You're right - I'm using "Fauci" as a synecdoche for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NAID). Dr. Fauci was the director of NAID at the time of the approved 3.7M funding for EcoHealth Alliance's "UNDERSTANDING THE RISK OF BAT CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCE" project.
The fact that this project was funded by the NAID is public knowledge. Here's the source: https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_R01AI110964_7529
Now, whether or not this project was previously rejected by the DoD over GoF concerns...well that's what the attached article explores.