Agreement with Federal Government to Restore Northwestern Research Funding

The cost of a legal fight was too high and the risks too grave. If our $790 million in federal research funding remained frozen, the freeze threatened to gut our labs, drive away faculty, and set back entire fields of discovery. Our overarching goal is to protect people and preserve the institution, and to enable life-saving research to continue. That’s what this agreement does. Litigation initiated by the University would have taken a long time to work its way through the legal system. During that time, Northwestern would have been severely damaged, both financially and in the scope and breadth of research we could conduct. Furthermore, the litigation would cover only the frozen funding. Any existing grant applications and future funding would still be at risk. The impacts would have been felt not just by our University, but also by the communities we serve and all those who benefit from our breakthrough discoveries.

University leadership and the Board of Trustees guided the negotiations. Throughout the process, Northwestern placed the University’s principles and values at the heart of the discussion. The agreement was approved by the Board of Trustees.

The agreement resolves investigations by the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services. As stated in the agreement, the federal government will “Permanently terminate, dismiss, and close all pending investigations, compliance reviews, inquiries, disputes, litigation, or other government actions against Northwestern.”

This is a three-year agreement between the University and the federal government.

Yes, a PDF of the full agreement is available. 

Yes. The agreement specifically states, “no provision of this agreement, individually or taken together, shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate Northwestern’s curriculum or the content of academic speech.” 

Preserving Northwestern’s academic freedom and autonomy were hard red lines for the University and are foundational principles that allow Northwestern to be a world-class institution. It was imperative that we maintain full control over who we hire as faculty, what they teach and how they teach it. This agreement protects the ability of our faculty and students to study, research and teach freely and to continue to push the boundaries of discovery.

We expect reinstatement of all active grants that were funded by federal agencies and that were impacted by the freeze. Those funds will resume quickly, and we expect them to be fully restored within 30 days. We are now eligible for renewals of existing grants, overdue payments, and the ability to fairly compete for new federal research funding.

Some terminated grants will not be reinstated, specifically those the federal government has cut. These decisions were not specific to Northwestern.

We expect overdue payments and frozen renewals to resume quickly, on a normal cycle, once the agreement takes effect. We also expect funds that were approved but could not be accessed to begin flowing, and for the University to have no restrictions on obtaining future federal research grants.

Once our funds are unfrozen, we will be able to relax the Interim Guidance on Support for Research that was provided in the spring for research impacted by the freeze. However, Northwestern’s budget faces many pressures beyond federal research funding. The measures taken this spring and summer related to the FY 2026 will be reviewed to ensure the University is on sound financial footing as we reinforce the long-term financial health of the institution.

Though the freeze was challenging for all researchers and research staff, we fully expect things to return to normal and to continue our trajectory of growth and excellence.

No.

This agreement puts the University on the right path. Not only is our funding being restored, but we also now have a framework to continue to receive funding. Northwestern has always been extremely successful in competing for federal research funding, and we see no reason why that will not continue well into the future, as the University continues to comply with federal laws and guidelines.

The University has agreed to pay the federal government $75 million over the course of three years.

Northwestern will factor the settlement costs into its overall financial planning framework and will determine the appropriate funding sources within the University’s resources.

Donor funding will not be used to pay the settlement.

The agreement explicitly states the University admits no wrongdoing. The Board of Trustees and University leadership weighed Northwestern’s set of very difficult options and determined this agreement was the best way not only to restore federal funding but also to safeguard our institution and preserve our values and principles.

Our overarching goal is to protect people and preserve the institution, and to enable life-saving research to continue. That’s what this agreement does.

As part of this agreement with the federal government, the University has terminated the Deering Meadow Agreement and will reverse all policies that have been implemented or are being implemented in adherence to it.

ACIR was established well before the Deering Meadow Agreement and will continue.

No. The University has participated in the Scholars at Risk program since 2000 and formalized the partnership in 2022. Northwestern will continue to participate in the program, which has brought students from war-torn regions such as Ukraine and Afghanistan to Evanston.

The temporary spaces previously designated for the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Student Association and the Muslim Cultural Student Association (McSA) is no longer available for either organization. MENA, McSA, and all student organizations are encouraged to continue engaging with Campus Life and Norris to identify available reservable spaces that support their programming and community needs.

The University remains committed to fostering inclusive spaces and will continue to support student belonging and engagement through existing campus facilities and organizations, while partnering with alumni to explore off-campus, privately owned locations that could further support community connection and programming.

The Dining Advisory Board was established at Northwestern in 2023 and will continue its work.

No. The government already has authority under Title VI to request anonymized data. This agreement does not expand that authority. We will continue to protect student privacy consistent with all applicable state and federal laws.

Northwestern complies with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on race in admissions, as all universities must. Northwestern is and will remain merit-based in its admissions practices.

Given the size and strength of our applicant pool, we can admit only a small percentage of candidates whose academic merits, extracurricular merits, character and demonstrated potential for impact position them as standouts in their high school and community settings. As such, we must identify the applicants whose sum of merits and vision for college signal they will make the most of the University's vast resources, thrive in our campus culture and enhance their communities at Northwestern and beyond.

No. The University maintains control of our admission process, which adheres to federal law, and has agreed to review its business model.

The agreement does not give the government authority over faculty or staff appointments. Northwestern remains an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status.

No. The agreement places no restrictions on our transgender community. The University unequivocally supports all members of our community, including transgender students, faculty and staff. Members of our community have agency to choose how they identify themselves and the pronouns they use.

Per the agreement, Northwestern will adhere to federal policies, including Title IX. That includes providing “safe and fair opportunities for women, including single-sex housing for any woman, defined on the basis of sex, who requests such accommodations, and all-female sports, locker rooms and showering facilities.”

The University and Feinberg School of Medicine have never performed gender-affirming surgeries for minors. Northwestern continues to support transgender members of our community.

Northwestern’s housing options remain unchanged and are offered in alignment with federal guidance. Students can select from single-sex or mixed-gender housing options. 

All Gender Housing refers to an opt-in arrangement in which students, regardless of sex or gender, are permitted to share a room or suite in select areas of Northwestern’s campus residences. The primary reason for such a policy is to provide housing options that take into consideration all preferences, and to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all students. All Gender Housing is not intended for romantic couples. All undergraduate students can opt into All Gender Housing by way of their housing application.

Over the past two years, Northwestern has implemented numerous measures to strengthen our campus environment: new training requirements, expanded reporting systems and greater support for Jewish students. All of those measures predated this agreement. Incidents have significantly declined as a result. As part of the agreement, we will continue strengthening those measures, including a new campus climate survey for Jewish students. 

• The agreement is binding on both sides.
• The government must give notice, allow us to respond and pursue step-by-step remedies before taking further action.
• If necessary, Northwestern can enforce the agreement in court.