In Spring 2025, EERI’s Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA) Committee launched a public survey to better understand how EERI members and the broader earthquake community have been impacted by federal funding uncertainty and recent executive orders. To date, 56 people have completed the survey. The purpose of the survey is to help the broader organization identify ways to support our professional community and to help the PPA better target advocacy efforts.
Respondents to the survey work at universities (38%), in the private sector (25%), in non-profits (14%), and in state/local (9%) and federal government (4%), with the remainder retired, independent consultants, or volunteers. Most, but not all, are current EERI members. The current and anticipated impacts they reported at the time of survey completion are summarized in this chart. The most common realized and anticipated impacts identified by respondents were: reduced capacity or discontinuation of federally funded projects (non-construction); reduced capacity to conduct academic research and/or fund graduate students; difficulty collecting federal funding payments already promised; and issues accessing data and information that was previously available on government websites.
Many respondents reported that projects they and their colleagues work on have been cut, delayed, or are in limbo due to the termination of existing federal grants and uncertainty about future funding. As a result, many respondents report that they have had to devote substantial time to adapting budgets, seeking alternative funding sources, and adjusting staffing. The impact is particularly acute for those organizations dependent primarily on federal funding, whereas organizations that are member-based or philanthropically funded have had more of a buffer. The survey also found reduced capacity at the state and local government level, which directly affects state agencies and city governments but also iindirectly affects non-profit organizations, private-sector companies, and universities that support hazard-related projects at the state and local government level.
Several respondents singled out the cancellation of FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which has since been paused by a court order, as well as delays or anticipated changes to FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Loss or uncertainty around federal grant programs is also affecting the private sector, with design and construction projects being cancelled or scaled back. “We have already seen delays in continuing projects or starting new ones that were already in the works,” noted a respondent from the private sector.
Respondents at universities reported that research projects have been cancelled or paused due to grant terminations and the imposition of a 15% indirect rate limit (that has been subsequently contested in court), resulting in layoffs and hiring or salary freezes, as well as reductions in admissions and funding for students. “We have put a hold on financial offers for new (incoming) graduate students,” noted one respondent. Visa revocations and general uncertainty around immigration policy and enforcement were also mentioned as impacts felt on campuses.
Researchers and practitioners alike reported concern about the future of NSF’s Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) initiative and the projects it supports, including DesignSafe, SimCenter, and CONVERGE. “The fears of what will happen next in terms of loss of already obligated funds and lack of access to data is very destabilizing,” one noted. While research organizations are most directly affected, several practitioners noted that they depend on federally-funded research as well. “I anticipate reduced access to the most current data that is critical to our work,” wrote one respondent from the private sector.
Respondents also reported they are witnessing the impact on the NEHRP federal agencies, mentioning staff departures, as well as changes and delays in grant management and payment.
On an individual basis, some respondents reported loss of income, increased employment instability, reduced productivity, and heightened fear and stress.
A key takeaway is that the impacts are not limited to the direct targets of the funding cuts—the effects of funding instability and policy uncertainty are being felt throughout the EERI community. Concern about the long-term ramifications for the field and the goal of increased earthquake resilience is widespread.
The survey is still open and additional input is welcome. PPA will continue to document these impacts to inform the advocacy response and identify ways to support EERI members and the earthquake community as the situation evolves. If you have any ideas you would like to suggest to EERI and/or the PPA, please send them to
Thank you to Chiara McKenney (M.EERI 2011) for collecting and analyzing survey results and to all respondents who participated in the survey.
