[Original news item posted here 4/7/26 and updated 4/9. Call for action from COSSA follows]

Both Nature and Science reported on April 3, 2026 that NSF plans to eliminate its Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) directorate based on the President's Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. Although the President's budget request typically represents only the beginning of federal spending negotiations, actions during the past year have short-circuited the usual appropriation process and resulted in widespread cuts to agencies and programs throughout the federal government.

According to the report in Nature, "The White House seeks to slash the NSF budget by nearly 55%, to $4 billion. The proposal also cuts all funding for the NSF division that funds research on the social sciences and economics. At an internal all-hands meeting on Friday, NSF leaders announced that they would dissolve the agency’s Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences directorate based on the budget request, according to two NSF staff members who shared information anonymously in order to speak freely. The NSF’s budget request to Congress states that the agency will shut down the SBE but maintain SBE “grants that align with Administration priorities, such as in behavioral and cognitive science, and all impacted employees will be transferred to other parts of the agency”." (Complete article requires subscription)

Regarding NSF, Science reports, "Each of NSF’s eight research directorates would get a cut, as would the agency’s Office of Polar Programs. And the request calls for the elimination of NSF’s Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), which last year awarded $154 million in grants in fields including archaeology, bioanthropology, cultural anthropology, cognitive science, linguistics, and social psychology. Ongoing SBE grants that “align with Administration priorities, such as in behavioral and cognitive science,” would be moved to other parts of the agency. It proposes to separately fund one SBE project, the $44 million National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, which tracks data on U.S. competitiveness in science, technology, engineering, and math fields." [The report in Science covers multiple agencies and seems to be accessible without a subscription.]

See "A Note from COSSA" (Consortium of Social Science Associations) posted on April 7: "...this year the threat is even more serious, potentially existential for the social and behavioral science community."

Report from the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences, "NSF Taking Steps to Dismantle SBE Directorate" (Apr 9)

[Updated 4/11] Call for Action from COSSA: "Tell Congress to Save NSF's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate!" COSSA is also providing a "Save SBE Toolkit" and other resources. See also the notice from the American Political Science Association (Apr 10). Also, Statement from Computing Research Association (CRA) (Apr 9).

[4/9/26] American Statistical Association comments to USDA in response to its call for input on opportunities, challenges, and emerging areas in statistical data, analysis, and research. [PDF]

[Original post 4/1/26]

From the IPUMS Center for Data Integration

Federal Register Notice: USDA Statistical Products

Comment period ends April 9

"IPUMS users may be interested in this request for information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Federal Register focused on the USDA’s statistical and economic products. Among its statistical products, USDA provides standardized food security survey modules for broad use and, until recently, sponsored collection of food security data via the Current Population Survey (CPS) and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) (see our blog on food security in U.S. federal data to learn more). This request for information is an opportunity to respond to the termination of these data collection efforts and to describe their importance to your work."

U.S. Census Bureau to Conduct Pilot With U.S. Postal Service for 2026 Operational Test

MARCH 23, 2026 — "The U.S. Census Bureau last month announced it has modified its 2026 Census Test sites to Huntsville, Alabama, and Spartanburg, South Carolina. These sites were selected to give the Census Bureau the opportunity to explore how working with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) could increase effectiveness and how to improve in-field enumeration processes for the 2030 Census.

"Starting on May 1, the Census Bureau will invite approximately 154,600 households in Spartanburg and Huntsville to respond to the test online in English only via computer, smartphone and tablet. Phone and mail responses will not be offered."

See the complete 3/23/26 announcement on the Census website

See coverage from the Associated Press (note the final paragraph) and earlier coverage from NPR.

See the previous DCSS post providing information on the process leading up to this test.

From the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA)

Urge Congress to Prioritize Robust Science Funding!

"Congressional appropriators are preparing legislation that will determine funding for federal science and statistical agencies for the next year (FY 2027). With recent attacks on the scientific research enterprise—including funding cuts, grant delays/cancellations, reorganization proposals, abrupt terminations, and mass layoffs— it is essential that our community fights for federal science funding and the scientific workforce. The stakes have never been higher.
 
"Now is the time to write to your Members of Congress to urge that they prioritize funding in FY 2027 for research and statistics by supporting increased appropriations for the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Institute of Education Sciences, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census Bureau, International Education and Foreign Language Programs, and the federal statistical system."

Read more and take action in the COSSA Action Center

[Update, 3/25/26] Authors Guild: "Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement: What Authors Need to Know" IMPORTANT: The Claims Deadline Is March 30

"Make sure to file a claim even if your publisher is filing one. You could be entitled to approximately $3,000 for each of your books that is included in the Works List if you are a sole copyright owner or approximately $1,500 if you have a publisher (with certain exceptions)"

Original post from 8/23/25

"Earlier this summer, a federal court in California issued a major ruling in Bartz v. Anthropic, one of the copyright class action lawsuits involving AI. The court held that a trial should occur over whether Anthropic’s downloading of millions of books from the pirate websites Library Genesis (“LibGen”) and Pirate Library Mirror (“PiLiMi”) infringed the rights of copyright holders. (It also held that Anthropic’s use of books to train AI was fair use, a holding with which the Authors Guild disagrees.) On July 17, the court certified a class comprised of legal and beneficial owners of the rights in copyright-registered books downloaded by Anthropic from these sites.

"It is important to remember that this case is a class action, a special kind of lawsuit allowed under federal law to address the claims of a large group commonly harmed by a defendant’s conduct. Here, the conduct at issue is Anthropic’s mass downloading and retention of books from pirate websites.

"The Authors Guild is helping to coordinate publicity about the class action through various other creators’ groups to make sure that all authors whose books were illegally downloaded by Anthropic are notified. 

"You do not need to do anything to be a member of the class. But to help ensure that you receive notices relating to your participation in the suit (including the opportunity to opt out of it), you should provide your current contact information and book titles to the court-appointed class counsel at the class action website."

Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on a Framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2031

"The purpose of the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan is to communicate how NIH will advance its mission to support research in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems, and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.

"The current NIH-Wide Strategic Plan, covering FY21-FY25, was submitted to Congress in July 2021. As part of implementing the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255), NIH will update its Strategic Plan, no less than once every six years. The agency is currently developing the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for FY27-FY31 and anticipates releasing it early FY27.

"The NIH-Wide Strategic Plan highlights NIH’s approach towards the achievement of its mission while ensuring good stewardship of taxpayer funds. It is not intended to outline the myriad of important research opportunities for specific diseases or conditions. Nor will it focus on the specific research missions of each component Institute, Center and Office.

"This RFI invites input from stakeholders throughout the scientific research, advocacy, and clinical practice communities, as well as the general public, regarding the above proposed framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for FY27-FY31. The NIH seeks comments on, but not limited to, NIH’s Goals across the three Priorities articulated in the framework—including potential benefits, drawbacks, opportunities, or challenges, and other areas of focus for consideration."

Responses must be received by 11:59:59 pm (ET) on May 16, 2026.

Read the full notice online

2026 Research Training Institute
June 22–26, 2026
Online training

"The CTE Research Network 2.0 is committed to supporting the development of the next generation of researchers who will contribute to the growing evidence base on effective career and technical education. Applications for the 2026 Training Institute will be due March 26, 2026.

"The training is designed to build the capacity of researchers to plan and conduct high-quality studies of CTE programs, practices, and policies. Participants learn from experienced CTE researchers and experts in research methodology. A small class size of people allows for regular interaction with instructors and relationship-building.

"There is no cost to attend the 2026 CTE Research Training Institute. Those who are selected to attend and who fully participate will receive a Certificate of Training from the Institute of Education Sciences upon successful completion of the training."

Read the full announcement and apply online.

"We invite applications from graduate students across disciplines to participate in an intensive program that combines rigorous mixed-methods training with hands-on research experience in partnership with civic organizations. This program will train the next generation of scholars to study how participation in civic organizations shapes individuals' sense of belonging, solidarity, and political agency."

Program Dates: July 18-31 
Location: Penn State University, University Park, PA
Participants: 10 graduate students
Cost: Fully funded (includes housing, meals, materials, and travel stipend)

Application Deadline: April 1, 2026

See the complete announcement online

The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness 2026 Conference

Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape

Baltimore, MD | September 23-26, 2026

April 1, 2026: Abstract submissions close

"Public trust in education—and in the research that informs educational policy and practice—is increasingly central to the future of the field, especially given the current climate. While trust has not disappeared, it is being tested by shifting governance structures, rapid advances in data science and artificial intelligence, and evolving accountability mechanisms and growing public concern about transparency. This year’s conference, Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape, invites the education research community to examine what it will take to emerge from this moment with public trust strengthened rather than diminished."

See the complete call for papers and more on the conference website

From the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA)

Urge Congress to Sign Dear Colleague Letter for NIJ and BJS Funding 

"As Congressional appropriators prepare to draft legislation that will determine next year’s funding for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), please write to your House Representatives urging them to sign a letter of support for robust funding.
 
"NIJ and BJS serve as the research and statistical branches of the U.S. Department of Justice, playing a vital role in the development and application of science-driven strategies for crime reduction and management. It is imperative that our local communities, law enforcement agencies, and corrections facilities are guided by best practices that advance public safety, crime prevention, and effective rehabilitation and reintegration. The need for robust criminal justice research and data analysis is essential for crafting fair and effective policies. Funding for these critical areas has gradually declined. Funding for BJS is at its lowest level since 2005 and NIJ to its 1990 level, without adjusting for inflation."

See the complete alert and respond through the COSSA Action Center