Changes Ahead
My tenure at Research!America will conclude soon; this 759th letter is the last I will sign. Writing these letters has become a vital rhythm in my week as over the years the need for well-informed, meet-the-moment advocacy has become more urgent and the need for community more relevant than ever before. I will miss your feedback – comments, questions, corrections, and appreciation –and urge you to continue weighing in! The gratitude I feel toward you and toward my fellow Research!Americans for helping shape the letter and indeed, helping shape our alliance over the years, will remain with me always. Thank you.
Beginning next week, the Weekly Letter will be titled, “Research!America’s Weekly Letter.” It will contain all the helpful information and analyses you’ve been accustomed to receiving, so please add [email protected] to your contacts and safe senders list.
Research!America’s new President and CEO Russ Paulsen will provide his commentary in a standalone section titled, “Russ’s Corner.” Thanks for saying “yes” to Research!America, Russ…over to you…
Russ’s Corner
“Dear Research!America Member,
Do you agree with former Congressman John Porter and my analysis – discussed last week on a conference call with Research!America members – that this is the worst scenario ever contemplated for federal support of research? If so, are you willing to join others to combat the dangerous, downward trajectory? Are you in a position to influence 10 people to join you in speaking out? 100 people? 1,000? More? To be successful, any advocacy movement must have large numbers of people taking part.
We can have an impact.”
That came from Mary’s very first Weekly Letter, from 2011. But it resonates as if it had been written yesterday.
In fact, depending on the area of science you care about, the scenario we find ourselves in today may actually be worse than anything ever contemplated. Though our collective work over the past 15 years pulled us off that “dangerous, downward trajectory” for a period of time, steep slopes and cliffs surround us today.
The good news is that roughly the same strategy that worked well 15 years ago will work again: speaking out, helping others find their voices so they can speak out, building an advocacy movement, and staying together. What’s more, we are not starting from scratch.
I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to continue the legacy created by Mary, the board and staff of Research!America, and you. We have work to do, but we can do it. We have done it before. We will do it together.
More next week.
Russ
Virtual Discussion with ARPA-H Leadership: We’re thrilled to host Dr. Alicia Jackson, Director of ARPA-H, on Thursday, May 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET on Zoom. We’ve asked Dr. Jackson to share her vision and priorities for this important federal agency and provide a brief overview of the current project landscape. This real-time Zoom discussion will be moderated by our President and CEO Russ Paulsen and is open to the public. Register here.
On the Hill: Members of Congress are back in their districts for a scheduled work period, making this a valuable opportunity to engage directly with your elected officials. Use our editable email to urge your members to support increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other research agencies in Fiscal Year 2027. You can also explore our updated advocacy toolkit for tips and resources to help you make the most of congressional meetings and outreach.
Important New Advocacy Resource: Act for NIH has updated its “multi-year” funding (also known as “forward funding”) fact sheet. This resource describes the damaging effects of transitioning to multi-year funding of NIH grants without compensatory increases in the overall NIH budget. The bottom line is that multi-year funding means far fewer promising grant proposals receive funding, which slows medical progress and reduces competitiveness in the global R&D arena. Please share this resource with congressional offices and urge other research advocates to do the same.
Provide Input on the NIH Strategic Plan: The NIH is seeking public input through a Request for Information (RFI) on the framework for the NIH-wide strategic plan for Fiscal Years 2027–2031, with comments due May 26. This is an important opportunity for stakeholders to weigh in on NIH’s overarching priorities, including research areas, workforce, infrastructure, and operations. For guidance on how to submit a comment, watch Research!America’s Alliance Discussion featuring FASEB’s Dr. Yvette Seger, and review her accompanying slides.
Survey of U.S. Researchers: This week, STAT released findings from their survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. researchers who receive support from the NIH. Due to the challenging policy environment, 13% of respondents said they had “lost researchers to other countries as a result of NIH funding changes.” Read more about this survey here. (Subscription required.)
For Alliance Members Only: If you’re a Research!America alliance member, join us for our next members-only strategy session at noon ET next Thursday, May 14, featuring fan favorite Cheryl Jaeger. Check your inbox for the invite!
NINR Listening Session: In partnership with the National Health Council, Research!America is hosting an in-person National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) listening session on Wednesday, May 27, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. ET at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, D.C. This interactive session is part of NINR’s strategic planning process and will focus on emerging scientific opportunities, pressing health challenges, and priorities for advancing nursing research. Your input will help shape the future direction of NINR. Register here.
Support Our Advocacy Work: Your support is critical for our advocacy efforts. Research!America is working every day to ensure our nation’s discovery, development, and innovation ecosystem not only survives, but thrives. Working together, we can make medical and public health, as well as overall science and technology progress, a higher national priority. Donate now.