Dear UMB Faculty,

The U.S. Congress has yet to enact appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025, which started Sept. 1, 2024. As a stopgap measure, it has passed a continuing resolution that allows the federal government to operate through March 14, 2025, as if it were funded at FY24 levels. If a new budget is not passed by March 14, there could be impacts to University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) operations that are supported by the federal government.

There are three possible outcomes for March 14:

1. Congress could pass appropriations for FY25, avoiding a shutdown. In this scenario, federal activities and funding would continue.
2. Congress could pass a continuing resolution for another short period or possibly, through the end of the fiscal year. In this scenario, federal activities and funding would continue until the next designated date.
3. Congress could fail to act, resulting in a shutdown of the federal government until Congress enacts new appropriations legislation. In this scenario, federal activities and funding would be halted.

If the federal government shuts down at the end of the day March 14, many of the administrative and operational activities of federal agencies that fund our research will stop and not resume until Congress takes further action (appropriations legislation or a subsequent continuing resolution) for FY25.

UMB is working to minimize the impact on our research programs. Below is a summary of actions related to a possible federal shutdown on federally funded contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and sub-awards:

1. Proposal Submissions: In the event of a shutdown, UMB’s Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) will continue to process and submit new applications. However, agency systems may only accept and store applications during the shutdown. Help desks may not be available. Agencies will not process applications further until funding and normal business operations are restored. We have received no guidance regarding extensions of application deadlines, so applicants should proceed to meet their existing deadlines.
2. New Awards: No new federal awards or award modifications will be issued by funding agencies until normal business operations are restored.
3. Current Funding: Active grant and contract activity funded with FY25 or prior-year appropriations should continue. Spending may continue if the award increment has already been received unless a stop-work notice or similar notification has been received from an agency.
4. No Cost Extensions: No cost extensions (NCE) likely will not be granted during a government shutdown. Principal Investigators (PIs) with awards that are currently set to expire in the month following March 14 should consider now whether they will need to request an NCE. If so, they should consider submitting NCE requests before the shutdown. Because NCEs take time to process, please submit your request as far in advance of March 14 as possible. It is still possible that the agencies will not provide approval notice before a shutdown. In those cases, any expenses incurred after the official end date of the project would be the responsibility of the PI and/or department, if the extension request isn’t ultimately granted. Please see the SPA website for additional information on NCE requests and submission information.
5. Payments: Agency payments systems most likely will not be available and payments will not be processed.
6. Access to Federal Facilities: In many cases, UMB personnel who are assigned work duties or have business meetings at federal facilities may not be allowed to enter the facilities. Required actions in such instances will need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Faculty working at a federal agency on an Intergovernmental Personnel Act Assignment agreement should immediately contact the agency to determine next steps.

We are in constant contact with our government officials, and we will give you additional information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,

Jill A. Frankenfield, MSL, MS

Associate Vice President, Sponsored Programs Administration