DOGE Quietly Takes Over Federal Grants Portal—What It Means for the Future of Grant Funding

Over the weekend, while many Americans were cheering on their kids at soccer games or tuning into their favorite sports teams, something major happened in the world of federal funding—quietly and without much public fanfare. DOGE, the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, officially took control of Grants.gov, the main platform for applying to federal grants.

The news first appeared briefly in the Washington Post, but the article left more questions than answers.

What This “Takeover” Means

I’m not here to sound the alarm, but I am here to unpack what’s happening. This DOGE-led grant freeze and control shift isn’t just a minor systems update—it’s a reengineering of how grants are managed and awarded.

Here’s what we know so far:

Agency-specific program managers have lost access to post and update grant opportunities. This was done without notice or public explanation.

DOGE now holds centralized decision-making authority over most federal grants. And yes, the criteria for awards will likely align with the current administration's priorities.

DOGE is granted expanded review authority over major funding streams like those from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—a significant move considering NIH's impact on national medical research and innovation.

Burning Questions

As someone deeply invested in the grants landscape, I find myself with more questions than clarity:

What will the new grant review and approval process look like? Will transparency be a priority?

Will there be an appeals process for rejected proposals?

What happens to the roles and livelihoods of long-time federal program managers?

Will managing grants now become more labor-intensive for applicants?

Will there be a fair, publicly posted scoring rubric, or will decisions be made behind closed doors?

Will there be opportunities for grantees and consultants to learn the new DOGE processes?

Immediate Concerns

One of my biggest concerns is that this DOGE-led grant freeze sidelines years of agency-specific expertise. Grant decisions may now be reduced to algorithmic outputs—numbers over nuance. What DOGE may not realize is that grantmaking is not a one-size-fits-all operation. Agencies serve unique missions and address vastly different challenges. Can an AI-driven efficiency model preserve that complexity?

And let’s address the elephant in the room: DEI. This shift, under the guise of efficiency, is a blow to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. By controlling every approval, DOGE ensures not a single dollar unintentionally reaches underserved communities. Rather than oversee, they’ve chosen to dominate.

Looking for Silver Linings

If I’m trying hard to find a silver lining, the DOGE Payments page does consolidate award information in one place, which is mildly helpful, though not groundbreaking.

Luckily, at Thinks and Ink Grants, many of the federal grants we advise clients on are still showing up on Grants.gov—for now. We anticipated potential changes and advised accordingly, studying the administration's goals and the historical patterns of various agencies.

Where Do We Go from Here?

This takeover is still in its early stages, and I’ll be the first to admit we don’t have all the answers yet. But I’m committed to staying on top of it, asking tough questions, and helping others understand the evolving landscape.

What are your thoughts on DOGE taking over the federal grants process? What questions or concerns do you have?

Need help? Schedule a complimentary consultation today.

About Shavonn V. Richardson, MBA, GPC

Shavonn is the Founder and CEO of Think and Ink Grant Consulting. As a former nonprofit leader and grantmaker, Shavonn has over 20 years of experience delivering practical, real-world advice to nonprofit leaders nationwide.  Shavonn earned the GPC (Grant Professional Certified) credential from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute in 2020 and is a Grant Professionals Association Approved Trainer. Shavonn also serves as President of the Grant Professionals Association.

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