SRCD Calls on OMB To Withdraw Its Proposed Rule & To Preserve the Independence of the Research Enterprise
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) responded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed changes to the federal regulations governing grants and cooperative agreements. Our recommendations highlight the importance of protecting independent, evidence-based science and the research ecosystem that informs policies and programs supporting children and families.
SRCD submitted comments to OMB’s notice of proposed rulemaking that would revise the federal regulations that establish how grants and cooperative agreements are awarded, managed, and overseen across the federal government. Because these regulations shape the conditions under which research is conducted, the proposed changes could have significant implications for the science enterprise.
Our letter outlines concerns that several provisions could make it more difficult to conduct independent, collaborative, and evidence-based research. SRCD calls on OMB to not proceed with the implementation of this rule, and to consider policies that support scientific integrity, reduce unnecessary administrative burden, strengthen research collaboration, and ensure science continues to inform policies and programs that improve the lives of children and families.
“Developmental science seeks to understand how children grow, learn, and thrive across the full range of family, community, cultural, economic, and social contexts in which they develop. Producing rigorous, and policy-relevant evidence requires studying children with a range of experiences, backgrounds, identities, and life circumstances. The ability to
investigate these factors is not ancillary to developmental science; it is fundamental to generating accurate evidence and achieving the principles of gold standard science."
SRCD’s Letter emphasized protecting:
- Independent, peer-reviewed, and evidence-based science;
- Research that reflects the diverse experiences of children and families;
- Scientific collaboration across institutions and international partners;
- Dissemination of research through conferences, journals, and professional societies
- The nonprofit scientific organizations that strengthen the research ecosystem
- Efficient and accessible federal grant administration that supports scientist and the research enterprise.
SRCD’s Policy Team is grateful to its coalition partners, SRCD committees- and caucuses whose feedback and expertise helped inform the development of this response. Read our full letter here.
