March Madness
We are in the midst of March Madness, the time for the annual college basketball tournament to crown a national champion. The event is a fan-favorite, and it also attracts the keen interest of bettors who wagered an estimated $15.5 billion on the tournament last year. For perspective, that total exceeds FY 24 funding for NSF, FDA, and ARPA-H combined! Feel free to share and comment on our social media post about this amazing stat and the need to invest more in research.
On The Hill: Congress avoided a government shutdown and finally completed the FY24 appropriations process, with the Senate passing the final six funding packages on Saturday, March 23. As I noted last week, our champions deserve gratitude and praise for preventing an across-the-board budget cut, but eroding federal funding for research and public health, particularly when inflation is taken into account, is a dangerous path for our nation. See our expanded budget chart, which includes the President’s budget requests for FY25.
With the government now funded until Sept. 30, all attention has turned to FY25 appropriations. Congressional offices are in the process of receiving requests, with many offices only now opening their request portals, while others have already closed. Research!America is making requests and you can too with our portal submission template. With stringent caps on both defense and non-defense spending for FY25, there is an opportunity for collaborative advocacy to raise the FY25 caps to get back on track for sustained and increased funding for research and public health. More on this in future letters.
All of the above and more were discussed during this week’s member-only alliance discussion with appropriations expert, Erik Fatemi, who can paint a clear picture of even the most complicated (and arcane) budget landscape. If your organization is not currently an alliance member, these off-the-record discussions are just one of many reasons to join the alliance. Contact Joel Nepomuceno for the full scoop!
Advocacy Honored at UNMC: I was honored this week to deliver the Inaugural Bob and Helen Bartee and Family Advocacy of Science Lectureship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). During the event, Dr. Mark Rupp received the first Bartee Advocacy of Science Award in recognition of his clear and persuasive advocacy for science during the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe this award for advocacy is a first-of-its-kind by an academic medical center, and perhaps also first by a university. (If you know otherwise let us know, as we want to keep track and spread the word of this important recognition.) I have visited dozens of academic medical centers over several decades. I have never heard as many people talk about advocacy as something they value and participate in regularly. It is part of the culture of UNMC that students as well as faculty and staff are accustomed to public engagement and eager to constantly upgrade their communication skills. A big salute to UNMC!
Honoring Early Career Leaders: We were proud to recently announce the recipients of the 2024 Civic Engagement Microgrant Program! Take a look at our release and see some of the great work they are planning for this year. Their ideas and enthusiasm are inspiring. Early career scientists are well-positioned to break down the walls that can separate scientists from their communities. I want to thank the Rita Allen Foundation for its generous support of this program for the past six years.
Supporting Next Gen Scientists: Speaking of the microgrant program, we will soon be launching a new summer component of our Civic Engagement Microgrant Program. Details will be included in next week’s letter, so stay tuned!
Spotlighting Public Health: As we move into National Public Health Week (April 1–7), let’s take a moment to recognize and honor the efforts of unsung heroes working to improve the health of all Americans each and every day. To celebrate, we are hosting an alliance discussion on April 3, at noon ET, with Dr. Karen Andes, Director of the MPH Program and Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown University. Dr. Andes will do a deep dive into community-based participatory research, and its unique value in tackling a range of public health challenges. Register on Zoom to join us.
Advocacy Awards Recap: If you were unable to attend Research!America’s Advocacy Awards earlier this month, or if you want to see this powerful program again, you can check out our recap video. We hope to see you in person at next year’s event on March 12, 2025. Meanwhile, think about whom you will nominate for recognition! Nominations will open in June, so stay tuned to this space for more information.
Members-only Invite Coming: Alliance members, be on the lookout for an invitation to the Research!America Annual Meeting on April 18. We will be joined by NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli, MD, so don’t miss it!