Comment from Anita Autry
Anita AutryOpposeAcademic
Summary: An Associate Professor of Neuroscience argues that the proposed OMB changes to public notice of grant opportunities will hinder innovation and limit the applicant pool. They contend that without public notice, funding opportunities will only be accessible through insider knowledge or direct recruitment, favoring political appointees over the most qualified researchers.
I am an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and conduct research funded by the NIH. I am writing in objection to the proposed OMB changes to public notice of grant opportunities outlined in 200.204. Researchers use national registries to identify available funding opportunities that align with ongoing research in their labs or to identify areas of potential innovation through collaborations with other researchers in an established field. By not making grant funding opportunities publicly available, the most qualified researchers for grant opportunities will not be able to submit ideas for consideration. Without public notice, the only way a researcher may become aware of funding opportunities would be through direct recruitment by the federal agency or other insider knowledge. This practice will severely limit the pool of applicants and further empower political appointees to decide who is aware of funding opportunities and able to get funding. This is completely antithetical to innovation and collaboration, the true goals of federally-funded research in the United States of America. I cannot more strongly urge the OMB to remove this rule 200.204 from consideration.