NIH Budget 2026: Updates on Proposed Cuts & Funding

When the Trump administration proposed slashing the NIH budget by more than 40% last year, researchers and patient advocates feared a devastating blow to biomedical innovation. Instead, Congress passed a final FY2026 budget in early February that actually gives the National Institutes of Health a modest $458 million increase — a rare moment where a highly publicized cut was not just rejected, but reversed.

FY2026 Enacted NIH Program Level: $47.493 billion ·
Increase from FY2025: $458 million (1.0%) ·
Combined with ARPA‑H: $48.933 billion ·
President’s Request: $27.915 billion (proposed ~40% cut)

Key budget figures from official sources are summarized below.

What is the budget of the NIH?

The National Institutes of Health’s budget for fiscal year 2026 is $47.493 billion at the program level, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS, the nonpartisan research arm of Congress). That figure excludes the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA‑H), which received a separate $1.5 billion appropriation, bringing the combined health research total to $48.933 billion.

To put the number in perspective, the FY2026 budget is about $458 million (1.0%) higher than the final FY2025 enacted level — a far cry from the roughly 40% cut the Trump administration had proposed earlier in the year. The CRS report notes that after accounting for transfers, the enacted total is $19.578 billion (70.1%) more than the President’s request.

How much does NIH spend each year?

• FY2025 enacted: approximately $47.035 billion (program level)
• FY2026 enacted: $47.493 billion — a 1.0% increase
• FY2026 request (proposed): $27.915 billion — a 40.6% proposed cut

The pattern over the past three decades, documented by CRS’s annual funding report, shows steady growth punctuated by occasional freezes. The FY2026 outcome breaks from the request but maintains the upward trend, though inflation-adjusted growth remains modest.

Was the 2026 federal budget passed?

Yes. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7148) — which includes the Labor–HHS–Education appropriations bill funding NIH — was signed into law on February 3, 2026, by President Trump, as confirmed by the Congressional Research Service and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. The final package funds most of the U.S. government through September 30, 2026, and broadly rejected proposed deep cuts to federal health agencies.

Legislative steps:

• January 19, 2026: Bipartisan Labor–HHS bill released with $48.7 billion for NIH (APA Services).
• January 22, 2026: House passes the three‑bill minibus H.R. 7148 by a vote of 341–88 (American Psychological Association).
• January 30, 2026: Senate approves amended package 71–29 (UNC Research).
• February 3, 2026: House passes amended package 217–214, President signs same day (UNC Research).

The implication: the budget was not only passed but enacted nearly eight months before the end of the fiscal year, giving NIH a full runway to obligate funds — a contrast to the compressed timelines that had worried advocates.

Did the Trump administration cut science funding?

The administration proposed deep cuts, but Congress did not enact them. The President’s FY2026 budget request, released in February 2025, called for a total NIH program level of about $27.915 billion — a reduction of roughly 40% from the FY2025 baseline, according to CRS. The proposal also sought to consolidate NIH’s 27 institutes and centers into 8, a structural change that the CASRAI policy analysis describes as a “near-total rebuke” of the agency’s current organization.

Congressional rejection was broad and bipartisan. The final bill not only preserved all 27 institutes but also increased funding. As STAT News framed it, the deal was “a near‑total rebuke of President Trump’s proposed downsizing and reshaping of the agency.”

Is Trump cutting NSF funding?

The President’s FY2026 budget request also proposed significant cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA science programs, though final appropriations for those agencies were handled in separate bills. Early reports suggest Congress largely rejected deep cuts there as well, but the final numbers for NSF and NASA are not covered in this NIH-focused analysis.

Did Trump cut funding for NASA?

Similar to NSF, the Trump administration requested reductions to NASA’s science account, but Congress has historically moderated those proposals. For NASA’s FY2026 budget, refer to the relevant appropriations bill; the NIH outcome suggests a pattern of congressional resistance.

This tension will likely continue into the next budget cycle.

What is the NIH budget by year?

The Congressional Research Service provides a comprehensive year-by-year record of NIH funding from FY1996 through FY2026 (requested and enacted). The long-term trend is upward, with occasional dips:

• FY1996: ~$12.6 billion
• FY2000: ~$17.8 billion
• FY2010: ~$31.0 billion
• FY2020: ~$41.7 billion
• FY2025: ~$47.0 billion
• FY2026 enacted: $47.493 billion

The FY2026 enacted level represents a 0.9% increase over FY2025 when including ARPA‑H (CRS). Notably, the President’s request of $27.9 billion would have reversed the entire post-2000 growth trajectory.

The trade-off: while the topline has grown steadily, the purchasing power for research grants has been squeezed by inflation and rising costs. A dollar in 2026 buys roughly 20% less than in 2010, according to CASRAI.

What are the latest NIH funding news?

The most consequential development is the passage of the FY2026 budget itself, which avoided the feared 40% cut. But several related stories continue to develop:

• Indirect cost cap blocked: The appropriations law includes language barring a proposed 15% flat indirect‑cost rate cap (F&A) at NIH that had been attempted via Notice NOT‑OD‑25‑068, according to CASRAI.
• Multi-year grant funding preserved: Section 240 of the Labor–HHS bill maintains NIH’s use of multi‑year grant funding at FY2025 levels, rejecting an OMB-proposed 50% multi‑year model (UNC Research).
• Institute-level allocations: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases receives $2.3 billion, consistent with prior years (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy).

U.S. News reported in June 2026 that the NIH director defended the agency’s management amid ongoing scrutiny, but the core funding picture remains stable for now.

Researchers should monitor upcoming appropriations debates for potential changes.

Timeline: Key events in the NIH FY2026 budget process

• February 2025: President Trump releases FY2026 budget request seeking $27.915 billion for NIH (proposed ~40% cut).
• September 2025: Senate proposes $48.7 billion for NIH (American Institute of Physics).
• January 19, 2026: Bipartisan compromise bill released with $48.7 billion for NIH.
• January 22, 2026: House passes H.R. 7148 (341–88).
• January 30, 2026: Senate approves amended package (71–29).
• February 3, 2026: House passes amended package (217–214); President signs into law.
• June 2026: NIH director defends agency budget management (U.S. News).

The swift legislative timeline underscores the bipartisan commitment to protecting NIH funding.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains uncertain

Keeping these distinctions in mind helps readers navigate the budget landscape.

Expert perspectives on the NIH budget

The congressional action in FY2026 is best characterized as avoiding severe cuts rather than imposing new reductions.
CASRAI

NIH is the world’s largest funder of science and innovation to improve human health and longevity.
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Summary: What the FY2026 NIH budget means for research

The final FY2026 budget for NIH represents a clear bipartisan rejection of sweeping cuts to health science, but it is not a windfall. For researchers and university administrators, the takeaway is that political will exists to protect core biomedical funding — but at levels that barely keep pace with inflation. For the biomedical research community, the implication is clear: plan for continued competition for limited grant dollars, and prepare for the next budget cycle, where the same debates may resurface.

Frequently asked questions