Our federal partnership
Amid profound change for the country and the world, the University of Washington (UW) is leading the charge at the forefront of knowledge and workforce production, meeting complex social, geopolitical and economic challenges with innovation and direct impact. Characterized by both complex challenges and unprecedented opportunities, the year 2025 has tremendous potential to be a year that reasserts the United States as the global leader in innovation through investments in science, technology, research, and education. Each school and department at the UW remains steadfast in its pursuit of education and research, making unique contributions to the UW’s powerhouse of discovery, fueled by federal investment.
Only through consistent federal investment in fundamental science and scientific research could the UW and our nation discover and apply new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing or create new life-saving medicines and treatments. The passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, which authorized billions of dollars for research agencies, reflects the understanding that investment in science and technology research is critical for American innovation and competitiveness. As exciting as the authorized funds are, in FY2026, we hope to see those authorized levels turned into appropriated funds.
By leveraging federal, state and private dollars, the UW is developing and fostering the next generation of leaders, thinkers and doers who are actively addressing the nation’s most complex challenges and accelerating innovation today while creating the advances, technologies and expertise of the future.
At the UW, we view federal support as long-term investments in the development of ideas, designed to pay significant dividends on both a national and a global scale. Thank you. Your continued support is invaluable, and as always, we strive to be responsible stewards of federal resources. The UW looks forward to partnering with the federal government in pursuit of mutual goals. The UW outlines the following federal agenda for FY2026.
Federal investment in education
Affordability & access
- 22% of all UW undergraduates were eligible for Pell Grants in 2022–2023.
- 22% of undergraduates are eligible for the Husky Promise, which covers tuition and fees for WA students with financial need.
- 28% of freshmen that started in fall 2023 are first-generation four-year-degree-seeking students.
- 74% of the UW’s 2023 incoming undergraduate class (including freshmen and transfer students) are WA residents; all 39 WA counties are represented in the student body.
- More than 82% of alumni live and work in WA
Federal investment in education through Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study and policies that welcome international students and scholars allowed the UW to increase access to quality education with far-reaching impacts on the state of Washington and the nation. Due to investment in financial aid, such as Pell Grants, the UW has been able to scale its impact on the state: 74% of the incoming class across all three campuses are Washington residents because, at our core, the University was founded to educate the residents of Washington. Fall 2023 also welcomed the University’s largest and most diverse incoming class — 28% of students are first-generation college students and 17% belong to underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
Our commitment to inclusion is not limited by borders. International students make up almost 10% of the UW’s total enrolled students, showcasing the attractiveness of U.S. higher education in Washington. The nation’s ability to remain competitive and innovative is inextricably linked with the quality of American higher education and dependent on our ability to attract the best minds, regardless of origin. For the UW to ensure excellence and become even more innovative, it is imperative that Congress take steps to maintain the free flow of ideas, whether by funding proven access programs such as Pell Grants, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) and TRIO or through robust funding of Title VI international-education programs. Just as importantly, we have seen over the past several years, and especially now, that a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system is long overdue.
Too many talented people, including individuals eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), have been caught up in the current set of piecemeal rules and regulations. The current uncertainty for the future of DACA is causing frustration and confusion for students and their families, while severely jeopardizing the country’s competitiveness for retaining U.S. talent. The consistent uncertainty must be met with congressional action through immigration reform that permanently protects DACA-eligible individuals as well as strong H-1B visa and Optional Practical Training programs and that revises the outdated visa processing system. As a global university, we can bridge differences by bringing ideas and perspectives together to create a more prosperous future for all.
We urge Congress to improve our international-engagement abilities by reducing visa processing times for students and visiting scholars; enacting permanent, positive solutions for DACA-eligible recipients and their families; reaffirming our ability to welcome and engage in global discourse through international students and scholars; and creating an equitable and fair green-card system. In short, we ask that Congress and the administration come together in 2025 to take up and pass a comprehensive immigration-reform package that will benefit both the education and research missions of the University, which, in turn, will benefit the country as a whole.
More specifically, the UW asks Congress to:
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- Continue to invest in students directly by generously funding programs such as Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and Federal Work-Study, which make higher education a more viable possibility for financially disadvantaged students.
- Support increased access and talent development through robust funding for TRIO and GEAR UP, as well as programs funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) designed to increase pathways for students from groups that have historically been underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree programs.
- Reestablish a welcoming environment with sensible safeguards for students, scholars and visitors from around the globe by comprehensively reforming and creating a sensible immigration system. Only a comprehensive fix will address the shortfalls that exist in a host of critical and linked provisions and programs of importance to the UW and the nation alike, such as student and scholar visas (F-1, J-1), employment-based visas (H-1B, Optional Practical Training and green cards) and permanent protection for DACA-eligible students and employees. The United States has benefited immeasurably from the contributions of international students and scholars, and we have seen that piecemeal approaches to fixing different programs do not work. We ask for a comprehensive review of the system.
- Reinvest in and strengthen Title VI and Fulbright-Hays, as they are the federal government’s most comprehensive international-education programs. Graduates of these programs are essential to our diplomatic, defense, commercial and educational interests, as well as interests in many other areas of society.
Federal investment in research
We thank Congress for its continued support of federal research funding and urge continued critical investments in basic and applied science in a broad spectrum of fields across all federal research–supporting agencies and directorates. In FY2026, we strongly encourage Congress to deliver on the promise of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act by fully funding its provisions.
Research at the UW
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- More than 286 specialized research centers are housed at the UW. Projects at these centers and across the UW sustain more than 12,000 jobs.
- The UW shares research projects with universities in 33 countries and 49 states, as well as in Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
- The UW receives more federal research funding than any other U.S. public university; in FY2023 it received $1.87 billion in total research awards, including $1.52 billion from federal sources.
The UW continues to view support for the NIH as our top federal funding priority and the NSF as our second-highest priority. Each college and school across the UW has a grant funded by either the NIH or NSF, and most have significant funding from both agencies. In FY2023, the UW received more than $526 million from the NIH, making it our largest single federal funding source, and $158 million from the NSF.
Overall, in FY2023, the UW received more than $919 million from the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes funding from the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, and others.
Maintaining federal investment in research is not simply about monetary investments. Research programs need time, sustained resources and infrastructure support to mature and succeed. Inconsistent rules and guidance from federal agencies or funding uncertainty — whether from continuing resolutions, one-time increases or proposed cuts — undermine the decades of progress and stimy future economic development. Uncertainty sets up researchers, research institutions, agencies, innovation and our nation for failure.
The UW fully recognizes that access to federal resources and the ability to welcome individuals from around the world are privileges, and we understand the associated national security responsibilities related to the research enterprise. Bad actors—both foreign and domestic– who strive to abuse or circumvent the grant and intellectual property system cannot be tolerated.
The UW is working with the federal government and colleagues across higher education to be proactive in reinforcing existing or establishing new protections and processes to educate faculty, students and staff on potential risks; promoting best practices for compliance with current federal and state disclosure requirements; and protecting our mutual intellectual property and future economic opportunity. We urge Congress to instruct federal agencies that sponsor research to further collaborate, share information and develop best practices to recognize threats and protect federal and university investments in intellectual property.
In addition, we urge the federal government to continue to develop a holistic data-reporting framework that is user-friendly for institutions and end users of data. Institutions of higher education are accustomed to submitting substantial volumes of data to systems such as the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and we agree that the integrity of our nation’s scientific enterprise warrants transparency regarding our global engagements and contracts. This means the creation of a rational and logical government-wide system, not one that requires each agency to develop its own just for the sake of creating a unique system. Rather, agencies should create an interagency system that allows for data sharing to the greatest extent possible.
The issue of cumbersome data systems is not new. Over 30 years ago, Congress enacted Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 due to concerns about the growing financial relationship between U.S. universities and foreign sources. Institutions have complied for over three decades, but the current reporting mechanism is cumbersome at best and prohibits true, usable disclosures by end users. Rather than reveal nefarious actions, a well-designed system will, we believe, demonstrate instead how globally engaged and interconnected knowledge and the pursuit of science are today. We support the disclosure of relevant information and want to comply with sensible and reasonable requirements, and we ask that the federal government help create a rational and usable system with clear guidance.
To resolve these and other concerns regarding well-meaning requirements, we request that the legislative and executive branches — as well as the federal agencies themselves — coordinate their activities to implement research-security-related requirements called for by National Security Policy Memo-33 (NSPM-33).
While we believe there is a strong need to protect our investment in the research enterprise, funding for research programs is not enough.
The duplicative costs of complying with the vast duplicative, and sometimes conflicting, federal regulations is a true challenge and costly burden. We urge Congress streamline administrative burden in research-intensive universities is crucial for fostering national progress, as it significantly reduces overall costs and boosts productivity. By minimizing bureaucratic hurdles, faculty and researchers can devote more time and resources to innovation and discovery rather than navigating complex administrative processes. This efficiency translates into faster research outcomes, greater economic contributions, and enhanced competitiveness on a global scale. Unify duplicative and costly regulations for a single means and method to comply.
Additionally, harnessing technology can further enhance this process by increasing compliance and maintaining much-needed transparency in university activities. Automated systems and digital platforms can streamline reporting, ensure adherence to regulations, and provide clear, accessible records, thus supporting accountability while reducing the administrative load. This strategic use of technology not only optimizes resource allocation but also strengthens trust and integrity, ultimately amplifying the impact of research universities on national prosperity.
In addition to support for scientific research, federal efforts that bolster additional resources —financial, programmatic, and professional — for individual student, faculty and staff success are fundamental to our long-term national security, economic growth and prosperity. Scientific progress and societal advancement are not possible without fostering student and early-career development and talent.
The renowned excellence of American higher education is not possible without a healthy and welcoming environment for all students and scholars. Access to and the sharing of ideas is fundamental to the fabric of progress.
The UW is committed to fostering an environment that encourages the expression of a range of ideas and opinions by upholding the right to free speech. As an institution of higher education, we are committed to demonstrating how disparate viewpoints can peacefully coexist in an environment where every member of the community feels welcome, safe and supported. To create this environment, the UW is united to combat all forms of bias and discrimination and strives to ensure that the UW is an inclusive, diverse and welcoming community to all its members regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, nationality or length of time at the University. Assault, harassment and discrimination have no place on our campuses or in our nation.
More specifically, the UW asks Congress to:
- Maintain robust funding and support sustainable increases for the NIH and NSF, as well as other federal scientific research agencies and directorates such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and to continue to invest in critical resources for STEM scholarships, fellowships, and traineeships.
- Fully fund the authorized increases called for in the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act for research agencies, including the NSF, the NIH, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and invest in critical resources for STEM scholarships, fellowships and traineeships.
- Reduce duplicative and costly administrative reporting burdens by creating single automated systems and digital platforms to streamline reporting, ensure adherence to regulations, and provide clear, accessible records, thus supporting accountability while reducing the administrative load.
- Invest in next-generation research areas that are critical to the success of the next great interdisciplinary scientific future, such as AI and quantum sciences. Quantum sciences include a host of facets and research areas, including but not limited to: information science, sensing, computing, communication and encryption. Investing in these cutting-edge science opportunities will help us advance and integrate research, education, and commercialization across our community. The investment will also foster new collaborative initiatives, nurture our vibrant quantum science and AI ecosystems, and educate students for a quantum-ready society.
- Continue to invest in undergraduate and graduate research and support programs that engage all students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented populations, in meaningful basic and applied research opportunities. Undergraduate and graduate research is workforce development. The skills learned in a lab are what employers desperately need immediately. Research funding is workforce development.
Initiatives
For years, we have been focusing our collective efforts through two specific initiatives, Population Health and Race & Equity, as these two foci have been at the forefront of our social and political consciousness. As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, our initiatives are providing answers and strategies for a resilient recovery while also helping the country be better prepared for future global shocks. These initiatives showcase what the UW has been able to accomplish as a partner with the federal government.
Learn more about the UW Race & Equity Initiative
The UW’s Population Health Initiative
While today’s global challenges are monumental and those of the future unpredictable, the UW remains committed to defying the odds and conventional thinking to tackle them. One area that exemplifies the UW’s unique approach to problem-solving is our 25-year Population Health Initiative. This multi-decadal effort seeks to address the intersecting factors that influence the health and well-being of our planet and our global population. In classrooms, clinics and communities, the initiative takes a holistic approach by bringing together students and faculty from countless disciplines to improve human health, sustain our environment and promote social and economic equity.
The initiative’s activities are directed toward diverse yet interconnected challenges. UW researchers are analyzing issues around community resilience to extreme nature events caused by climate change; addressing systemic food and water insecurities; reducing the rate, burden and racial disproportionality of disease; and improving health in our rapidly changing world. Together with community groups, the initiative is transforming this research into concrete actionable plans to improve the health and well-being of people at both the local and global scale. The Population Health Initiative has been a leader in conducting research on the pandemic’s effects on food insecurity, housing insecurity and vaccination inequity, in order to provide insight on how these effects can be mitigated in the future through more effective and resilient systems.
Every day, we find tremendous hope in how the UW community pulls together to listen, learn, act and improve the world. Together we are ready for whatever tomorrow might bring.
UW stories of impact
Read about the people, places and programs that drive the University of Washington’s faculty, staff and students to work for a world of good.
UW School of Medicine researchers further breast cancer vaccine testing
Researchers have entered phase II of a new vaccine trial that could potentially prevent or treat breast cancer, one of the first DNA-based cancer vaccines entering human trials.
UW-developed wave sensors deployed to improve hurricane forecasts
Off the coast of Florida, researchers dropped sensor technologies developed at the University of Washington to measure ocean waves in the path of Hurricane Ian, as part of an effort to improve forecasts for these fast-moving, deadly systems.
UW experts are helping transform data gathering and reconnaissance after natural disasters
The UW’s Natural Hazards Reconnaissance Facility, known as RAPID, was the first of its kind in the world and has responded to more than 80 natural disasters, including hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and wildfires. RAPID gives researchers access to state-of-the-art equipment to study the effects of disasters, with over 100 unique instruments, including a variety of drones and a remote-controlled boat that uses sonar to scan underwater.
New UW study links risk of heat-related deaths in Washington to socioeconomic factors
University of Washington researchers analyzed the risk of heat-related deaths in Washington, as extreme heat is expected to continue in the state in the future. The findings are meant to inform public health professionals on the disparate impacts of heat by community to help improve mitigation efforts.
UW researchers use computational approaches to find novel HIV treatments
Researchers at the UW are examining computational approaches to selecting combinations of antibodies to treat HIV, finding that these approaches could make HIV treatment more effective.
A smartphone’s camera and flash could help people measure blood oxygen levels at home
UW researchers are developing a way to monitor oxygen saturation using a smartphone aided by machine learning to help patients more easily keep an eye on symptoms — including those of COVID-19.
New UW Photonic Sensing Facility will use fiber-optic cables for seismic glaciology and more
A new UW Photonic Sensing Facility is exploring the potential of using fiber-optic sensing technology across many scientific fields including seismology, glaciology, oceanography, and monitoring hydrology and infrastructure. The new technology can use sensors in places that were previously too hard or expensive to deploy to.
UW experts are accelerating a quantum future
The UW has deep roots in quantum research and discovery. Two UW scientists have earned the Nobel Prize in Physics for quantum research, and the UW is one of a growing number of universities across the globe with quantum information programs. Thanks to partnerships with industry including Microsoft, Boeing, Google and Amazon, and with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), College of Engineering and College of Arts & Sciences researchers have been working to accelerate quantum research and teaching. In doing so, they are helping to situate the UW and Washington state as a leader in this area.
UW plays a critical role in the region’s economic drive
The University of Washington has helped put Seattle on the map as a key player in the nation’s technology economy.