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Federal Research Updates

Dear FSU Faculty, 

I hope this message finds you well, and you are keeping warm and safe during this rare winter weather event in Tallahassee!  

I wanted to assure you that we are closely monitoring the information from federal agencies including any potential changes to federal programs. As of today, FSU has not received anything to indicate a need to alter our efforts.  

Please continue with your current projects and plans as usual. We encourage you to continue to submit quality proposals, continue your high-quality work, and submit timely technical reports and updates as required under your specific grant agreement or contract.  

We appreciate your dedication and hard work in advancing research and innovation at FSU. Should there be any need for adjustments or new guidelines in the future, we are dedicated to making sure you receive prompt and comprehensive information. To help with this communication, the Division of Research has created a dedicated webpage where we will post updates and resources. This page will be updated regularly as new information is received from the federal level.   

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. 

Kind regards, 

Stacey S. Patterson, Ph.D. 
Vice President for Research
stacey@fsu.edu

Several Executive Orders have been issued recently (White House News), which may signal shifts in federal priorities. These changes could potentially impact both awarded projects and those awaiting funding from federal agencies or sponsors.

As federal agencies and sponsors adapt to these developments, FSU’s Office of Research will continue to provide you with guidance, updates, and links to relevant resources to help you navigate this evolving landscape.  If you receive information that isn’t already on this page, please forward it to Kerry Peluso, Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Finance (kpeluso@fsu.edu) for inclusion.

Proposals

  • Proposals will continue to be submitted under FSU’s existing processes and procedures..
  • Sponsor proposal review timelines may be extended while federal agencies navigate pauses on federal assistance funding in specific areas.
  • Pre-award spending is not recommended at this time. Requests for Advance Accounts will require additional reviews and may not be approved.

What to Do:

  • There may be changes to proposal deadlines. It is recommended to reconfirm the deadline and program dates.
  • Reconfirm that the funding announcement has not been revised or postponed. If available, consider signing up for alerts from the federal agency or sponsor.

Awards

  • The terms and conditions of your executed award remain enforceable so long as your award is active. This includes the ability to invoice and receive reimbursement. Please continue with business as usual. If there is a change to your award, FSU will receive an amendment for review and execution.
  • We anticipate possible changes to research compliance requirements. These changes could either be implemented directly by a federal agency or sponsor or may require an amendment on a project-by-project basis. We will share any information we receive with you, though you may also receive instructions directly from your Program Officer. It is crucial to act swiftly to ensure compliance with any new requirements, as failure to do so could jeopardize funding.
  • We anticipate updates to award reporting requirements. These changes could either be implemented directly by a federal agency or sponsor or may require an amendment on a project-by-project basis. We will share any information we receive with you, though you may also receive instructions directly from your Program Officer. It is crucial to act swiftly to ensure you comply with any new reporting requirements, as failure to do so could jeopardize funding. If you need assistance managing any requests, please contact your Grants Officer in SRA.
  • If a program or initiative is reduced or defunded, there could be delays or pauses in payments for existing grants under those programs. While this is rare, it may occur if funding for a program is rescinded or redirected.
  • If specific programs are terminated or restructured, there may be difficulties accessing funds or the need to meet new criteria. Federal agencies managing these programs will typically issue guidance on how to proceed. We will pass this along promptly if/when received.

What to Do:

  • Review your Grant Award: Ensure you understand the terms, especially clauses related to funding availability and reimbursement.
  • Monitor spending on your projects: Closely monitor obligated budget balances to avoid deficits while awaiting future obligations. Anticipated future funding remains subject to the availability of funds and should not be considered guaranteed. All pre-award spending on existing advance accounts should be kept to a minimum (ensuring that the requirements of the project continue to be met and the project is not negatively impacted.
  • Communicate with your Program Officer: Stay in touch with your program officer to confirm no changes affect your award. If you receive guidance from your program officer regarding the status of your award or continued funding, please forward it to Kerry Peluso, Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Finance (kpeluso@fsu.edu). If you have questions regarding the research compliance requirements on your award, please contact Mary Sechrist (m.sechrist@fsu.edu).
  • Monitor due dates: Ensure reports and deliverables are addressed in a timely manner. Prioritize the submission of any technical reports or deliverables that may be past due.
  • Monitor Policy Updates: Keep an eye on announcements from the federal agency overseeing your grant for any updates on funding or compliance requirements.
  • Monitor communications from OVPR (Office of the Vice President for Research) and SRA (Sponsored Research Administration): Closely monitor your emails and the dedicated page for Federal Research Updates for any communications regarding updates and changes.
  • When engaging in procurement activities for federally funded projects, please consider the following:
    • If federal funding has not been obligated to FSU to pay for the procurement, then consider postponing or canceling the procurement until the required funds are awarded.
    • If a procurement is in process, review the terms and conditions of the agreement for cancellation provisions and upcoming payment milestones.
    • If an agreement is being negotiated, collaborate with your assigned FSU Procurement Contracting Officer to ensure the terms and conditions align with the current funding availability.

Executive Actions and Federal Agency Guidance

As federal agencies issue official guidance and updates, additional sections will be added below.

Sponsor Summaries (for federal agencies that have provided guidance regarding impacts from Presidential Actions occurring January 20, 2025 or later):

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has posted an Overview of President Trump's Executive Orders.

The DOE has issued new guidance indicating that, until further notice, there will be delays in any funding actions. Here’s what this means for projects pending or already awarded by DOE:

  1. Pending Proposals
    • Awards will be postponed.
  2. Existing Awards
    • Work can continue if obligated funds are available.
  3. Delays in Additional Funding
    • Additional funds, including continuations and supplements, will be postponed.
  4. Award Performance
    • Performance should continue as long as funding is available unless a stop-work order has been issued.
      • Stop-work orders are generally limited to projects funded through contracts or cooperative agreements.
      • If a stop-work order is issued, SRA will inform the PI.
      • Important Reminder: If a PI or any other FSU faculty or staff member receives a stop-work order notice directly, please forward it immediately to SRA-Pre@fsu.edu for appropriate handling.
  1. Awards & Amendments/Modifications to Awards Under Negotiation
    • All awards currently under negotiation will be halted until further notice.
  2. Subrecipients
    • SRA will notify current subrecipients under DOE funding about the recent guidance, which will impact their subaward.

We recommend closely monitoring your project’s budget to ensure work aligns with available funds. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Kerry Peluso, Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Finance (kpeluso@fsu.edu).

Federal Health Agency Guidance - (National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) Federal health agencies have not issued any overarching guidance regarding Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), proposals, or awarded grants.  At this time, the guidance below was developed using various news articles and credible sources.

  1. Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)
    • No new NOFOs have been posted since 1/22/2025, but existing opportunities have submission dates set well into the future. Exercise discretion when pursuing these opportunities, as submission dates may change, or the NOFO could be withdrawn and revised.
  2. Communications
    • There will be a delay in communications from NIH due to a mandate from HHS imposing a temporary halt on public communications from federal health agencies, including the CDC, the FDA, and the NIH. These communications extend to the issuance of documents, guidance or notices, as they must receive approval from a political appointee before being released. This freeze will remain in effect until February 1, 2025, with exceptions made only for critical health and safety information.
  3. Pending Proposals
    • Awards will be postponed.
  4. Existing Awards
    • Work can continue if obligated funds are available.
  5. Delays in Additional Funding
    • Additional funds, including continuations and supplements, will be postponed.
  6. Award Performance
    • Performance should continue as long as funding is available unless a stop-work order has been issued.
      1. Stop-work orders are generally limited to projects funded through contracts or cooperative agreements.
      2. If a stop-work order is issued, SRA will inform the PI.
      3. Important Reminder: If a PI or any other FSU faculty or staff member receives a stop-work order notice directly, please forward it immediately to SRA-Pre@fsu.edu for appropriate handling.
  7. Awards
    • Any NIH Notice of Award received by Florida State University (FSU) is considered awarded, and funds are obligated. FSU will adhere to its standard processes to establish the grant account and initiate the project.
  8. Review panels
    • All peer review panel meetings have been canceled.
  9. Subrecipients
    • SRA will notify current subrecipients about the recent guidance, which will impact their subaward. 

We recommend closely monitoring your project’s budget to ensure work aligns with available funds. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Kerry Peluso, Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Finance (kpeluso@fsu.edu).

Resources:

USDA has implemented an immediate suspension of all USDA actions related to grants, including Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grants. Questions (FAQs) below:

  1. Does the moratorium include no-cost extensions or no-cost modifications on existing awards?

USDA Answer: No, it does not apply to no-cost extensions/modifications. This may include budget revisions that do not obligate additional funds, no-cost extensions of time, changes in key staff, and other changes that do not result in any additional expenditure of funds (regardless of source).

FSU Current Guidance: If you have not yet submitted your no-cost extension request and are eligible to do so, please submit it at your earliest convenience.

  1. Can existing work continue under active awards?

USDA Answer: Yes, until such time that you receive guidance in the future that specific transactions must be modified or terminated.

FSU Current Guidance: Please limit your transactions to those that are critical to the project and exercise caution in all decisions.

  1. Can payments or claims be processed under awards?

USDA Answer: At this time, yes, payments or claims may continue to be processed under existing awards, provided that they are not funded using Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) or Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding sources. Additional guidance related to IIJA and IRA funds will be provided by USDA when available.

FSU Current Guidance: Please ensure timely submission of your expenses so that costs can be invoiced promptly.

USAID or DOS have announced that their funding obligations and existing foreign assistance awards are under review for potential stop-work orders. Here’s what this means for projects pending or already awarded by USAID or DOS:

  1. Future Proposals
    • No new funding opportunities will be published by USAID or DOS for the time being.
  2. Pending Proposals
    • Awards will be postponed.
  3. Existing Awards
    • Work can continue as long as obligated funds are available and a stop-work order has not been received for your specific award.
  4. USAID is taking prompt action to comply with the President’s Executive Order on Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing. All DEIA activities under all contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other awards, including subcontracts and subawards, and programs domestic and abroad, are to cease immediately, with awards to be modified or terminated in accordance with applicable award terms and conditions. Reference: DEIA Activities under Existing USAID Awards
  5. Delays in Additional Funding
    • Additional funds, including continuations and supplements, will be postponed.
  6. Award Performance
    • Performance should continue as long as funding is available unless a stop-work order has been issued.
      • Stop-work orders, aka Halt Orders, are typically limited to projects funded through contracts or cooperative agreements, however other funding mechanisms may be impacted.
      • If a stop-work order is issued, SRA will inform the PI.
      • Important Reminder: If a PI or any other FSU faculty or staff member receives a stop-work order notice directly, please forward it immediately to SRA-Pre@fsu.edu for appropriate handling.
  1. Awards & Amendments/Modifications to Awards Under Negotiation
    • All awards currently under negotiation will be halted until further notice.
  2. Subrecipients
    • FSU Research Operations will notify current subrecipients under USAID or DOS funding about the recent guidance, which will impact their subaward.  This notification will include the following:

 

Notice of Implementation: Executive Order 14171 Rescission of Executive Order 14035 and Immediate Suspension of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Activities The Trump administration, which began its term on January 20, 2025, has introduced a series of Executive Orders since taking office. Among these is Executive Order 14171, which rescinds Executive Order 14035, titled "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce" (White House News).  To implement the E.O., many federal agencies have sent out notices for the immediate cease and desist on all DEIA activities required under an awarded federally funded project.  This work may include but is not limited to DEIA plan requirements, training reporting, staffing considerations, and any other direct or indirect award activities. If your project includes DEIA components, these activities must stop immediately, and no further charges should be applied to the award for such purposes. Funds previously allocated for DEI activities must remain unspent and cannot be reallocated to other budget categories.

References: Executive Order 14171 ”Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”

This page will be updated as new information is received from the federal level.

Last updated January 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM.