Data-Driven, Interactive Map Shows Local Economic Impact of Cuts to Federal Funding for Health Research
Researchers at the University of Maryland and University of Pennsylvania show that proposed NIH funding cuts lead to an estimated $16 billion in economic loss and 68,000 jobs lost nationwide.
In the wake of sweeping cuts to federal funding for scientific research, including a proposal to reduce support for medical research nationwide, an interdisciplinary team of academic researchers from the University of Maryland, University of Pennsylvania, University of Utah, Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Oregon developed an interactive, data-driven map to communicate the impact these cuts would have at national, state and county levels.
The Science & Community Impacts Mapping Project (SCIMaP) communicates how proposed federal funding cuts lead to reduced economic activity and job losses nationwide. The SCIMaP team’s analysis of across-the-board reductions to research infrastructure support for National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, known as indirect costs, shows an estimated $16 billion in economic loss and 68,000 jobs lost nationwide.
“The NIH funds crucial research to address leading health problems like cancer, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, infectious diseases, mental illness and more,” said project co-lead Alyssa Sinclair, Joan Bossert Postdoctoral Fellow at UPenn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center and a postdoctoral fellow at the Communication Neuroscience Lab at the Annenberg School for Communication. “Research innovations directly improve our daily lives by curing and preventing diseases, unlocking new technologies, and improving the safety of our food, water and environments.”
In recent years, more than $35 billion in NIH-funded medical research has been made possible annually through grant support to universities, hospitals and research institutes in communities across the U.S.
“Science transforms our world; however, the process of doing science and the impacts of scientific research are often hidden from view,” said project co-lead Joshua Weitz, Professor of Biology and Clark Leadership Chair in Data Analytics at UMD with a joint appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing. “Through interactive, data-driven visualizations, we aim to help Americans explore how science and health research fuels the economy, supports jobs and improves health outcomes.”
Although less than 1% of the federal budget goes to the NIH, the investment has a big impact. The United for Medical Research coalition estimates that every $1 invested in scientific research through the NIH produces $2.56 in new economic activity, a more than 250% gain in investment. Further, NIH research supports over 400,000 jobs across the U.S. Research funded by the NIH has led to major breakthroughs, including the prevention, treatment, and cures for cancer, heart disease and Type 1 diabetes.
The proposed NIH federal funding cuts would greatly reduce the funding that covers the indirect costs of research already committed in grants. These funds pay for essential facilities, special equipment, skilled staff and safety checks that are shared across many research projects. Currently, the effective indirect cost rate is approximately 42% at institutions nationwide. In February 2025, the NIH announced a policy to cut this by more than half, reducing indirect costs to a flat rate of 15%. Medical research would be slowed by drastic cuts in total research funding, according to Heather Pierce, senior director for science policy at the Association of American Medical Colleges, in a recent interview with the New York Times.
“Medical and scientific breakthroughs supported by the U.S. government impact all our lives,” said Emily Falk, Professor and Vice Dean of UPenn’s Annenberg School for Communication. “Research innovations are at the core of many things that enhance our daily lives and keep us safer.”
She added that the U.S. government’s investment in research has made the nation a leader in the world.
“SCIMaP shows what’s at stake for local economies and the future of innovation in our communities,” Falk said.
In addition to Weitz, Sinclair and Falk, the interdisciplinary team behind SCIMaP includes Danielle Cosme (University of Pennsylvania), Mallory Harris (University of Maryland), Clio Andris (Georgia Institute of Technology), Angela Fagerlin (University of Utah), Ellen Peters (University of Oregon) and other researchers at institutions across the country.
The SCIMaP team sourced its data from a public database of NIH grants that were active in 2024 and estimated the economic impact of NIH grants (or reductions in NIH funding) based on a recent report from the United for Medical Research coalition. The SCIMaP team estimated the number of jobs that would be lost by a reduction in NIH funding by using the ratio of the number of jobs supported over the economic activity enabled in the 2024 fiscal year. The researchers also used census data on where U.S. commuters live and work to estimate how economic loss in each county impacts adjacent counties.
Moving forward, the SCIMaP team plans to expand its analysis beyond the impacts of NIH cuts to assess the impacts of other threats to federally supported research, including termination of research grants, cancellation of student-centered training programs and a proposed reduction of up to $6 billion of the National Science Foundation’s $9 billion budget.
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About the University of Maryland
The University of Maryland (UMD) is the state's flagship university and a leading public research institution, propelled by a $1.3 billion joint research enterprise. Located four miles from Washington, D.C., the university is dedicated to addressing the grand challenges of our time and is the nation's first Do Good campus. It is driven by a diverse and proudly inclusive community of more than 50,000 fearless Terrapins. UMD is a top producer of Fulbright scholars and offers an unparalleled student experience with more than 300 academic programs, 25 living-learning programs and 400 study abroad programs. Spurred by a culture of innovation and creativity, UMD faculty are global leaders in their field and include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and members of the national academies. For more information about the University of Maryland, visit umd.edu.
About the University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740, is an Ivy League institution with a distinctive past. Its 12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools are located in Philadelphia on an attractive urban campus that serves a diverse community of more than 20,000 students from throughout the nation and around the world. Ranked consistently among the top universities in the nation, Penn has a longstanding reputation for excellence in graduate and professional education.
