Update November 13, 2025
The federal government has reopened following a 43-day shutdown. For questions regarding federal grant funding, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at osp@unlv.edu.
Update October 2, 2025
A federal government shutdown commenced on October 1, 2025, following a lapse in congressional appropriations.
Each federal agency is executing its contingency plan in a unique manner. The following points summarize guidance from published plans, provided here solely for reference.
In general, federally funding projects should continue as planned unless you receive explicit instructions from your federal sponsor. Principal Investigators (PIs) who are contacted directly by a federal funding agency should promptly notify both the Office of Sponsored Programs at osp@unlv.edu and their designated research administrator.
Overall Guidance
- Continue your project unless you receive instructions to pause or stop from your sponsor.
- Prepare and submit proposals according to the posted deadlines for new and renewal applications. Please note that agencies may adjust these deadlines once the shutdown concludes.
- New awards are expected to be delayed during the government shutdown. Proposal reviews and award announcements are likely to experience significant delays once operations resume, due to the backlog of work at federal agencies and the challenges of rescheduling review panels.
- Spending on active awards may proceed as usual during the shutdown. We will closely track updates from federal agencies and provide guidance as needed. However, please avoid incurring any unnecessary costs or costs that could be deferred until the government reopens.
- Regulatory reviews may experience delays during the shutdown. Federal evaluations of submissions such as IRB or IACUC approvals - could slow new projects.
- Grants.gov will remain online, but support is limited.
- Federal travel, including for reviews, conferences, meetings, and other events, is most likely suspended. Activities requiring federal staff participation are likely to be disrupted.
Agency-Specific Information
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA Lapse in Funding Plans USDA Contingency Plan
USDA research, education, and economic units ( including ARS, ERS, and NIFA) will be significantly reduced, except for activities necessary to preserve human and animal life and other limited exceptions.
Program operations will be curtailed. Activities such as payment processing, contracts, and agreements not tied to exempted programs will be delayed or suspended.
Department of Commerce (DOC)
DOC Lapse in Appropriates Contingency Plan DOC Contingency Plan
Most research operations will be suspended at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
CHIPS Program Office (CPO) operations will continue. Funded under the CHIPS Act of 2022, CPO and the supporting NIST staff will maintain normal activities, while other operating units will be limited to essential functions.
Department of Defense (DoD)
Work may continue under existing contracts if funded with prior-year appropriations. However, access to government facilities, active oversight by government personnel, and use of government resources that create new obligations will not be permitted.
No new contracts or funding increments will be issued during the shutdown. Incremental funding on existing awards will also be paused until appropriations are restored.
Department of Education (ED)
Grant recipients may continue drawing down existing awards for at least the first week of the shutdown.
No new grants will be issued, except for programs with mandatory advance funding.
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
FY2026 HHS Contingency Staffing Plan for Operations in the Absence of Enacted Annual Appropriations
HHS Contingency Plan U.S. Food and Drug Administration National Institutes of Health
Health Resources and Services Administration Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Grant payment systems will remain operational for existing programs.
Additional guidance will be issued to the grants community if the shutdown continues.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): No grant reviews, new awards, or program management activities will occur during the shutdown.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Payments may continue for awards funded with prior-year appropriations.
No new grants will be issued, except for certain exempted functions (e.g., protection of life or property).
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Grant administration activities will continue at reduced staffing levels, provided sufficient carryover funds remain.
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Many operations will continue during the lapse in annual appropriations; however, significant activities will be limited, including:
- Aviation rulemaking;
- Random drug testing of the non-safety workforce;
- Routine personnel security background investigations and PIV card services;
- Continuity of Operations Planning;
- Air traffic performance analysis;
- Capital planning and implementation for FAA facilities and equipment programs that are not funded by IIJA;
- Investment planning and financial analysis;
- Dispute resolution;
- Audit and evaluation;
- Law enforcement assistance support;
- Most administrative support functions not required for support of excepted positions; and
- Delivery of routine public affairs services, website updates, and social media activities.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
No new obligations will be made for grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts.
Work under existing grants, agreements, and contracts may continue as allowed.
Grant recipients may draw down funds using the Automated Standard Application Payment (ASAP) system; however, recurring EPA interactions may be limited.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Work under existing contracts and grants may continue if funded with prior-year appropriations, provided it does not require access to NASA facilities or other NASA resources.
No new contracts or grants will be awarded during the shutdown, except under limited, exempted circumstances.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Work under existing grants may continue during their current performance periods.
Award Cash Management Service (ACM$) will remain available to process valid payments from prior obligations.
No new grants, continuing grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts will be awarded for new funding.
No new funding opportunities will be issued during the shutdown.
Proposal preparation and submission systems will remain available, but submitted proposals will not be processed until normal operations resume.