UMass Chan Sees Largest NIH Funding Drop in Central Mass.

Uncertainty over federal research funding impacts Worcester medical school's budget.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:05pm

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a stack of medical research papers and a broken test tube on a clean, monochromatic background, symbolizing the impact of reduced NIH funding on biomedical research.Reduced NIH funding casts a shadow over the future of biomedical research in Central Massachusetts.Worcester Today

After a year of uncertainty surrounding National Institutes of Health funding for research institutions across the state and country, UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester saw the largest drop in NIH funding between fiscal years 2024 and 2025 in Central Massachusetts. The university received $193.3 million for 372 awards in 2024 and $190.4 million for 345 awards in 2025, a decline of about $3 million.

Why it matters

The NIH's new forward funding policy, which pays the full value of multi-year grants in a single fiscal year, has had a significant impact on UMass Chan's budget. This has led to fewer researchers being funded and projects being discontinued, raising concerns about the long-term health of the biomedical research infrastructure in the region.

The details

While the $3 million funding drop may seem modest, UMass Chan estimates that with $23 million of its fiscal year 2025 grants tied to forward funding, the university's effective funding decline is around $18 million. This is because roughly $15 million of that $23 million is reserved for future years, reducing the amount available for current research projects.

  • In fiscal year 2024, UMass Chan received $193.3 million for 372 awards.
  • In fiscal year 2025, UMass Chan received $190.4 million for 345 awards, a decline of about $3 million.

The players

UMass Chan Medical School

The region's largest recipient of NIH funding when ranked by number of awards.

Sarah Willey

UMass Chan assistant vice chancellor for media relations.

Beth McCormick

UMass Chan chair and professor of microbiology.

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What they’re saying

“From the outside everything looks to be back on track but if you look beyond that façade, the current changes to funding policies by the National Institutes of Health are slowly eroding the bricks from the foundation of the biomedical research infrastructure.”

— Beth McCormick, UMass Chan chair and professor of microbiology

The takeaway

The funding challenges faced by UMass Chan highlight the broader impact of changes to NIH policies, which are putting pressure on the region's biomedical research ecosystem and raising concerns about the long-term viability of critical projects and programs.