The White House’s Office of Management and Budget published proposed rules for how federal agencies will carry out a Trump order requiring “senior appointees” to oversee decisions about who receives funding. The proposal, outlined alongside other changes, would also end an effort to cap indirect cost rates. The shift would reorganize grant decision processes by elevating political appointees in funding determinations, potentially altering timelines, internal review standards and the degree of autonomy held by technical reviewers. For universities and research organizations that rely on predictable federal funding processes, these changes increase uncertainty around proposal planning and compliance strategies—especially for institutions already facing grant reviews and holds.