Brown University Reaches Federal Agreement Restoring Research Funding

Brown University announced Wednesday that it has reached a voluntary agreement with the federal government to restore funding for federally sponsored medical and health sciences research while resolving three open compliance reviews related to federal nondiscrimination obligations.

The agreement, which reinstates payments for active research grants and restores Brown’s ability to compete for new federal funding, comes after a federal funding freeze that began in April posed significant challenges to the university’s research mission and financial sustainability.

“The University’s foremost priority throughout discussions with the government was remaining true to our academic mission, our core values and who we are as a community at Brown,” wrote Brown President Dr. Christina H. Paxson in a letter to the campus community announcing the deal.

The resolution includes several major components: restoration of Brown’s medical and health sciences research funding, including reimbursement of more than $50 million in unpaid federal grant costs; permanent closure of current federal compliance reviews with no finding of wrongdoing; a commitment by Brown to pay $50 million over 10 years to Rhode Island workforce development organizations; requirements for “male” and “female” designations in athletics and campus housing, consistent with NCAA requirements; restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors through university health services; enhanced initiatives to support the campus Jewish community and combat antisemitism; and reporting requirements to ensure compliance with nondiscrimination laws in admissions and diversity programs.

The agreement specifically states that the government does not have authority to dictate Brown’s curriculum or academic speech content, preserving what university officials characterize as academic freedom protections.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon praised the agreement as part of a series of broader Trump Administration efforts to reform higher education. 

“The Trump Administration is successfully reversing the decades-long woke-capture of our nation’s higher education institutions,” McMahon said in a statement. “Because of the Trump Administration’s resolution agreement with Brown University, aspiring students will be judged solely on their merits, not their race or sex. Brown has committed to proactive measures to protect Jewish students and combat Antisemitism on campus. Women’s sports and intimate facilities will be protected for women and Title IX will be enforced as it was intended.”

McMahon characterized the deal as an attempt to reform institutions “to places dedicated to truth-seeking, academic merit, and civil debate—where all students can learn free from discrimination and harassment.”

The funding freeze had significant financial implications for Brown. NIH grants comprise more than 70% of the university’s federal research funding, and unreimbursed funds totaled more than $50 million, increasing by approximately $3.5 million per week. The government had also terminated eight federal contracts and more than 30 federal grants. Under the new agreement, the government commits to “fairly consider all applications for federal funding submitted by Brown” without disfavored treatment and will reimburse the university for existing active grants within 30 days.

The agreement addresses several areas of campus operations. Regarding admissions, Brown agreed to provide additional anonymized demographic data to demonstrate legal compliance with Supreme Court decisions prohibiting consideration of race in admission decisions. The university also committed to not maintaining programs that promote “unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotas, diversity targets or similar efforts,” though “unlawful DEI” is not specifically defined in the agreement.

For campus life, Brown will continue providing housing and restroom access with gender-inclusive, women-only, and men-only options. The agreement includes restrictions on university-provided gender-affirming medical care for minors, though it does not affect medical teaching or clinical services provided by separate health systems.

As part of the $50 million workforce development commitment, Brown will distribute funds to state organizations operating in compliance with anti-discrimination laws. University officials emphasized this aligns with Brown’s longstanding community service mission and does not include payments to the federal government. The agreement also codifies Brown’s commitment to supporting its Jewish community through continued research and education about Israel, maintaining the robust Program in Judaic Studies, and sustaining enhanced resources for religiously observant community members.

Paxson said that the agreement allows Brown to move forward “after a period of considerable uncertainty” while maintaining institutional values. 

“We stand solidly behind commitments we repeatedly have affirmed to protect all members of our community from harassment and discrimination, and we protect the ability of our faculty and students to study and learn academic subjects of their choosing, free from censorship,” she wrote.