University Finances
After Court Restores Research Funding, Trump Still Has Paths to Target Harvard
Harvard won a milestone legal victory on Wednesday when a judge struck down the Trump administration’s freeze on $2.7 billion in federal funds — but government agencies still have options to keep federal dollars out of the University’s hands.
Harvard Covers Hillel’s Security Expenses for Year
The University will cover the costs of Harvard Hillel’s security measures this year amid a national surge in antisemitism and under pressure from the White House, which repeatedly accuses Harvard of failing to protect Jewish students.
Harvard Arts and Humanities Division Implements $1.95 Million Cut Amid University’s Budget Crunch
Harvard’s Arts and Humanities division instructed department heads to collectively reduce their budgets for non-personnel spending by roughly $1.95 million as divisions across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences implement cost-cutting plans.
Harvard’s Endowment Goes Big on Bitcoin and Gold in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard Management Company made substantial new investments in exchange-traded funds tracking the value of gold and Bitcoin during the second quarter of 2025, marking a sharp shift in its directly held public equities portfolio after it backed out of many Big Tech positions last quarter.
Harvard Spends Record-High $270,000 on Lobbying in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard spent $270,000 lobbying the federal government between April and June as it ramped up efforts to counter mounting political and financial pressures from Washington, according to disclosures filed last month.
HMS Announces Spike in Donations, $18 Million Pledge from Blavatnik as Trump Drains Research Funding
Harvard Medical School has pulled in a raft of donations and a major gift from billionaire Leonard V. Blavatnik, who froze contributions in 2023 amid outcry over campus antisemitism, as the school faces steep federal funding cuts, its dean announced Thursday.
Harvard Pays $90K to Trump-Linked Lobbying Firm in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard paid lobbying firm Ballard Partners $90,000 in the second quarter of 2025 as the University broadened its federal advocacy to include direct engagement with the White House, according to a disclosure filed Tuesday.
DOGE Instructions and a White House Deadline: How the Government Canceled Harvard’s Grants
More than 2,000 pages of court documents present a new window into the government’s process for terminating research grants to Harvard — and show that the Department of Government Efficiency helped facilitate the operation.
Harvard Officials Say Federal Actions Could Cost the University $1 Billion Annually
Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 warned Monday that the combined financial impact of sweeping federal policy changes — including research funding cuts and a sharp increase in the tax on endowment income — could cost the University up to $1 billion annually.
Trump Signs Spending Package Into Law, Imposing 8% Tax on Harvard’s Endowment Income
President Donald Trump signed into law a sweeping tax and spending package that significantly raises the federal excise tax on Harvard’s endowment income on Friday — a move that could cost the University more than $200 million a year.
Harvard Kennedy School To Lay Off Staff Amid Federal Funding Cuts, Endowment Tax Threats
The Harvard Kennedy School is laying off employees and implementing a slew of cost-cutting measures in response to “significant financial challenges” inflicted by the Trump administration, the school’s dean announced in an email to faculty and staff on Wednesday.
Senate Finance Committee Proposal for 8% Endowment Tax Could Cost Harvard $200 Million Per Year
The Senate Finance Committee released proposed changes to the House’s tax and spending bill that would introduce an 8 percent tax on large endowments. Down from the 21 percent rate passed by the House, the proposal would still be a sixfold hike from the 1.4 percent Harvard currently pays.
Stefanik Calls On SEC to Investigate Harvard’s $750 Million Bond Disclosure
Representative Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) alleged that Harvard should have told bondholders in an April 9 notice to expect financial fallout from defying the Trump administration’s demands. It is not clear that Harvard had already decided to reject the demands at the time of the bond offering.
Harvard Research Cuts Halt More Than 570 Subawards to Other Institutions, Including MGB Hospitals
Harvard will cease funding more than 570 subawards for research at affiliated institutions across 32 states after cuts to federal support, according to a University spokesperson.
Strings Attached: How Harvard’s Wealthiest Alumni Are Reshaping University Giving
Led by Samuel W. Lessin ’05 and the 1636 Forum, Harvard donors are ditching unrestricted giving for targeted donations to shape the University’s future.
