In our response to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), National Association of Veterans’ Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF) emphasized a simple but critical point: strengthening U.S. scientific leadership takes more than increased funding alone. It requires predictable partnership pathways, modern research infrastructure, and the operational capacity to translate discovery into real-world impact for patients and communities.

These are precisely the elements that the Department of Veterans Affairs’ nationwide network of nonprofit research corporations (NPCs) was designed to support.

Drawing on the VA’s nationally integrated healthcare and research system, NAVREF highlighted several priorities essential to accelerating innovation:

• A powerful national research platform. The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the nation’s most robust research ecosystems, serving more than 9 million Veterans across 1,200+ sites nationwide.

• NPCs as the innovation engine. VA-affiliated nonprofit research corporations enable clinical trials, public-private partnerships, and faster translation from discovery to care by providing the administrative and operational backbone that research demands.

• An anchor for rural innovation. With its nationwide footprint, VA is uniquely positioned to lead in telehealth, decentralized clinical trials, AI-enabled care, and workforce development, especially in rural and hyper-rural communities that are often left out of traditional innovation hubs.

• Predictable partnerships lower barriers. Trusted intermediary models like VA NPCs make it easier for startups and emerging biotech companies to engage with federal research, reducing friction and accelerating collaboration.

The VA research enterprise shows what’s possible when scale, data-rich environments, and trusted intermediary models come together—and when policies support speed, flexibility, and long-term sustainability. This model doesn’t just advance science; it ensures that breakthroughs reach Veterans and communities faster.

NAVREF appreciates OSTP’s leadership in examining how federal policy can better support the full research lifecycle and looks forward to continued engagement as these important discussions move forward.

Read our full public comment here.