In the past week there have been Executive Orders, Federal Memoranda, and news coverage that deal directly and indirectly with research funding, and we want to communicate some important guidance related to proposals and awards.

Are Federal Agencies Open And Receiving Proposals?
Yes, though the government has indicated that issuance of new awards is currently suspended, we continue to submit proposals as normal. However, there may be some delays in communication from agency individuals at this time. In addition, many Funding Opportunity Announcements have been undergoing major revisions, and we recommend that applicants double check the text, requirements, and expiration dates of FOAs before preparing and submitting proposals.

What Administrative Changes Are Recommended?
Unless you receive word from an agency recommending a work stoppage (see below), funded activities can continue at this time. However, since circumstances are shifting rapidly, we recommend taking steps to preserve funds. Federal grant payment systems will be “paused” as of Tuesday, January 28th, at 5:00pm EST, for an undefined amount of time. Accordingly, we advise against making any large purchases and will not approve Advance Account requests until agency
funding activities resume.

What Should I Do If A Federal Sponsor Contacts Me Regarding My Award?
Some agencies have already sent out blanket guidelines asking us to curtail certain grant-funded activities. If you are a recipient of NASA or Dept of Energy funding you may have already received further instructions on these requirements from the Division of Research. Beyond those communications, if you receive direct contact from an agency sponsor requesting additional information or instructing you to terminate any activities under an existing award, please forward a copy of the directive to the University's newly created inbox, fed2025admintransition@brown.edu.

We will continue to monitor developments from our federal sponsors and share any updates as we have them.

If you have any questions about the information shared above, please contact us at resadmin@brown.edu.