COGR's 2024-2025 Year in Review

The 2024-2025 Year in Review from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) provides an in-depth summary of a year marked by significant challenges and organizational resilience in the U.S. research community. Throughout the period, COGR and its 232 member institutions—spanning universities, affiliated hospitals, and independent research institutes—faced a turbulent policy landscape shaped by substantial federal regulatory changes and new executive directives, particularly under the second Trump Administration. Notable concerns included new policies that capped facilities and administrative (F&A) cost rates, increased administrative requirements, and disruptions in federal research funding and awards. COGR actively engaged in advocacy and legal actions to counteract these measures; it produced policy analyses, filed amicus briefs, maintained a litigation tracker, and collaborated with other national organizations to address immediate threats, especially those impacting indirect cost reimbursement and research security. Amidst these external pressures, COGR undertook structural and strategic enhancements, including a refreshed mission statement, logo, and tagline—“Advancing Effective Research Policy”—to better reflect its core purpose. The organization expanded its membership, launched a pilot program for Emerging Research Institutions, and increased its communication and outreach efforts through new forums, media engagement, and online resources tailored to support its members. Committees intensified their activities, producing updated guidance on compliance, science and security policies, and recommendations to streamline federal research regulations. COGR also maintained strong engagement through membership events, leadership transitions, and campus visits, underscoring the collective commitment to sustaining a robust U.S. research enterprise. Looking ahead, COGR pledges to continue monitoring policy developments, advocating for effective research administration, and fostering a collaborative environment for its diverse membership in an increasingly complex regulatory context.