Schedule F Revival Threatens 50,000 Federal Jobs Including Grant Makers
March 27, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
A final rule implementing Schedule Policy/Career — the revived version of the Trump-era Schedule F — is set for publication in the Federal Register, putting up to 50,000 federal positions at risk of losing civil service protections. Research advocates warn that grant-making employees at agencies like NIH, NSF, and DOE could be among those reclassified.
The rule strips affected employees of removal protections under Title 5, appeal rights for adverse personnel actions, and eligibility for recruitment, retention, and relocation incentives. In effect, it converts career civil servants into at-will employees.
Which Grant Makers Are at Risk
The Office of Personnel Management has said it won't recommend reclassifying grant-making positions that don't "determine or make agency policy." But OPM also acknowledged that scientific positions directing "which scientific projects should be resourced throughout the agency" could qualify for transfer.
That language is broad enough to encompass program officers at NIH, NSF, DOE, and other agencies who shape research priorities through funding decisions.
Why This Matters for Grant Seekers
The immediate concern is institutional knowledge. Program officers who have managed portfolios for years understand the nuances of their research communities. Replacing experienced reviewers with political appointees or less-tenured staff could slow award timelines, shift funding priorities unpredictably, and erode the peer review process that underpins federal science.
Federal employees moved into Schedule Policy/Career also lose eligibility for student loan repayment benefits, potentially making it harder for agencies to recruit qualified scientific staff.
What to Watch
Grant applicants should monitor whether their program officers change and whether review timelines shift in coming months. Organizations relying on federal research funding should factor workforce instability into their planning. More policy analysis is available on the Granted blog.