On June 12, 2025, the Joint Associations Group (JAG) on Indirect Costs held a public webinar to update the research community on its progress in developing a new funding model for the indirect costs associated with federal research grants. Comprising experts representing various research institutions, JAG’s subject matter expert (SME) team evaluated the current indirect cost reimbursement system and explored alternative approaches, with a focus on transparency, accountability, simplicity, and reasonableness. During the webinar, JAG shared two provisional models that feature auditable, transparent processes for covering essential research expenses and invited feedback from the research community to refine these models.
JAG Chair Kelvin Droegemeier commended the SME team's efficiency and the practicality of their proposals, underscoring that these models provide fair methods for accounting for indispensable research costs. The two provisional models serve as conceptual extremes, outlining the spectrum of options that will be narrowed through further community consultation. JAG aims to synthesize feedback and finalize a recommended model by the end of the month, which will then be presented to Congress and the Executive Branch as a potential replacement for the current facilities and administrative (F&A) cost model. The group, consisting of major academic and research associations, seeks to ensure the United States maintains a leading role in research and innovation while upholding ethical and fiscal accountability to taxpayers.
