Federal Research Updates

• 1/30/2026 - Potential Partial Shutdown of the Federal Government: Impacts on Sponsored Research

• 2/2/2026 - NIH: Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding (NOT-OD-26-036)

• Resolution Agreement FAQs 
• Winding Down Recently-Terminated Sponsored Projects
• Preserving Columbia's Critical Research Capabilities
• General Federal Research Updates 2025

Updated 2/24/2025

1. In general, researchers should continue to perform work on awarded federal projects in accordance with applicable project terms and conditions, applicable provisions of the Uniform Guidance, and court-ordered temporary restraining orders ("TROs"). SPA will be in touch with PIs directly for any exception to this general guidance; if you receive any type of stop work order, please forward immediately to SPA. If you are not certain about work on a particular project or component of a project, please contact your SPA project officer for guidance. Finally, litigation in this area is fast-evolving, so please check this website frequently for updates.

2. Follow your school’s procedures with respect to new hires for research and close coordination with SPA regarding subawards, as described in the January 31 broadcast communication.

3. Continue to submit proposals and all required deliverables and reports. Content requirements may be adjusted by individual sponsors and are expected to be communicated by the agency.  
    

4. Some stop-work orders or other directives, such as requests for certification, are being sent directly to investigators. If you get any such communication, please immediately notify your SPA project officer. They will guide you regarding next steps. Please do not respond directly to any such notice yourself.

Department of Defense (DoD)

• 6/18/2025 - Department of Defense (DOD): Temporary Restraining Order on 15% indirect cost cap, AAU v. DOD (D. Mass. No. 25-cv-11740)
• 1/29/2025 - Department of Defense Statement Clarifying Defense Contracting

Department of Energy (DOE)

• 5/16/2025 - Nationwide Preliminary Injunction in AAU-ACE-APLU Case Contesting Cuts to Energy Research | Association of American Universities (AAU)
• 4/16/2025 - Notice of Court Order and Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)
  • Information on Temporary Restraining Order Barring the DOE
• 4/11/2025  - Department of Energy Overhauls Policy for College and University Research, Saving $405 Million Annually for American Taxpayers
• 1/27/2025 - US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science: Executive Order update to Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plan requirement

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

• 5/7/2025 - NIH: Updated NIH Processes for No-Cost Extensions
• 4/21/2025 - NIH: Notice of Civil Rights Term and Condition of Award
• 3/27/2025 - HHS Press Release: HHS Announces Transformation to Make America Healthy Again; and
• 3/27/2025 - Fact Sheet: HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again
• 3/26/2025 - Implementation of New Initiatives and Policies Page Now Available
• 2/7/2025 - NIH: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates (NOT-OD-25-068)
• 2/1/2025 - DHHS: Notice of Court Order & Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• NASA's Global Contractor & Grantee Community Memos - includes all NASA memos providing guidance on the Executive Orders

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• 5/20/2025 - Deferred Implementation of Indirect Cost Policy for Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs)
• 5/2/2025 - NSF Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate
• 4/18/2025 - Updates on NSF Priorities
• NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders - includes all NSF memos providing guidance on the Executive Orders
• NSF FAQs on Implementation of Recent Executive Orders
• FAQs on Updates on NSF Priorities

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

• 1/24/2025 - USAID: Notice on Implementation of Executive Order: Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid

University Resources for the Research Community

• Stabilization Fund and Other Resources
• Presidential Task Force on Columbia's Research Mission

Health Data Resources

At the moment, many government data sources are offline or otherwise unavailable. Examples include those on Columbia University Libraries' website for Health Data Resources. If one of the links on their webpage is unresponsive, please email the Libraries at [email protected]. They may be able to provide guidance for finding an alternative.

Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)

• 2/11/2025 - AAMC Lawsuit Results in Nationwide Temporary Restraining Order on Proposed Drastic Cuts to NIH Funding

• 2/8/2025 - Press Release: AAMC Statement on Drastic Cuts to NIH-Funded Research

• AAMC's Facilities & Administrative Costs information page

COGR

COGR is an association of research universities, affiliated medical centers, and independent research institutes. COGR has a dedicated webpage containing relevant federal agency communications, directives, and other information.

• COGR: 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources (will be updated regularly)
• COGR: Indirect (F&A) Cost Reimbursement Educational Materials and Updates

NIH Resources

• Implementation of New Initiatives and Policies - serves as a central location where you can learn more about the status of changes impacting NIH grants process and plans for implementing new initiatives and policies

The following are some recent executive orders that may have implications for Columbia sponsored research activity. The University is in the process of reviewing and interpreting the executive orders to try to anticipate their potential implementation and impact. 

• 8/7/2025 - Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking
• 2/26/2025 - Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency" Cost Efficiency Initiative
• 1/21/2025 - Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunity
• 1/20/2025 - Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing
• 1/20/2025 - Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid

Archived News Articles

• 3/26/2025 - Nature article: Exclusive: NIH to cut grants for COVID research, documents reveal
• 2/11/2025 - Massachusetts Attorney General press statement concerning the NIH Case.
• 2/10/2025 - The Hill: Federal judge grants restraining order on NIH funding cuts
• 2/4/2025 - Newsweek: Federal Judge Issues Restraining Order on Trump Administration
• 2/3/2025 - Science: NIH eases freeze on grant reviews imposed after Trump communications pause
• 1/31/2025 - NPR: A 2nd U.S. judge says Trump administration must pause its federal spending freeze
• 1/30/2025 - Science: EXCLUSIVE: NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with Trump’s orders
• 1/30/2025 - STAT: National Science Foundation suspends salary payments, leaving researchers unable to pay their bills
• 1/29/2025 - Politico: Trump Rescinds Spending Freeze on Federal Assistance
• 1/27/2025 - Politico: Trump administration orders sweeping freeze of federal aid
• 1/22/2025 - Science: Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring

Federal Agency Communications with Columbia

The following agencies have issued stop-work orders or other communications received directly by Columbia so far: CDC; Department of Energy (DOE); Department of State; FEMA; NASA; and USAID.

If PIs receive stop-work orders directly from a funding agency, they should forward it to SPA immediately. SPA will provide guidance regarding how PIs must implement the order, and will transmit any needed follow-on communications to the funding agencies.