Potential Government Shutdown FY 2026 and Effect on Research
Dear UCF Researchers,
We understand the critical importance of your research.
As you may be aware, there is the possibility of a government shutdown that would start this Wednesday, October 1, 2025 — the start of the federal fiscal year — if a budget agreement is not reached. In the event that happens, all or portions of the federal government will shut down.
Although we have not yet received official guidance regarding the procedures in the event of a shutdown, it is expected that each federal agency will post their operational contingency plans and disseminate their specific guidelines.
Here is an overview of what to anticipate during a government shutdown, particularly its ramifications for federally funded sponsored proposals and awards, and an outline of proactive measures that you can take to prepare.
During a government shutdown, the following activities are affected:
- Limited Contact with Federal Employees: Due to furloughs, federal employees will generally be unavailable for inquiries and support.
- Proposal Submission: Proposal submission systems may become unavailable. Each federal agency will provide guidance on the status of the proposal submissions and whether submission deadlines will be revised.
- Peer Reviews and Council Meetings: No peer reviews or council meetings will take place, which may have an impact on the evaluation and approval process of proposed projects.
- Awarded Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Generally, awarded grants and cooperative agreements will continue with minimal disruptions.
- Federal Contracts: Some contracts may be subject to stop-work orders. Determinations will be made by each agency on a contract-by-contract basis.
- New Awards and Contracts: New awards will not be issued, and contracts will not be executed.
What should you do?
Proposal submissions: Most federal portals like Grants.gov, Research.gov, and NIH eRA Commons typically remain operational during a government shutdown. Submissions are accepted, but processing will be delayed until normal agency operations resume. Continue with your planned submissions. Do not assume that deadlines are extended unless an official notice is posted by the agency. Some agencies may provide guidance on adjusted deadlines after the shutdown is over. However, some proposal submission systems may become unavailable. Bottom line, if you are preparing an application, you should continue to prepare those documents for an on-time submission. We encourage you to monitor further updates for specific guidance and the potential for those deadlines to be extended.
Ongoing research projects: As with previous federal government shutdowns, researchers with active federally sponsored grants and contracts will generally be instructed to continue work unless the project requires significant involvement of federal employees. Researchers may receive instructions from their contracting or program officers. If you receive such information, please notify the Office of Research immediately by emailing osp@ucf.edu with the details and let your college post award office know, as well.
Technical Reporting: If you are preparing a progress report for an upcoming deadline, you should continue to prepare those documents for an on-time submission. However, we encourage you to monitor further updates for specific guidance and the potential for those deadlines to be extended.
Agency prior approvals: If you do not hear from your sponsoring agency before the shutdown, it is unlikely you will hear anything during this time. No action should be taken. If you have an emergency situation, please contact the Office of Research at osp@ucf.edu immediately so we can help you.
New Awards/Extensions: We do not expect any new awards or modifications during the shutdown. It will take a while for agencies to work through their backlog.
We will continue to monitor agency specific communications regarding the potential shutdown and provide detailed updates and specific guidance via email and through our Office of Research website. We are confident that, as with previous federal government shutdowns, we will successfully navigate such a scenario with the assistance and coordination of our research community.
Additional information and guidance is available at these links:
- Considerations for a Federal Government Shutdown | Council on Governmental Relations
- FAQ Lapse in Appropriations | White House
Thank you,
Winston V. Schoenfeld, Ph.D.
UCF Vice President for Research and Innovation