As you may be aware, the United States Congress has failed to pass a temporary or permanent federal budget measure. As a result, as of midnight October 1, 2025, all federal government “nonessential” operations have halted until passage of a funding measure.
This notice is to inform all Principal Investigators about the potential impacts of the federal government shutdown on their sponsored projects. We understand that this is a period of uncertainty, and we are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information and support.
Key Information Regarding the Shutdown and Your Grants
Generally, government shutdowns have little to no impact on currently funded grants and cooperative agreements. Other award types, such as federal appointments and contracts may be impacted on a case-by-case basis. Work on all sponsored projects should continue unless advised otherwise by your sponsors and/or the Office of Sponsored Programs.
If you receive a stop work order or any other direct communication from a sponsor about the shutdown, please forward the notice to the Office of Sponsored Programs at osp@boisestate.edu.
The following guidelines generally apply to federal and federal flow-through financial assistance proposals and awards (grants and cooperative agreements) and are provided for reference only. Agency specific guidance varies and should be followed.
New and Pending Proposals
- Proposal Submissions: Proposal submissions likely will proceed according to previously posted timelines; however, some submissions may be suspended during a shutdown. Grants.gov and Research.gov will remain operational. Please check the specific agency websites for updates on proposal submission deadlines.
- New Funding Opportunities: With limited exceptions, new funding opportunities will not be released.
- Review Processes: Proposal review panels and other review activities may be postponed or canceled. Delays in award decisions are likely.
New Awards and Award Amendments
- With limited exceptions, no new awards or award amendments (e.g. amendments for incremental funding, supplemental funding, or no-cost extensions) will be released during the shutdown period. This may have impacts on hiring and purchasing activities.
Active Awards
- Project Activities: For ongoing projects, Principal Investigators should continue to manage their projects consistent with the terms and conditions of their awards. Unless otherwise notified, all reporting requirements remain unchanged during the shutdown period.
- No Cost Extensions (NCEs) and Other Change Requests: Most government portals remain open to submit change requests. If a change does not require approval, it should be automatically approved. Any changes that require approval may not be approved during the shutdown. If you need a NCE, coordinate with your departmental administrator to submit a NCE request.
- Research Compliance: Federal review of Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approvals may not occur during the shutdown.
- Agency Contacts: Federal staff who are not considered “essential” will be furloughed. This means that your usual agency contacts will likely be unavailable during the shutdown.
- Payment Processing: Most government payment systems remain open during the shutdown. The Office of Sponsored Programs will continue to invoice and draw on awards when possible. If an extended shutdown occurs, some systems may stop making payments.
- Government Facilities: Government facilities may be inaccessible during the shutdown.
Agency Contingency Plans and Published Guidance for Sponsored Projects
Department of Agriculture (USDA): Lapse of Funding Plan
Department of Commerce (DOC): Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations
Department of Defense (DOD): Contingency Plan Guidance for Continuation of Operations in the Absence of Available Appropriations
Department of Education (ED): U.S. Department of Education Contingency Plan for Lapse in Fiscal Year (FY) 26 Appropriations
Department of Energy (DOE): No published guidance is available.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): FY 2026 HHS Contingency Staffing Plan for Operations in the Absence of Enacted Annual Appropriations
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): US Environmental Protection Agency Contingency Plan for Shutdown
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): NASA Continuity of Appropriations Plan
National Institutes of Health (NIH): Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding (NOT-OD-26-004)
National Science Foundation (NSF): Assistance and Contract-Related Policy and Systems Issues During a Lapse in Appropriations
What You Should Do
- Monitor Official Communications: Stay informed by regularly checking official announcements from federal agencies and the Office of Sponsored Programs regarding the shutdown’s impact.
- Review Award Terms: Familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of your specific awards, as they may contain provisions related to government shutdowns.
- Communicate with the Office of Sponsored Programs: If you anticipate significant challenges or have urgent concerns related to your sponsored project due to the shutdown, please contact us immediately.
We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as they become available. Our primary goal is to support you and minimize disruptions to your important work.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact us at osp@boisestate.edu.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time.