If you follow federal funding, you have probably noticed the conversation about how federal grant decisions get made. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed revisions to the regulations that govern federal financial assistance, and organizations across the country have weighed in.
A new analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine looked at what they said. Researchers from the American Cancer Society reviewed 3,653 comments submitted by 3,557 organizations during OMB's 2026 public comment period, from local governments and nonprofits to health care organizations, professional associations, universities, and businesses. Nearly 88% of those comments opposed the proposed changes.
Among the proposed changes was having political appointees approve grants based on their alignment with the administration's priorities rather than on scientific merit. The most common concerns commenters raised were grant administration and compliance requirements, transparency and procedural safeguards, termination authority, research funding stability, and allowable costs.
These are proposed revisions, and how they are finalized will matter. But if you are preparing a federal application right now, the more useful question is this: what makes an application strong, regardless of how the review process evolves?
Read the funding notice like it is the assignment, because it is
Every federal funding opportunity tells you what the agency wants to accomplish, how applications will be scored, and what must be included. Priorities can shift from one cycle to the next, so do not assume this year's notice says what last year's did.
Before anyone drafts a word, read the notice start to finish. Highlight the stated priorities, the evaluation criteria, and the required sections. Then build an outline that follows the notice's structure exactly. Reviewers score what they are told to score. Make it easy for them to find it.
Show alignment honestly, not by echoing buzzwords
Alignment has always mattered in federal funding. But alignment is not the same as repeating an agency's language back to it. It means showing, specifically, how your program advances the outcomes the funder is trying to achieve.
If your program genuinely fits, say so clearly and back it up with evidence. If it only fits by stretching, that is a sign this may not be the right opportunity. Contorting a program to match a funding stream rarely ends well, for the application or for the people you serve.
Keep the logic airtight
At The Grantsmanship Center, we teach that a strong proposal is a chain of logic. The problem you document leads to the outcomes you promise. The outcomes determine the methods you choose. The evaluation shows how you will know whether it worked. The budget pays for exactly what the narrative describes.
When every section connects to the one before it, the proposal holds up under scrutiny from any reviewer, whatever their background or priorities.
Make your outcomes measurable
Vague promises are easy to dismiss. Specific, measurable outcomes are not. "Improve financial stability for families" is a hope. "Within 12 months, 60 of 80 participating households will reduce high-interest debt by at least 25%" is something a reviewer can evaluate, and something you can report on.
Be ready for compliance before you are awarded
The concerns commenters raised about compliance requirements, termination authority, and allowable costs are a reminder that securing the award is only the beginning. Before you apply:
Read the terms and conditions that come with an award
Know which costs are allowable
Plan to keep clean documentation from day one
Organizations with solid grant management systems are better prepared for whatever the rules require.
Do not let any one funding stream carry the whole load
Uncertainty in one funding source is a good reason to strengthen others. Foundation, corporate, government, and individual support each have strengths. A program with diversified support is more stable, and funders notice that.
The takeaway
Review processes evolve. Priorities shift. Rules get revised. But a well-planned program, a clear case for support, measurable outcomes, and a credible plan for managing the funds have always been what make an application competitive.
That is what we have taught for more than 50 years, and it is what we will keep teaching.
Learn to build a strong federal grant application. Sign-up for The Grantsmanship Center's Competing for Federal Grants-Online, January 25-29, 2027.
Get funding. Create change.
