Potential Federal Government Shutdown: Impacts on Sponsored Research

Dear Colleagues:

Given the current situation in Congress for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (FFY26), there is a possibility of a federal government shutdown at midnight on October 1, 2025.

In the event there is a shutdown, we provide below an overview of what to anticipate, focusing on its ramifications for federally-sponsored proposals and awards, and outlining proactive measures that can be taken.  Although official guidance regarding procedures during a shutdown is only now emerging, it is anticipated that each federal agency will release their operational contingency plans and disseminate their specific guidelines.

During a government shutdown, the following activities are affected:

• Limited Contact with Federal Employees: Due to furloughs, federal employees will generally be unavailable for inquiries and support.
• Proposal Submission: Please continue to submit proposals as planned. If agency portals become unavailable, each federal agency will provide guidance on the status of the proposal submissions, including any adjustments to deadlines.
• Peer Reviews and Council Meetings: No peer reviews or council meetings will take place, which may have an impact on the evaluation and approval process of proposed projects.
• Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Generally, awarded grants and cooperative agreements will continue with minimal disruptions.
• Federal Contracts: Some contracts may be subject to stop-work orders. Determinations will be made by each agency on a contract-by-contract basis.
• New Awards and Contracts: New awards will not be issued, and contracts will not be executed.

We recommend contacting the agency program staff for any immediate needs as soon as possible regarding upcoming deadlines, funding opportunities and other time-sensitive programmatic matters in anticipation of a government shutdown.

Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) will continue to closely monitor the situation and keep you apprised of agency-specific guidance as it becomes available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your SPA Project Officer.

All updates will be posted at Government Shutdown for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (FFY26).  

Sincerely,

Jeannette M. Wing

Executive Vice President for Research, Professor of Computer Science

Helen Kim

Vice President for Research Operations & Policy