The Guttmacher Institute submitted a detailed comment letter opposing a Trump Administration rule that would reshape how federal funds and grants are awarded across all federal agencies. Issued as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on May 29, 2026, by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the proposed rule threatens to upend the standards of integrity and rigor that currently govern federal grant-making and could have major implications for programs and research related to reproductive health.
“This policy would use federal funding as a weapon against abortion and contraception access, gender-affirming care, and health equity,” says Jonathan Wittenberg, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute. “If allowed to go into effect, the rule could cause tremendous harm to people that rely on this care, and the research that underpins evidence-based policy and service delivery.”
Guttmacher joined tens of thousands of researchers, non-profit organizations, private companies, and other stakeholders that responded with overwhelming opposition during the public comment period, which ended on July 13.
If implemented, the proposed regulations would give political appointees across federal government departments and agencies greater power to determine who can apply for and receive federal grants, with less reliance on peer review and technical expertise. The regulations would also politicize the grant-making process by requiring grantees to align with the administration's policies and priorities, and would prohibit federal awards from supporting "diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, principles, or practices," so-called "gender ideology," and gender-affirming care for minors.
The rule would also prohibit funding for any "cost associated with abortion" across all federal agencies—a vague new restriction that could be interpreted broadly to restrict reproductive health care and research.
"Politicizing federal research funding would disrupt ongoing work, undercut how findings are shared, and limit our ability to understand and address health inequities," says Wittenberg. “We are proud to stand with the many thousands of esteemed researchers and leading organizations across a broad range of fields and disciplines that are speaking out against politicizing the federal grant-making process and standing up for rigorous science over ideology.”
Guttmacher's comment highlights the potential harm to Title X, the only federally funded program dedicated to providing family planning services to people with low incomes. Drawing on Guttmacher research into the impact of previous Trump administration policies that politicized the program, the comment emphasizes how these new regulations could similarly damage the network of clinics and the quality of care.
The Guttmacher Institute’s full comment is available here.
About the Guttmacher Institute
The Guttmacher Institute is a leading research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide.