Possible Government Shutdown
Principal Investigators, Associate Deans for Research and Grant Administrators,
As you’ve likely seen in the news, there is a risk of a government shutdown after midnight tonight if Congress does not approve a spending plan. Hopefully, I can share positive news if a bill is approved by midnight tonight. If that does not happen, we encourage BU research teams with federal funding to learn more about potential shutdown impacts, as described below.
Shutdown Impacts and Considerations
- Adhere to posted guidelines for grant submissions or nominations: Faculty should follow posted guidelines and deadlines for grant applications. In the past, some agencies have extended proposal deadlines after the government reopens. When BU reopens after intersession, you should continue to submit proposals if federal systems are operational.
- Prepare for award announcements to be delayed: Faculty waiting on award announcements for already submitted proposals should know that a government shutdown may lead to delays in award announcements. Past government shutdowns have led to delays of several weeks to months due to the backlog of work at federal agencies and the difficulty of rescheduling review panels once the government reopens. Similarly, expected new grant programs will be delayed as the federal government is not allowed to establish new grant programs during a government shutdown.
- Stay up-to-date: Each agency is expected to post updated contingency plans for its operations should the government shut down, providing further details for each agency.
If the government is shut down after intersession, please contact your Pre-Award Officer in Sponsored Programs with any questions, or you can communicate with us at ospera@bu.edu.
The University will continue to monitor the federal landscape and report on new developments.