In the third quarter of 2025, Yale University dedicated a substantial $370,000 to federal lobbying efforts, marking its highest quarterly expenditure this year. This figure, disclosed recently, represents a notable increase from the $320,000 spent in the previous quarter, bringing the university’s total lobbying spend for the year to an impressive $890,000, as reported by Yale Daily News.
Yale’s Growing Presence in Washington
This surge in spending underscores Yale’s intensified focus on engaging with policymakers in Washington, particularly as its endowment and crucial research funding face potential threats. Richard Jacob, the associate vice president for federal and state relations, emphasized that the university is committed to articulating the profound impact of higher education and advocating for Yale’s key priorities to lawmakers across the political spectrum. He also highlighted how the institution is proactively tackling challenges relevant to American society.
Yale Outpaces Its Ivy League Peers
Yale’s lobbying expenditures consistently surpass those of most other prominent Ivy League institutions. During the third quarter, Columbia University reported $290,000 in lobbying spend, followed by Cornell at $240,000, Harvard at $220,000, the University of Pennsylvania at $200,000, and Princeton at $160,000. Dartmouth invested $80,000, with Brown University’s latest disclosure not yet public. Notably, Dartmouth and Yale stand as the sole Ivy League schools that have not been directly impacted by the funding reductions implemented by the Trump administration.
Key Lobbying Focus: Taxes, Research, and Student Support
The university’s lobbying initiatives primarily centered on critical areas such as tax legislation, student financial aid policies, and federal funding for research. A significant issue addressed was the Republican-supported “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which proposed a substantial increase in the tax on endowment investment returns for Yale and other affluent universities, moving from 1.4 percent to a hefty 8 percent.
Strengthening Its Capital Footprint
Jacob highlighted Yale’s strategic expansion in Washington D.C. over recent years, which includes establishing a dedicated office in the city and facilitating more direct engagements between the university president and government officials. During the third quarter, Yale enlisted the lobbying expertise of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld to champion causes such as endowment taxation and free speech, actively engaging with members of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the White House.
Prominent Lobbying Figures
Among the key figures lobbying for Yale this quarter was Akin Gump policy advisor Zach Deatherage, who previously served as legislative director for Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York. The university also maintained its collaboration with Lamar Smith, a former Republican congressman from Texas. Furthermore, Yale engaged Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for its higher education advocacy. This firm’s team included Evan Corcoran, formerly a personal attorney for President Donald Trump, and seasoned Republican lobbyist Marc Lampkin, according to reports from Yale Daily News.
A Broad Legislative Agenda: Eight Key Bills
Beyond the contentious endowment tax proposal, Yale’s lobbying efforts extended to eight other significant bills. These included the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026,” a crucial piece of legislation with direct bearing on federal research funding. The university also engaged in discussions surrounding the “Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act,” which addresses the evolving landscape of student-athlete name, image, and likeness rights. Jacob clarified that while Yale had not adopted an official stance on the SCORE Act, it actively participated in discussions to present its perspective on college athletics.
The comprehensive lobbying report for the university’s fourth quarter, detailing activities from October 1 to December 31, is scheduled for submission on January 20, 2026.