After widespread federal grant cancellations, researchers at a US university have begun using an OnlyFans account to help finance and publicise their work on marmots.
Scientists adapt to a shrinking funding landscape
Daniel Blumstein, a biologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues have launched an account called OnlyMarms on the subscription site OnlyFans to share frequent footage and photographs of yellow-bellied marmots. The move follows a period of abrupt federal grant cancellations and a reduced volume of awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF), according to reporting in SFGate and trade outlets.
The account offers near-daily, unfiltered content from the Rocky Mountains; subscribing is free but users may leave tips that the team channels towards supporting their research. Lab members also use posts to highlight particular behaviours for educational purposes.
“Sometimes I’m just posting the videos I think will get the most ‘aws,'” said Emily Renkey, a student in Blumstein’s lab, to SFGate. “But my favorite is when I find footage of a particular behavior and I can use that to educate people.”
Context: federal cuts and their scale
The lab's pivot comes after the previous administration cancelled a large number of federal research grants. Reporting indicates that more than 1,700 grants were cancelled, representing roughly $1.4 billion at the National Science Foundation in 2025. The NSF has, in 2026, distributed only a fraction of the approximately $9 billion it had typically awarded in recent years. Meanwhile, the White House proposed a budget that would cut NSF funding by nearly half for the 2027 fiscal year.
| Figure | Reported amount |
|---|---|
| Grants cancelled (2025) | 1,700+ |
| Value of cancelled grants | $1.4 billion |
| Typical recent NSF distribution | ~$9 billion |
Consequences and broader implications
Researchers and students dependent on federal grants can face immediate threats to fieldwork, equipment, travel and stipends when funds are withdrawn. The OnlyMarms example demonstrates how teams are exploring unconventional revenue streams and public engagement to keep projects running. The account aims to combine fundraising with outreach, using accessible wildlife footage to attract tips and educate an online audience.
Observers say the cancellations appeared to target politically sensitive topics, including research into climate change, and that the reduction in available NSF funding has forced many projects to seek alternate support. The Department of Government Efficiency, described in reporting as a cost-cutting office led by Elon Musk, was named as the driver of some cancellations under the previous administration.
What this means for public science
- Funding instability can push labs to diversify income, from crowdfunding to paid content.
- Public engagement through platforms like OnlyFans may increase visibility but raises questions about sustainability and academic norms.
- Policy decisions over federal research budgets have immediate effects on who can continue fieldwork and which topics receive support.
The OnlyMarms account is a vivid example of how scientists are adapting to an altered national funding environment. Whether such approaches will offset systemic reductions in public research investment remains an open question as agencies, universities and policymakers respond to the changed landscape.
