Federal updates
Mandatory Research Security Training
The Office of the Vice President for Research, the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President and other CSU leadership are monitoring federal policy and funding changes to evaluate impact and provide guidance for the CSU community.
OVPR regularly notifies research associate deans, principal investigators and project leads about communications from funding agencies including stop work orders or grant terminations for specific grants and contracts.
Federal Government Shutdown
Federal funding for research at CSU
- Accessible federal funding expenditures graphics
Resources for Researchers
Communications
Questions?
GUIDE FOR RESEACHERS
Key Information
- Forward any agency communication to [email protected] immediately without responding.
- If you receive a stop-work order, termination or other notice from a funding agency, do not respond, regardless of the urgency of the notification.
- Do not sign attestations, answer surveys or otherwise engage with a federal agency without first communicating with the Office of Sponsored Programs.
- See the guidance below for more information.
Our Priorities
While navigating federal changes, it is our paramount priority to minimize impacts to employees and preserve research funding.
OVPR and the Office of General Counsel continually monitor federal developments, opportunities to appeal decisions, and opportunities to advocate for research at CSU. Every impacted contract or grant is handled on a case-by-case basis to prioritize resources and support to employees and graduate students.
FEDERAL NOTIFICATIONS
CSU will only act regarding federal notices or communications as determined by the Office of Sponsored Programs.
Individual principal investigators or researchers should NOT respond to federal notifications or requests.
Keep working on:
- Projects and contracts that have not been notified of temporary or permanent stop work orders or terminations. Assume that budgets that are already committed and approved remain available unless you receive a communication from your federal sponsor.
- Fixed price awards that are within an approved period of performance or budget.
- Projects funded by non-federal sponsors. Keep writing and submitting grant and contract proposals to the federal government sponsors and other funding agencies.
Halt work when:
- The project is notified of a stop work order. Do not respond to the order; forward it immediately to [email protected].
- Stop work on projects outside of an approved budget period or performance period. For example, do not work on projects that are awaiting new funding incremental agreements, renewals, continuation, no cost extensions).
- See step-by-step guide below.
Monitor closely:
- Spending on incrementally funded project budgets should be closely monitored not to exceed the current allotment. Funding for a full grant value may or may not be available as the federal government determines its level of support.
- Any changes to funding opportunity announcements and agency priorities for proposal development.
Additional guidance
PROPOSALS
Review timelines for sponsored project proposals may be extended while federal agencies navigate pauses on federal assistance funding in specific areas.
- Continue to submit proposals as submission systems at federal agencies remain operational.
- Reconfirm proposal deadlines as they may change.
- Verify that funding announcements have not been revised or postponed.
- It is likely that DEIA-related aspects will be removed from solicitations going forward. Review funding opportunity announcements and agency priorities carefully for changes. Sign up for agency or sponsor alerts, if available.
PREAWARD SPENDING ACCOUNTS
- OVPR reviews new pre-award spending accounts for federal awards with an additional level of scrutiny.
- Pre-award spending accounts already approved for federal awards with department guarantees should be assessed by college or other home unit.
- Please follow any other agency-specific guidance.
AWARDS
The terms and conditions of your active awards remain enforceable. Please continue with activities as usual unless notified otherwise by OVPR of a federal agency. OVPR will promptly review and share with PIs any awards, amendments or notices to awards.
- If you receive any notification about your award from your federal sponsor, please send it promptly to [email protected].
- You can anticipate that grant reviews, new awards, modifications, and amendments will be delayed.
- Closely monitor budget balances to avoid deficits while awaiting future obligations. Anticipated future funding should not be considered guaranteed.
STOP-WORK ORDERS, TERMINATIONS AND SUSPENSIONS STEPS
- If you receive a stop-work order or termination notice, immediately halt project activities as specified in the notice and notify [email protected].
- Do not reply to the notification.
- Work with the Office of Sponsored Projects to determine allowable closeout or termination costs. Depending on the nature of the work, this could include minimal work that is necessary for health, life and safety. Review the terms of the stop-work order or termination notice carefully.
- Retain all award records using the normal records retention processes and procedures.
- Submit any required final reports and deliverables promptly.
- If a stop work order or termination of an award is received, the Office of Sponsored Programs will work with any subrecipients on the award to issue required notices or changes to the subrecipient agreement or both.
- Temporarily reassigning salaries and costs to other funding sources without authorization from the Office of Sponsored Programs is not allowed.
If an employee’s status must change, the Office of the Vice President for Research works closely with Human Resources and other university resources to provide employees with support and information about resources available to them.
ATTESTATIONS AND SURVEYS
- Do not reply to surveys or requests to sign attestations or certify compliance with federal guidelines, regardless of the urgency of the request.
- Immediately forward the request to [email protected].
EXECUTIVE ORDER TRACKERS
- COGR, the national authority on federal policies and regulations affecting U.S. research institutions, tracks and shares news, executive orders, and resources as they become available.