Education Department Launches New Foreign Funding Reporting Portal, Earning Praise from Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism & Policy

Federal officials say the platform will improve compliance, oversight, and national security protections.

The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism & Policy (ISGAP) publicly commended the U.S. Department of Education for unveiling a new and improved online portal that streamlines the reporting of foreign gifts and contracts by American institutions of higher education. 

The Department’s official press release confirms that the upgraded portal, set to launch January 2, 2026, will replace the older system and facilitate compliance with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act.

Section 117, codified at 20 U.S.C. § 1011f, has long required colleges and universities that receive federal financial assistance to disclose foreign source gifts and contracts valued at $250,000 or more annually. 

The statute also mandates that these disclosures be made publicly accessible. Historically, enforcement and reporting mechanisms lagged, but the Department’s announcement emphasizes that this new system is the result of years of institutional feedback and internal beta testing with major universities. 

In a statement accompanying the portal announcement, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the system “will assist our institutions of higher education in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities and enable us to protect our national security by facilitating improved compliance.”

The portal promises features such as bulk data uploads, executive summary visualizations, and tools for drafting and reviewing submissions designed to reduce administrative burden. 

ISGAP’s commendation, posted on its official social media channels, highlights the significance of enhanced transparency in tracking foreign financial influence in U.S. academia.

The deployment of the portal aligns with Executive Order 14282, which directs the Department of Education to strengthen transparency and enforcement around foreign influence at American universities.