On Jan. 13, Ryan Dowdy was thrilled to learn he'd won a prestigious grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA's Small Business Innovation Research program appeared to be a perfect fit for Dowdy's fledgling business, ReadyBAR.
A former NASA scientist who managed the food system on the International Space Station from 2018 to 2021, Dowdy wanted to apply technology used in space to help people on Earth who work in similar high-stress environments.
He had developed a meal replacement bar for first responders, whose nutritional demands he figured are similar to those of astronauts. He planned to use the USDA grant to improve the bar's flavor and texture and to ensure a two-year shelf life.
But two weeks after receiving news that his proposal was "meritorious," the Trump administration ordered a pause on all federal financial assistance, including grants.
Despite court orders to unfreeze funds, Dowdy has not received the emails or paperwork he was told to expect, finalizing his award.
"One hundred percent, I'm worried that I may never see this funding," he says.
Disruption felt across the country
In all 50 states, Americans are feeling the ripple effects of the Trump administration's actions in Washington.
Thousands — likely tens of thousands — of federal employees and contractors have already lost their jobs. Federally-funded research is on hold. Farmers who supply foreign aid programs are unable to sell their grain.
Although courts have ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze funding, many programs remain paused.
"The only information that I've gotten from the USDA is that the funds are frozen, all of them, across all programs indefinitely," says Dowdy.
A childhood fascination leads to a job at NASA
Growing up in Alabama, Dowdy was always interested in science.
While other kids ran lemonade stands, he'd mix oil and vinegar and add drops of food coloring and sell it as "chemicals" for 10 cents a piece.
"I think people thought, 'Who is this weird kid?'" he says.
Later, while working on his doctorate in food science and technology at the University of California, Davis, a professor asked him where he saw himself working after finishing his degree.
"And I said, 'You know, what would be really cool is to make food for the astronauts.' And he said, 'You know, that's funny because I know somebody at NASA,'" Dowdy recalls.
That connection led to a few internships at NASA and eventually a full-time job as the International Space Station's food system manager.
Turning space food into Earth food
Dowdy says there are three main types of food that astronauts eat in space. First, there's thermostabilized food, which is similar to canned food, in that it can be opened and eaten with a spoon. Chili and grits, for example.
Then there's freeze-dried food, such as the freeze-dried ice cream sold in space museum gift shops.
"Trust me, we never sent that to the International Space Station," Dowdy says with a laugh.
Finally, there are what scientists call "intermediate moisture products," which have some moisture but not enough that bacteria can grow.
It's that technology that stuck with Dowdy even after he left NASA and moved to California to be closer to family. He started thinking about one group of people in particular who could benefit from its use on Earth: first responders.
Like astronauts, first responders often lack the time to sit down to a meal. They need a product with an extended shelf life to keep in their "go" bags, something that won't give them a sugar crash.
A highly competitive and desirable grant
Dowdy launched his company last year with some pre-seed money, assembled a small team of advisers, and started experimenting to see whether he could make a meal replacement bar that could take the place of the high-sugar options that dominate the market.
He'd hoped that the USDA grant would help his small business get through "the valley of death" — that space between having a creative idea and getting it to market.
The grants are highly competitive and desirable, Dowdy says, because they're so good for small businesses.
"The government isn't asking for a piece of ownership in return, which is often what investors want. And they're also not asking that the money be paid back," he says.
The website for the USDA's Small Business Innovation Research program describes its mission as supporting "high quality research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefits."
"It's just about funding good science that solves problems to feed people better," says Dowdy.
"So across the aisle" — yet still frozen
Although his funds were not expected to flow until later this year, Dowdy was looking forward to the USDA's press release announcing the newest grantees. That kind of publicity can be invaluable for generating buzz among investors and the wider public.
Instead, on Jan. 27 the White House Office of Management and Budget announced the funding freeze. The Trump administration said it needed time to review all grants to ensure they don't conflict with any of the president's executive orders or policy priorities.
That day, Dowdy happened to be on the phone with a potential investor who asked if he thought his USDA grant might be frozen.
"And I said, 'No way. We're an American small business. We're fueling first responders for emergency situations. This is something that is so across the aisle, everybody can get behind us. There's no way that this funding is frozen,'" recalls Dowdy.
Turns out, he was wrong. His project was on hold, along with everyone else's.
Business and life plans on hold for now
A federal judge has since ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funding, including on open awards, but Dowdy has heard nothing about his grant.
A USDA spokesperson told NPR that grantees will hear more once the new agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, can analyze the reviews. Rollins was confirmed by the Senate last week.
Dowdy had big plans for the year. He was looking to hire a research technician, his first employee. He hoped to scale up production to bring down costs. He and his wife had also planned to start a family.
"So this uncertainty makes the grant situation especially challenging and frustrating," he says. "It's been very frustrating and very quiet."
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