Federal Government Shutdown | Agency Guidance

As of October 1, 2025, a federal government shutdown has begun, which may affect certain sponsored project activities.

While electronic submission systems (e.g., Grants.gov, Reserch.gov) may remain accessible, federal agency staff may be unavailable to process awards.

If you are principal investigator (PI) and receive direct communication from a federal funder, contact the Office of Research Services at ors@ttu.edu and your research administrator.

General Guidance

• Projects should continue unless you receive specific instructions from your federal or pass-through sponsor.
• Follow all posted deadlines and requirements for new or renewal proposals to the best of your ability. Deadlines may be revised by federal agencies once the shutdown ends.
• New and continuing awards will be delayed, which may affect employment start dates tied to these awards. Use caution when making employment commitments.
• Federal review of regulatory submissions, such as Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approvals, could delay project initiation.
• Grants.gov will remain operational; however, there may be limited staff to help depending on the agency.
• Federal employees will not be traveling to reviews or conferences and meetings or other events scheduled with federal agency employees are likely to be interrupted.

Considerations for Impact

The overall impact of a government shutdown will depend on the length of the shutdown and the specific guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget and individual federal agencies.

• The ability to continue supporting federally funded projects during a shutdown depends on the availability of alternative financial resources. If no such resources are available, project activities may be delayed or suspended.
• The longer the shutdown continues, the greater the disruption for those directly affected. Contingency planning should account for available resources to support federally funded projects and personnel across various timeframes - whether the shutdown lasts a few days, several weeks or extends beyond a month.

OMB: Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations (9/30/25)

National Science Foundation

NSF: Assistance and Contract-Related Policy and Systems Issues During a Lapse in Appropriations

• Work under existing grants may continue during their current performance periods.
• Award Cash Management Service (ACM$) will be available to process valid payments from prior obligations.
• No new grants, continuing grant increments, cooperative agreements, or contracts will be awarded.
• No new funding opportunities will be issued.
• Proposal preparations and submission systems will remain available for use, but proposals will not be processed until normal operations resume.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

HHS Shutdown Contingency Plan

• HHS payment systems will remain operational for grant payments for excepted programs.
• HHS will provide further guidance to grant community in case of shutdown.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding. (NOT-OD-26-004)
• No grant reviews etc., no new awards, no program management activities

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA Shutdown Contingency Plan

UDSA - Assistance

• Operations at USDA Research, Education, and Economics units (including ARS, ERS, and NIFA) will be reduced except for the preservation of human and animal life and limited other exceptions.
  
  • NIFA will cease all program activity and will operate with very reduced staff.
• USDA will cease operations related to (among other functions) payment processing and contracts and agreements not related to exempted programs.

Department of Commerce (DOC)

DOC Shutdown Contingency Plan

• The Department of Commerce will cease operations related to most research activities at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
• During a lapse, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America (CHIPS) Program Office (CPO) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) employees in other operating units who are required to support CPO will continue normal operations utilizing funding provided for by the CHIPS Act of 2022. 

Department of Defense (DoD)/Department of War

DoD Shutdown Contingency Plan

• Work may continue under existing contracts and payments for contracts under prior year funds will continue.
  
  • Conditions: no access to government facilities, no active administration by government personnel, no use of government resources in manner that would cause new obligations on government
• New contracts may not be executed nor may increments of funding be placed on incrementally funded contracts.

Department of Education (ED)

ED Shutdown Contingency Plan

Department of Energy (DOE)

DOE Shutdown Contingency Plan

• DOE components will continue to operate until prior year balances are exhausted. Certain activities will be limited.
• Performance under existing contracts and other funding instruments (including grants) will continue.
• The Bonneville Power Administration is self-funding and will continue normal operations.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

DHS Shutdown Contingency Plan

Grant administration activities will continue with reduced staffing levels as long as sufficient carryover funds remain.

Department of Transportation (DOT)

DOT has not yet made a September 2025 shutdown contingency plan publicly available.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA Shutdown Contingency Plan

• No new obligations for grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts.
• Work under grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts can continue.
• Current grantees can make drawdowns using the Automated Standard Application Payment (ASAP) system but drawdowns requiring EPA staff interaction may be limited.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA Shutdown Contingency Plan

• Work under contracts, grants, etc. for which funds were obligated prior to the lapse in appropriations can continue, provided such work does not require NASA facilities, oversight, or other input from NASA staff.
• New contracts, grants, etc. will not be made except in limited circumstances.