Position Statements

The Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance) has submitted formal comments on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rewrite of the Uniform Guidance for federal financial assistance, urging OMB to abandon the rule in its current form and warning that it would burden collections-holding institutions and disrupt the long-term research that natural science […]

The Natural Science Collections Alliance, the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), the Mycological Society of America, the Society of Nematologists, and 13 additional scientific organizations have sent a letter to Congress urging oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) planned relocation of several nationally significant scientific collections. The letter raises concerns about the […]

NSC Alliance joined 323 organizations in urging the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend the public comment period for a proposed rule that would substantially revise federal regulations governing grants and cooperative agreements. “The scope and impact of OMB’s proposed rule is vast,” the letter reads. “The proposed rule amends 91 parts of […]

The Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance) expresses profound concern about the future of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University as recently reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. As the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the United States, the Academy is a globally important natural history collection and center for biodiversity […]

The Natural Science Collections Alliance has submitted testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, requesting Congress to reject the proposed cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the President’s budget request and instead allocate at least $9.9 billion for the agency in FY 2027.  The testimony highlights the importance and role of natural […]

The Natural Science Collections Alliance has joined more than 1,300 museums, organizations, and associations in urging congressional leaders to provide robust federal support for museums and museum-related programs in the fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget. In a joint letter led by the American Alliance of Museums to congressional leadership, the coalition emphasized the critical role […]

The NSC Alliance has submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Committee regarding fiscal year (FY) 2027 funding for programs that curate natural history collections within the Department of the Interior and Smithsonian Institution. “Scientific collections are essential infrastructure supporting the nation’s bioeconomy, public health, and environmental resilience,” argued NSC Alliance. “Research specimens connect us to […]

The Natural Science Collections Alliance has provided testimony to the House Appropriations Committee urging sustained funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in fiscal year (FY) 2027, with at least $55.5 million for its Office of Museum Services. “IMLS is the primary federal agency supporting the nation’s museums, strengthening their capacity to […]

The Natural Science Collections (NSC) Alliance has endorsed the America’s Living Library Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Todd Young (R-IN) and Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) that recognizes biological data and physical specimens as strategic national resources. The bill establishes the America’s Living Library Project, an […]

In response to a request for information on accelerating the American scientific enterprise from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the NSC Alliance provided comments emphasizing the need to recognize natural history collections as essential national research infrastructure and provide sustained, inflation-adjusted federal investment to support their care, digitization, and data […]