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Detroit Regional Chamber Advocacy: Preserving Critical Research Funding for Universities, Hospitals

March 10, 2025

Today, the Detroit Regional Chamber joined over 35 other chambers of commerce across the country in relaunching the Business for Federal Research Funding Coalition. In this coalition, the Chamber will lead, alongside the Greater Boston and Greater Durham Chambers, to advocate for critical research funding that Michigan receives.

This relaunch of the coalition, originally launched over a decade ago, is sparked by the increasing budget cuts from the federal government and the real business impacts that they will have.

The Situation

The first targeted budget cut is the new cap on indirect costs for NIH grants. The indirect costs that universities, hospitals, and other research centers can charge back to the federal government pay for the buildings, infrastructure, and equipment needed to conduct research. With a non-negotiable constraining cap, researchers will be forced to divert attention to administrative challenges instead of focusing on the research that will solve today’s most urgent health care challenges, for instance.

What’s at Stake: The Chamber Perspective

Sandy Baruah

“The federal government is able to invest in projects that take risks that private companies aren’t equipped to take on, and limiting that investment will be at the disservice of the American people and economy. If the federal government continues to claw back investments in technological advancements and innovation, the United States’ global competitiveness will suffer. These cuts pose particular harm to Michigan’s R1 universities, one of the state’s most important assets for talent and business attraction. Preserving this critical funding is imperative to our state and nation’s economic success.”

– Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber

Why It Matters

The federal government provides capital for researchers to do research; this funding is a taxpayer’s investment in the solutions that come from that. Any advancements in medical technologies and treatments, for example, directly translate to savings in insurance costs, as well as a long-term decreases in Medicare spending on previously uncurable diseases. Other federal investments in technologies have famously resulted in consumer products, like GPS being invented by NASA and the USDA creating instant mashed potatoes.

What You Can Do

If you or your employer receives any federal funding, specifically NIH grants, your time to contact your member of Congress is ticking down. The Chamber’s Public Policy and Business Advocacy team will connect you with your delegation and help you in your advocacy efforts. Chamber members are also encouraged to connect with their elected officials in Washington to share the importance of federal research dollars for Michigan’s economy.