Government Shutdown Guidance

Updated as of: March 10, 2025

The Executive Vice President for Research and Sponsored Program Services have developed this page to provide the most up-to-date information and guidance on what a U.S. government shutdown would mean for your research activity. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers:

How would a shutdown impact the agencies I work with?
Each agency may handle the shutdown and determine essential personnel differently. It is important that principal investigators continue to work until they receive specific information or instructions from their program officers.

Would a shutdown delay deadlines for a grant proposal?
Maybe; we simply do not know. In the event of a shutdown, it is important that principal investigators continue to prepare and work with Pre-Award on your proposals and proceed as if there will be no change in grant submission deadlines. It is possible that some government systems may not be working during the shutdown. The best thing investigators can do is to continue to work on proposals and have them ready so that Pre-Award can process them according to the most up-to-date guidelines given by each specific agency once the shutdown is over.

The Committee on Responsible Federal Budget’s guidance page on Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know can be found here: https://www.crfb.org/papers/government-shutdowns-qa-everything-you-should-know.

Should researchers continue to work on their federal contracts and grants?
Yes, researchers should continue to work on their grants and contracts unless their agency or program officer advises them otherwise. Faculty should keep in close touch with their Post Award administrator and check this page for the latest information.

What have you heard from specific agencies so far?

Sponsored Program Services will monitor the situation, and provide details to the campus, as they become available.

The Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) has a list of items institutions should consider in the event of a federal government shutdown. This list is based on experiences from past shutdowns and includes links to resources. 

SPS will continue to monitor and share updates and insights as they become available. The table below is a list of specific agency communications received to date: