LIST: Child welfare research grants marked for termination in HHS email

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration could gut research on the effectiveness of child welfare programs, with plans to terminate dozens of university grants studying improvements to Head Start and child care policy, according to a spreadsheet mistakenly made public this week.

The document listed more than 150 research projects under consideration for termination by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It covered grants funded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, which says it “builds evidence to improve lives” by helping policymakers evaluate programs that help low-income children and families.

“These grants are aimed at learning how to make programs more effective at pursuing goals like healthy child development, reducing abuse and neglect and promoting economic self-sufficiency,” said Naomi Goldstein, who led the office for nearly two decades before she retired in 2022. “It’s hard to see why they would want to cancel these efforts.”

The grant cancellations would add to deep cuts already enacted at HHS’ Administration for Children and Families, which plans to close five regional offices and abruptly fired hundreds of workers one month ago. Its staffing has dropped from approximately 2,400 in January to 1,500, former employees say, and the administration has said it will fold ACF into other parts of HHS.

Other HHS divisions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, have already cut billions of dollars in grants, including those related to public health, gender, race and other subjects opposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. The document released Wednesday marked the first news of plans for the possible mass terminations of ACF grants, although a department spokesperson later said it was only an outdated draft.

The proposed terminations would further undercut Head Start, the 60-year-old program overseen by ACF that supports preschool and services for hundreds of thousands of low-income children. Head Start has faced mass layoffs and a plan to eliminate its funding altogether in recent months. The grants facing termination included studies intended to answer key questions and improve its operations, such as how to retain more educators at local Head Start programs.

The spreadsheet also listed for termination grants worth millions of dollars for first-of-their-kind centers dedicated to better serving low-income Black and Hispanic children and families, located, respectively, at Morehouse College in Atlanta and at a nonprofit in Maryland.

Dozens of grants related to child care policy, child development, foster care, preventing child abuse, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and more were also listed as set for cancellation, reflecting ACF’s widespread portfolio.

Those studies help policymakers understand what works, a former administration official said.

“Ending these projects without explanation not only wastes taxpayer dollars, it also threatens the evidence base behind key safety net programs,” said Katie Hamm, who was ACF’s deputy assistant secretary for early childhood development until January. “It’s alarming that grantees and contractors had to find out this way, through an accidental email, rather than a transparent process.”

The information was mistakenly included in an email sent Wednesday to grant recipients at universities and nonprofits by an HHS employee, who asked them to review and update their contact information.

HHS recalled the message only after the spreadsheet, which had a column on whether funding would “terminate” or “continue” for each grant, had been downloaded by recipients. A department spokesperson said the document contained “outdated and predecisional information” but did not rule out that research inside the ACF could be cut.

“ACF is committed to ensuring that government funds are used in alignment with Administration priorities and are in the best interest of the American people,” spokesperson Andrew Nixon said.

Goldstein, the former research office director, said the situation “does appear to reflect a level of haste and chaos” at the agency.

Only 21 out of 177 listed grants were marked with a note to “continue” funding in the document. A small number had already ended, and some were marked for termination “at the end of budget period.”

The document didn’t list how much funding in all would be cut, but the office was responsible for $154 million in grants and contracts in fiscal year 2024.

More than 50 universities were listed as having grants terminated. Several other state agencies and nonprofits would also be affected.

A follow-up email told recipients to disregard the spreadsheet, but again asked for updated contact information. One researcher who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation said they were expecting to receive formal notification soon that their grants would be ending. Several other grant recipients declined to comment.

Below is a list of the grants that were marked for termination at dozens of universities, nonprofits and other agencies. The total amounts for each grant were not listed.

• Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment, Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago
• Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment, Child Trends Inc.
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, The Regents of the University of Colorado
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, Evident Change
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, OSLC Developments Inc.
• Prevention Services Evaluation Partnership Grants, Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
• Behavioral Intervention Scholars, University of California, Los Angeles
• Behavioral Intervention Scholars, University of Washington
• Behavioral Intervention Scholars, Ohio State University
• Behavioral Intervention Scholars, University of Chicago
• Behavioral Intervention Scholars, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Scholars Network – 2020, The Regents of the University of California
• Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Scholars Network – 2020, Duke University
• Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Scholars Network – 2020, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Scholars Network – 2020, Wayne State University
• Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Scholars Network – 2020, Oregon State
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2022, University of Texas Arlington
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2023, Northwestern University
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2023, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2023, Texas Christian University
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2023, Mighty Crow Media
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2023, The George Washington University
• Career Pathways Secondary Data Analysis Grants 2023, MDRC
• TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards, County of Santa Clara
• TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families
• TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards, Colorado Department of Human Services
• TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards, Arizona Department of Economic Security
• TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards, Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance
• TANF Data Collaborative Equity Analysis Awards, New Jersey Department of Human Services
• Child Development Research Fellowship 2019-2024, Society for Research in Child Development Inc.
• The National African American Child and Family Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine
• Center for Research on Hispanic Children and Families, Child Trends
• Child Development Research Fellowship 2025-2029, Society for Research in Child Development Inc.
• TANF Data Analysis, University of Maryland, College Park
• Child Care and Early Education Research Connections – 2020, ICF Incorporated, L.L.C.
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Chapin Hall Center for Children
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Child Trends Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Delaware
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, WestEd
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, The University of Alabama
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Delaware
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Colorado Seminary
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Child Trends Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Massachusetts Boston
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Chapin Hall Center for Children
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University System of New Hampshire
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, National Opinion Research Center
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, The Urban Institute
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, Erikson Institute
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, The University of Alabama
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, Child Trends Inc.
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, SRI International
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, Education Development Center Inc.
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, Public Policy Associates Inc.
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships Grants 2022, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• Center to Support Research and Evaluation Capacity of CCDF Lead Agencies, The Urban Institute
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants, Brandeis University
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Boston University
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Regents of the University of Minnesota
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Child Trends Inc.
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, The Urban Institute
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, The University of Chicago
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Public Policy Associates Inc.
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Education Development Center Inc.
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Public Policy Institute of California
• Coordinated Evaluations of Child Care and Development Fund Policies and Initiatives: Implementation Grants, Children’s Hospital Corporation
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants, New York University
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants, Board of Regents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants, The Florida International University Board of Trustees
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, Ohio State University
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, University of Delaware
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, The Urban Institute
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, The Regents of the University of New Mexico
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, University of Virginia
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, Trustees of Boston University
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, Oregon State University
• Child Care Policy Research Partnerships 2024, Child Trends Inc.
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants, Northwestern University
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants, University of Delaware
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Board of Regents Nevada System of Higher Education
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, The Urban Institute
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Child Trends Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Massachusetts
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Child Trends Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Magnolia Consulting, LLC
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, National Opinion Research Center
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, Ohio State University
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Tennessee
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Missouri System
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Cincinnati
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, National Opinion Research Center
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Washington
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, The Urban Institute
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, SRI International
• Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data, University of Missouri System
• Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being, Georgetown University
• Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being, University of Colorado Denver
• Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being, Board of Regents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being, Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, SRI International
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Child Trends
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, University of Oklahoma
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Iowa State University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, University of Connecticut
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Southern Methodist University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, University of Arkansas System
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Georgia State University Research Foundation Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Research for Action Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Urban Institute
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, University of Delaware
• Head Start University Partnerships: Building the Evidence Base for ECE Workforce Well-Being, Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start Data, Trustees of Boston University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, MEF Associates
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, The University of Alabama
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, The Ohio State University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, SRI International
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Arizona State University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Board of Regents, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Chapin Hall Center for Children
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Yale University
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, Lehigh University
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, President and Fellows of Harvard College
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, Ohio State University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, RAND Corporation
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, The New York Academy of Medicine
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, University of Delaware
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, University of Colorado Denver
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, SRI International
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Ohio State University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, University of South Carolina
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, University of Georgia
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, The University of Alabama
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, James Bell Associates Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, California State University Long Beach Research Foundation
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Child Trends Inc.
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Michigan State University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, Clarkson University
• Secondary Analyses of Head Start Data, University of Wyoming
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, University of Connecticut
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, Iowa State University of Science and Technology
• Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants, Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia

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