The National Institutes of Health has sharply reduced the number of Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) it published in early 2026, a drop the research community says undermines strategic stewardship of federal research dollars. Former NIH program officers and scientists told The Chronicle and opinion writers that NOFOs are how institutes target resources to urgent scientific gaps; the visible falloff raises questions about priority‑setting and staff capacity at program offices. The decline alters how universities plan research pipelines, manage faculty hiring, and time grant submissions. NOFOs identify targeted calls—such as disease‑specific initiatives or population‑focused studies—and signal set‑aside funds that draw investigators into coordinated efforts. Without them, institutions and centers risk chasing unsolicited applications rather than aligning to agency‑directed priorities. University research offices and deans are now watching NIH communications and internal staffing closely; academic leaders may need to recalibrate short‑term hiring and bridge funding plans if program‑driven solicitations remain scarce. Researchers warned that gaps will particularly harm interdisciplinary projects and underfunded disease areas that rely on directed NOFO funding.