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National Science Foundation
Most recent quarterly backlog
788
End of FY2024 Q4 (Jul 1 – Sep 30, 2024)
Latest annual report
853
End of FY2024 (Sept 30, 2024)
17-year change
+28333%
FY2008 → FY2024 (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2024)
Annual backlog, FY2008–FY2024
Pending requests at end of each fiscal year (Oct 1, 2007 – Sept 30, 2024). Federal fiscal year runs Oct 1 – Sept 30, named for the year it ends.
FY08: 3
FY10: 51
FY12: 71
FY14: 180
FY16: 230
FY18: 258
FY20: 369
FY22: 504
FY24: 853
Dashed verticals mark presidential inaugurations.
Recent quarterly activity
Last 16 quarters of received, processed, and backlog. Most recent: FY2024 Q4 (Jul 1 – Sep 30, 2024).
Backlog
788
Received per quarter
123
Processed per quarter
253
10 oldest pending requests, end of FY2024 (Sept 30, 2024)
Days pending counts forward from the day the request was received. The longer this list runs, the more litigation-ripe the agency’s backlog.
| Rank | Date received | Days pending | Years pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2013-10-24 | 2,706 | 7.4 |
| #2 | 2014-01-03 | 2,660 | 7.3 |
| #3 | 2014-02-07 | 2,637 | 7.2 |
| #4 | 2014-08-04 | 2,514 | 6.9 |
| #5 | 2014-08-05 | 2,513 | 6.9 |
| #6 | 2014-09-22 | 2,480 | 6.8 |
| #7 | 2014-11-20 | 2,439 | 6.7 |
| #8 | 2014-12-08 | 2,429 | 6.7 |
| #9 | 2015-04-22 | 2,339 | 6.4 |
| #10 | 2015-09-10 | 2,241 | 6.1 |
Exemption invocations, FY2024 (Oct 1, 2023 – Sept 30, 2024)
How often each FOIA exemption (b1–b9) was invoked when redacting or denying records. Exemption 5 (deliberative process, attorney-client) is highlighted — it’s the most-fought exemption in FOIA litigation.
FOIA staffing, FY2024 (Oct 1, 2023 – Sept 30, 2024)
Full-time employees
5
Equivalent FTE
0.0
Total FTE
5.0
Annual report history
| FY | Received | Processed | Pending end |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 424 | 374 | 853 |
| FY2023 | 339 | 158 | 684 |
| FY2022 | 302 | 202 | 504 |
| FY2021 | 293 | 257 | 404 |
| FY2020 | 259 | 209 | 369 |
| FY2019 | 327 | 267 | 318 |
| FY2018 | 329 | 349 | 258 |
| FY2017 | 325 | 278 | 278 |
| FY2016 | 348 | 304 | 230 |
| FY2015 | 302 | 298 | 184 |
| FY2014 | 338 | 306 | 180 |
| FY2013 | 378 | 305 | 144 |
| FY2012 | 428 | 415 | 71 |
| FY2011 | 526 | 519 | 58 |
| FY2010 | 500 | 465 | 51 |
| FY2009 | 395 | 382 | 16 |
| FY2008 | 353 | 352 | 3 |
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