January 31: Guidance on federally funded grants, agreements, and contracts

Dear Colleagues,

The Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President are closely monitoring and assessing the rapidly changing federal landscape, including executive orders and memos coming from the White House. Below we share guidance for staff and faculty members who are working specifically on federally funded open grants, agreements, and contracts.

  • Staff and faculty who are involved with federally funded grants, agreements, and contracts related to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and access) must follow federal guidance and stop work on these federally funded DEIA-related activities.
  • Non-DEIA activities on federal awards may continue unless you have received additional direction from a federal sponsor or from the OVPR. If you have not received specific guidance from CSU or a federal funding source about changes to research activities, please continue your work.
  • Our OVPR team has launched a new webpage to share guidance and provide updates to all CSU staff and faculty members who are working on federally funded open awards. The webpage is designed to help you navigate your work moving forward, with information including specific guidance we have received from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and others. Please bookmark this new webpage as a resource.
  • The OVPR has received some federal grant and contract terminations and will communicate separately with those affected.
  • The OVPR is not approving new requests for “at risk” or “advanced spending” accounts. Those with existing “at risk” or “advanced spending” accounts should contact their research associate dean or OVPR to determine if spending on these accounts should continue. All DEIA-related activities on existing “at risk” or “advanced spending” accounts associated with federal awards should cease immediately.

Many of you have been in communication with the OVPR over the past two weeks regarding your federally funded projects. As we navigate these changes together, we will continue to be in contact with you individually as needed and will send broader communications with pertinent information. This is an evolving situation, and our team is working with the CSU Office of the General Counsel and University leadership to analyze changes, clarify information, and comply with federal policy. Thank you for the ongoing innovation and the dedication that you and your teams bring to your work. We understand these changes for federally funded activities bring uncertainty and our team is here to support you. Please reach out to Meg Suter and Ashley Stahle via the shared VPR email inbox with questions and for additional guidance.

Best,

Cass

Cassandra Moseley, Ph.D. 
Vice President for Research