Amid increased pressure from President Donald Trump and widespread funding cuts, Bay Area universities have poured millions of dollars into lobbying the federal government this year.

The Trump administration has sought major changes to higher education institutions across the country, with efforts to remove diversity, equity and inclusion programs, prohibit transgender athletes from female sports, stifle pro-Palestine student protests and slash millions in research funding.

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In what could be an effort to plead their case, and perhaps mitigate the feds’ demands, many California universities have significantly boosted their lobbying efforts.

According to federal lobbying disclosure forms, the University of California spent nearly $2 million in its attempts to influence Congressional leaders during the first two quarters of 2025 — close to the nearly $2.2 million the university system spent on lobbying efforts for all of 2024.

Stanford University also intensified its efforts, spending $330,000 on lobbying expenses during the first two quarters of 2025 — compared to the $440,000 the university spent for all of 2024.

California State University was the exception. The state university system spent about $310,000 on lobbying efforts for the first two quarters of 2025, less than half of the $795,000 the university system spent on lobbying expenses for the first two quarters of 2024.

The uptick in California schools’ federal lobbying expenses reflects a national trend. According to an analysis of federal lobbying by the nonprofit educational publication Inside Higher Ed, institutions spent about $9 million in the first quarter of 2025 and more than $9.7 million in the second quarter, dramatically outpacing last year.

Here’s a look at some of the key issues the leading California universities lobbied for in 2025.

Q: What issues did California universities lobby for?

A: UC, CSU and Stanford lobbied for issues related to federal research funding cuts, including the new policy the National Institutes of Health announced earlier this year which slashed indirect research cost reimbursements for things like instruction, staffing and building and equipment maintenance. The University of California and California State University had said the move would threaten millions of dollars in research funding and Stanford University and UC announced systemwide hiring freezes in response to the Trump administration’s threat to cut research funding.

The schools also lobbied for student financial aid, which the federal government had threatened to make significant cuts to in the spring, by lowering the Pell Grant amount, capping graduate student loans, cutting income-driven loan repayment options and eliminating schools’ aid if students earned below a certain threshold. Schools also lobbied for Medicaid and Medicare, programs that are expected to lose billions in funding from Trump’s enacted budget, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, which provides food stamps and assistance to low-income students. They also promoted immigration issues, including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which protects emigrated children from deportation and issues related to international students, specifically improving access to green cards for completed graduate students and visa processing for international students.

Q: Have California universities’ lobbying efforts had an impact?

A: While it’s unclear what impact individual schools’ lobbying efforts have had on the Trump administration’s policy changes, there are several issues schools lobbied for where proposed changes have been reversed. Schools reported lobbying for student financial aid, for which the Trump administration had proposed significant changes. But Congress softened many of the proposed changes, preserving aid eligibility for students and walking back financial penalties for schools, as well as capping the endowment tax at 8%. Schools also lobbied for international students, who had seen widespread terminations of their visas and statuses in the spring. The Trump administration abruptly reversed course and reinstated students’ visas, but has continued to crackdown on immigration policies and international student and worker visas.

Q: How much have California universities spent on federal lobbying efforts this year?

A: The University of California spent $930,000 in the first quarter (January through March) and $970,000 in the second quarter (April through June) on lobbying expenses, compared to $730,000 and $570,000 respectively for the same time periods last year. Stanford University spent $150,000 in the first quarter and $180,000 in the second quarter on lobbying efforts, compared to $90,000 and $120,000 for the first two quarters last year. California State University’s spending decreased, with $190,000 spent the first quarter and $120,000 spent the second quarter, compared to $315,000 and $480,000 for the same time period last year.

Q: Did California universities receive any funds for lobbying efforts?

A: According to the disclosure forms, Stanford University has received more than $100,000 in lobbying-related income this year for general university issues, efforts to combat antisemitism on campus, college athletics, scientific research and the tax-exempt status of universities and the endowment tax. Stanford worked with the lobbying firms Akin Gump Stauss Hauer & Feld — which has lobbied for Adobe, American Airlines and Tesla — Fierce Government Relations — which has lobbied for Apple, Comcast and Delta Airlines — and Klein/Johnson Group, which has lobbied for CVS and Hearst Television.

The Regents of the University of California also received about $300,000 in lobbying-related income this year for issues related to higher education policy and appropriations. The Regents worked with the lobbying firms BGR Government Affairs — which has lobbied for Delta Airlines, Pfizer and the National School Boards Association — and Cornerstone Government Affairs, which has lobbied for Brown University and New York University.