I recently discovered a terrific tool called "ScanAssist," that helps grant writers avoid all of the so-called "woke," or censored, words that the Trump administration is erasing from government websites and that federal agencies are flagging — and using as justification to deny funding — when reviewing grant applications. PEN America, a registered 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to "defend writers, artists, and journalists and protect free expression worldwide," has been compiling a list of all of the forbidden words, which started with more than 250 has expanded to over 350. PEN America explains that the list encompasses:
. . . even desirable goals like "safe drinking water," the mention of which can now result in research grants or other agreements with the federal government getting nixed. Some agencies ordered the removal of specific words from public-facing websites or the elimination of other materials (including school curricula) in which they might be included. In other cases, federal agencies used key words to flag materials for further review or asked staff to limit or avoid their usage.
PEN America's list is a compilation of censored words from similar lists published in The New York Times, Reuters, The Washington Post, Propublica, Science, Gizmodo, 404 Media, Popular Information, Politico's E&E News, and More Perfect Union. PEN America explains that these lists "reflect guidance" from:
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, NASA, the National Cancer Institute, the National Security Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the White House.
Just take a look at some of oh-so-scary (that's pure sarcasm from me, to be clear!) censored words or phrases that have been banned or flagged by federal agencies: advocacy, affordable housing, air pollution, at risk, autism, barrier, bioenergy, Black, clean water, community, COVID-19, cultural heritage, diesel, diverse, elderly, ethanol, female, gender, historically, immigrants, inequality, institutional, measles, mental health, microplastics, obesity, peanut allergies, pronoun, runoff, sociocultural, solar power, tile drainage, understudied, water collection, and woman, to list list just a fraction.
The flagging of these words has had a profoundly negative impacts across many arenas of research and practice. PEN America explains, for instance, that the Defense Department has erased the recognition of LGBTQ+ Americans, the USDA's Agricultural Research Service can now no longer use terms like groundwater pollution or PFAS chemicals, and the CDC website has removed HIV resources. CNN reported in early May that the NIH had, in just a few months, already killed at least 780 research grants that referenced "equity, racial disparities, minority health, LGBTQ populations, and COVID-19," and Slate reported that the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women stopped funding programs across the country that describe "domestic violence as a systemic issue," or that frame "abuse through the lens of inequality, identity, or structural harm."
Many scientists are finding themselves having to navigate this new terrain and are trying their best to write grants without using the trigger words, in order to still receive the federal funding that they need to do their important. PEN America writes that, sadly,:
That's exactly the sort of response the administration is hoping for, and it will immeasurably limit the research and other work supported by the federal government, universities and more, on the public's behalf.
This is no doubt true, but many scientists and researchers currently have no other real choice than to couch their grants in language that's still fundable. To help with this endeavor, Dr. Sean Mullen, research director of the Exercise, Technology, and Cognition Laboratory in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois, recently created a tool called "ScanAssist" that helps grant writers, researchers, program directors, science communicators, and others who engage with federal funding avoid words that will get their grant applications flagged or rejected. He explains the tool:
. . . Federal funding priorities have shifted. Words that were once welcome in your proposals may now get you flagged or desk-rejected. So I built a tool to help: ScanAssist – a simple, locally-run desktop app that scans your Word or PDF files for "forbidden" words and phrases. It shows frequency, location, and helps you revise before submission. Works on Mac & PC Runs locally — no cloud, no AI, no data leaks. Fully customizable (edit the word list anytime). Includes two test files and install guides. I'm sharing this because we need to support each other, not get blindsided by opaque review algorithms. This is free, open source, and made with faculty, students, and staff in mind (just credit me for my efforts in learning Python :-)
In an overview document available on the ScanAssist website, Dr. Mullen explains that ScanAssist is a:
. . . desktop application designed to scan Word (.doc, .docx) and PDF documents for potentially problematic terms or phrases that might affect grant proposal success. The application helps grant writers and administrators identify and revise language that funding agencies may flag or discourage.
Scan Assist helps with the following tasks:
• Scans Word and PDF documents for user-defined "forbidden words"
• Generates detailed reports showing the location and context of each match
• Includes word frequency analysis and export capabilities
• Works on both Windows and Mac operating systems
• Processes documents locally with no data sent to external servers
The tool is open source, free for academic and research use, and available here. Dr. Mullen explains on the ScanAssist website that researchers are free to:
• Use the software for institutional and personal use
• Modify the software to suit your specific needs
• Share the software with colleagues and peers (with attribution)
Thanks, Dr. Mullen, for creating this helpful tool!
Previously:
• Trump attacks science, research, and public health systems
• 75% of US scientists considering leaving the country, says new Nature poll
• John Oliver: how to resist the normalization of Trump
• Tools for the resistance
• California's leadership prepared to resist
• Alt National Park Service has a message for DOGE leaders
