Comment on the Proposed Federal Grant Rules Before July 13

Deadline: July 13, 2026 at 11:59pm PDT

Why this Matters

On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a proposed rule that would rewrite the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), the government-wide rulebook for federal grants, cooperative agreements, and other federal financial assistance. It is the largest revision to these rules since 2013, and the public can comment on it through July 13, 2026. OMB says its goals are to improve transparency, accountability, and oversight of federal funds, to clarify that the 2 CFR text is an OMB regulation, and to reduce paperwork for the groups that receive grants. The proposal also includes some significant changes:
  • A pre-issuance review by political appointees to confirm that proposed awards align with the law, agency priorities, and the national interest.
  • Turning the guidance into a regulation, so future OMB changes would take effect across the government on a single date without separate agency rulemaking.
  • New conditions on what awards can fund, including prohibitions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and to certain foreign collaborations.
Why this matters here: federal grants pay for a lot of work along our coast. They support marine and salmon research, habitat restoration, the Siuslaw National Forest, the Marine Mammal Commission, our libraries and museums (through the Institute of Museum and Library Services), arts and humanities programs, and many of the nonprofits and agencies our neighbors depend on. Additionally, it would impact funding for research into medical issues, like cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and more.  Changes to how those grants are awarded, and what conditions come attached, could affect that funding. People disagree about whether these changes are good policy. The point of this action is simple: read the proposal, form your own view, and tell OMB what you think before the comment window closes on July 13. Comments become part of the official record that agencies are required to consider.

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Steps to Take

Step 1

Read the proposed rule. You can read the full text on the Federal Register. It is long, so the summary near the top and the section headings are a good place to start. You can also see comments others have already submitted for context.

Step 2

Decide what you want to say. Comments carry more weight when they are specific and written in your own words. Say who you are, how federal grants touch your life or your community, and what you would like OMB to change or keep. Firsthand detail matters more than form-letter text.

Step 3

Submit your comment through the Regulations.gov comment form before July 13, 2026. You can type your comment directly or attach it as a file. Everything you submit becomes part of the public record, so leave out anything you would not want posted online.

Step 4

Pass it along. Share the comment link with neighbors, and point anyone who works with federal grants - researchers, land managers, librarians, nonprofit staff - to the proposal so they can weigh in too.

Step 5

If you want to make sure your concerns reach Congress, contact your legislators and copy and paste your comments to them.  That way, they are flagged to investigate this proposal and insure public concerns are vetted.

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