C.S. wrote:
"NSF has a budget. NSF MUST expend the budget or guess what, they risk
getting less money next year."

Yes. That is how government and much of industry which work on fiscal
year budgets work. Timing is predictable for expenditures on less
prudent projects too. Carefully hoarded approved budgets are suddenly
excesses at year end. They must be spent or returned to the treasury.
Return means a reduction of influence and power.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI