In January, the foundation issued a request for proposals, seeking applications for three-month "planning grants" of $5,000 to $10,000.
The foundation issued a statement saying it was seeking to "strengthen our grants program" and had "implemented more stringent eligibility and performance criteria".
The science foundation issues three-year research grants, so an 8 percent budget cut could translate to a drop in new grants by one-fourth.
The foundation issues grants for initiatives and programs across the globe, focusing on agricultural development, emergency relief, global libraries, urban poverty, global health, and education.
Mr. Mandela's foundation issued a statement from its Johannesburg headquarters saying that South Africa had lost "a great patriot and a fearless fighter against apartheid".
For Marti, who received a Pew Fellowship in 1995 (the foundation issues up to 12 grants in the creative arts to Philadelphia-area residents each year), sticking around has clearly worked out well.
In 2011, the foundation issued a challenge to researchers around the world to design a toilet that works without running water, electricity or septic system, and can be operated for as little as 5 US cents (3p) per person per day to run, including purchase and maintenance costs.
These might be a damaged roof, sewer problems, termite infestations or foundation issues.
The foundation issued grants for 719 different topics in 2014, and over the past decade it has donated $1 billion just to fighting childhood obesity.
