FY2026 Spending Package Saves NASA Science From Proposed 47% Cut

Fifty-Five Missions Survive the Chopping Block

The FY2026 appropriations package signed into law on February 3 dealt the administration's proposed science cuts one of their most definitive defeats. NASA's budget lands at $24.44 billion, with its Science Mission Directorate receiving $7.25 billion — a far cry from the roughly 47% reduction the White House had requested. Fifty-five missions that would have been eliminated under the proposed budget survive intact, including Earth science research and STEM engagement programs.

The broader science community can exhale alongside NASA. The Department of Energy's Office of Science secured $8.4 billion, part of DOE's total $16.78 billion non-defense allocation. NSF received $8.75 billion to support nearly 10,000 new awards and more than 250,000 researchers, technicians, and students. NOAA locked in $6.17 billion, preserving weather satellites and climate research programs initially targeted for elimination.

Where the Money Goes

The spending package reflects Congress choosing continuity over transformation. EPA secured $8.82 billion, protecting state-level clean water and air quality programs. The Forest Service received $6.13 billion, half directed to wildfire management. NIST got $1.85 billion including continued CO₂ removal research.

For research-dependent agencies, the message is clear: flat or slightly increased budgets, not the sweeping cuts proposed. The administration's attempt to consolidate NSF's STEM Education Directorate into its Research and Related Activities account was also rejected in the final compromise legislation, keeping the directorate independent.

What This Means for Active and Prospective Grantees

Researchers with active federal awards can plan with relative confidence through FY2026. The appropriations package ensures existing programs continue, grant review panels will be staffed, and new solicitations will proceed on schedule. For applicants targeting NASA, DOE, or NSF programs, the budget stability removes the shadow of mid-cycle cancellations that loomed over the past year.

One notable gap: the administration declined to spend $234 million in emergency funds Congress allocated for NSF's Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction account in FY2025, signaling that capital project funding remains contentious even as operating budgets stabilize. Grant seekers targeting infrastructure or large facility programs should watch for how this tension resolves in the FY2027 cycle. The Granted blog tracks agency-by-agency funding developments as they unfold.