permanent extension at Harvard's helm. Here, The Crimson looks back at the 10 stories that shaped Harvard — and Cambridge — in 2025.
The ‘Eyes and Ears’ Behind Harvard’s State Lobbying
The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts is Harvard’s voice in the statehouse — and it’s using the University’s clashes in Washington to make the case for favorable policies closer to home.
Federal Cuts Force Harvard Programs To Suspend Language Study Fellowships
When a judge ordered the Trump administration in September to restore Harvard’s federal funding, programs receiving grants through the Education Department’s International and Foreign Language Education initiative breathed a sigh of relief. But seven days later, the funds were terminated for good.
‘A Perfect Storm’: Cambridge Nonprofits Work to Meet Thanksgiving Need As Food Insecurity Rises
An early November pause on federal food assistance left many in Cambridge turning to food pantries in the weeks before Thanksgiving. As one of the busiest seasons for the nonprofits approached, leaders braced for impact.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Criticizes Tariffs on Construction Supplies at HLS Talk
Colorado Gov. Jared S. Polis criticized the Trump administration’s tariffs on construction materials at a Harvard Law School event on Monday, arguing that they drove up construction costs and worsened a housing affordability crisis in his state.
White House Renews Claims That Settlement With Harvard Is Close
Education Secretary Linda E. McMahon said Thursday that the Trump administration was close to finalizing a settlement with Harvard, renewing claims by the White House that Harvard is making progress toward a deal that would resolve a series of ongoing federal investigations.
Harvard Receives $36 Million Letter of Credit from Bank of America Amid Federal Pressure
Harvard took out a $36 million standby letter of credit from Bank of America last month after the Department of Education placed the University on stricter financial oversight this fall.
‘Beyond Depressing’: Cambridge Expects To Lose More Than $8 Million In Federal Housing Funding
The city of Cambridge expects to lose more than $8 million in federal housing funding after the Trump administration adjusted requirements for the use of Continuum of Care funding — a change that could slash housing support for thousands of residents.
Harvard Technology Services Lays Off Dozens of Workers, Citing ‘Financial Challenges’
Harvard laid off 38 information technology workers last week in its latest cost-cutting measure as the University faces extended financial uncertainty.
Some Harvard Students Defer Grad School Plans As Universities Limit Admissions
Some Harvard students are delaying their applications to graduate school or planning to switch away from academia entirely as budget pressures push universities to offer fewer seats in graduate programs.
Government Shutdown Cuts Off Data Access, Stalls Grant Applications for Harvard Researchers
As the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week, researchers across Harvard have been left uncertain about whether they will regain access to federal funds and government data for future studies.
Ancient DNA Database Faces Uncertain Future after Funding Expires
Researchers at a Harvard Medical School laboratory are uncertain how they will continue supporting a large public genetic database after its primary source of funding expired last month.
Heightened Cash Monitoring Status Could Hassle Harvard, but Poses Little Risk to Financial Aid
The Trump administration has turned toward federal financial aid as a new pressure point for Harvard — but recent threats do not present a significant risk to Harvard’s financial footing or students’ access to aid.
Harvard Reports First Deficit Since Pandemic in Fiscal Year 2025, Sees 12% Endowment Growth
Harvard reported an operating loss of $113 million — its first budget deficit since 2020 — as its financial footing shakes from disruptions to federal funding, even as the total value of its endowment grew by 11.9 percent to $56.9 billion, according to its fiscal year 2025 financial report.
A Majority of Frozen Federal Funding Has Been Restored, Harvard Says
Harvard has now received payments on the majority of funding that it lost since the Trump administration froze its access to federal grants this spring, the University notified faculty this month.
Hoekstra Says Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences Is ‘On Stronger Footing’ After Cost-Cutting
Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra told faculty on Tuesday that the school was “on stronger footing” after taking steps to tighten its budget in the face of an unstable financial climate under the Trump administration.
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