Federal Funding Updates
Last updated: October 6, 2025
Since January 20, 2025, Executive Orders have been issued that represent a shift in federal priorities. These changes could potentially impact both awarded projects and those awaiting funding from federal agencies or sponsors.
The Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) is aware of the disruptions that these changes are causing as well as the accompanying communications pauses at many federal agencies and we are closely monitoring this evolving situation.
Research faculty should continue to follow grant, proposal, or funding deadlines and instructions while remaining prepared to respond to changing agency requirements.
- Review the statement on Complying With Federal Agencies as well as Agency Specific Information (below) for your funding agency.
- Several agencies have issued directives that awardees must stop work on DEIA-related activities.
- Awardees must comply with stop work orders.
- Pay close attention to any communications you receive from funding agencies. Research faculty should be prepared to review your proposals and make modifications as agencies update their policies.
The Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) will be posting updates and additional agency specific information here as it becomes available to us. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to ORED at: research@fiu.edu
For more information about direct research costs vs. indirect (F&A) costs, please visit Understanding Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs.
Federal Shutdown Guidance
A federal government shutdown began on October 1, 2025, due to a lapse in funding.
Each federal agency is handling the shutdown differently. Please click on the below Federal Shutdown Guidance button for more information. If you have questions about your federally funded grant, contact your research administrator.
In general, projects should continue unless you receive specific instructions from your federal or pass-through sponsor.
If you are a principal investigator (PI) and receive direct communication from a federal funder, contact the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) at: research@fiu.edu and your research administrator.
Federal Funding Freeze
On January 27, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-25-13, which temporarily paused federal grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs. The order was rescinded on January 29.
A lawsuit brought in federal court by nearly two dozen states—including Washington—challenging the legality of the funding freeze. This lawsuit has proceeded despite the rescission of OMB Memo M-25-13. On January 31, the court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) directing federal grant-making agencies, to “…not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate… awards and obligations to provide federal financial assistance to the States…” Although the language of the TRO is directed at State institutions, the Department of Justice has determined that it applies to all award recipients.
A further order on enforcement of the TRO was issued by the court on February 10, requiring the agencies to comply with the TRO and end any funding pause, withheld funds, etc. based on the pronouncements and Executive Orders incorporated in the January 27 OMB memo.
Agencies will continue to review existing grants for compliance with recent executive orders. PIs should continue working according to the existing terms of their awards but be prepared to make modifications if requested to do so by the funding agency.
Federal Cost Efficiency Initiative
On February 26, Executive Order 14222, titled “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative,” went into effect. Among other actions, this order directs Federal agencies to initiate reviews of contracts and grants and to “terminate or modify such covered contracts and grants to reduce overall Federal spending or reallocate spending to promote efficiency and advance the policies of [the administration].” The order further requires agencies to review their contracting policies and to issue new contracting guidance prior to entering into new contracts.
The Office of Research is monitoring the actions taken by Federal agencies in response to this order and will provide updates and guidance as needed.
Executive Action on “DEI”
Under Executive Order 14173, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” federal agencies began to require that federal contractors and grantees—including FIU—certify that they “[do] not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws”. On February 21, a federal court issued an injunction on parts of EO 14173 and EO 14151, including specifically on the certification provision. While this injunction is in place, federal sponsors are prohibited from requesting that grantees submit this certification statement. If you receive a request for such a certification, please contact ORED (research@fiu.edu) for guidance before providing a response.
Given the complexity of the EOs and their implementation, PIs are encouraged to work directly with their Program Officers for assistance and clarification on other new requirements from funding agencies. If necessary, PIs may need to submit an amendment to their scope of work. This step will include working with ORED (research@fiu.edu) to formally amend the grant, thus providing clarity on approved grant work.
EO 14173 does not define “illegal DEI.” However, it does offer some guidance regarding the meaning of the term. In different contexts, the Executive Order describes this type of activity as:
- “dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences”
- Policies or grant proposals that “not only violate the text and spirit of [the United States’] longstanding Federal civil-rights laws,” but also “undermine our national unity.”
- Policies or grant proposals that “stigmatize[], demean[], or shut [American’s] out of opportunities because of their race or sex.”
- Policies or grant proposals that are “illegal, pernicious discrimination that [prioritize] how people were born instead of what they were capable of doing.”
- “DEI that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.”
Executive Action on Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research
On May 5, 2025, the White House released the Executive Order on Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research (EO 14292). NIH has provided the following guidance to the biomedical research community:
- Policies, actions, and definitions defined in this Executive Order supersede NIH’s implementation of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) May 2024 U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (DURC/PEPP Policy). Accordingly, NIH is rescinding NOT-OD-25-061.
- NIH will not accept competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for due dates after May 7, 2025, and/or R&D contract proposals submitted to solicitations issued after May 7, 2025, for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of the Executive Order.
- NIH intends to suspend ongoing funding in accordance with guidance developed under Section 3(b) of the Executive Order. All NIH awardees should review ongoing research activities to proactively identify potential dangerous gain-of-function research and identify safe actions to halt such research and to effectively comply with guidance once established.
A new policy, to be delivered within 120 days, will replace the proposed DURC/PEPP Policy set to take effect May 6, 2025. Until this new policy is in place, research meeting the definition of dangerous gain-of-function research is to be paused. For the purposes of this Notice and, as defined in the Executive Order, dangerous gain-of-function research means scientific research on an infectious agent or toxin with the potential to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or increasing its transmissibility.
The current FIU policy ensures Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) is identified and conducted pursuant to University research missions and applicable federal laws and policies. For more information, please visit FIU’s Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) & Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (PEPP) page.
Executive Action on the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
On May 23, 2025, the White House released the Executive Order Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The order directs:
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to undergo policy reform, including changes to the structural, cultural, and regulatory framework to accelerate licensing timelines and reduce costs; and
- Propose revised rules within 9 months with final rules and guidance issued within 18 months, including science-based radiation limits, expedited design approvals, and standardized licensing for modular and microreactors from the date of the order.
Executive Action on Restoring Gold Standard Science
On May 23, 2025, the White House released Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science. This order directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to issue guidance for agencies on implementation of “Gold Standard Science” in the conduct and management of their respective scientific activities, including:
- No later than 30 days after the date of this order, federal agency heads and employees shall adhere to the following rules governing the use, interpretation, and communication of scientific data; and
- Employees shall not engage in scientific misconduct nor knowingly rely on information resulting from scientific misconduct; and
- Each agency head shall establish internal processes to evaluate alleged violations of the requirements of this order and other applicable agency policies governing the generation, use, interpretation, and communication of scientific information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common concerns are answered below with general information and guidance on what to do, organized by topic:
Proposals
General Information
- Federal agency submission portals are operational and we will continue to facilitate proposal submissions as usual.
- Proposal review timelines at sponsoring agencies may be extended during the transition period.
- Some federal agencies have cancelled posted requests for proposals (RFPs) etc. pending program reviews.
What To Do
- There may be changes to proposal deadlines. It is recommended that you confirm deadlines for proposals currently under development.
- Confirm that any funding announcements on your radar have not been revised or postponed. Consider signing up for alerts from the sponsoring agency, if available.
- Continue to submit proposals per agency deadlines wherever possible.
Awards
General Information
- Some agencies have issued stop work orders on grant and contract activities implicated by recent executive orders, particularly those related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA). In some cases these orders have been modified or rescinded in light of federal court orders. It is important to review the Agency Specific Information section below and related agency communications to determine if your grant-funded activities will be impacted.
- The terms and conditions of executed award remain enforceable, but the ability to invoice and receive reimbursement currently varies. Where possible, work under executed awards should proceed business as usual. Formal changes to awards will come through an amendment from the agency for review and execution via ORED.
- PIs must comply with formal stop work orders (see below for further guidance).
- Changes to Research Compliance requirements for current awards are anticipated. These may be implemented at the sponsor level or via an amendment on a project-by-project basis. Swift compliance with any new requirements is important, and failure could jeopardize funding. If you are unsure please reach out to ORED: research@fiu.edu.
- Changes to award reporting requirements are also anticipated. As with compliance changes, these may be implemented at the sponsor level or via an amendment on a project-by-project basis. Timely compliance with any new requirements is important, and failure to do so could jeopardize funding.
- If specific programs are terminated or restructured, you may encounter difficulties accessing funds or meeting new criteria. Federal agencies managing these programs will typically issue guidance on how to proceed. We will pass this along promptly if/when received.
- If a program or initiative is reduced or de-funded, 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.
What To Do
- Review your grant agreement: Ensure you understand the terms, especially clauses related to funding availability and reimbursement.
- Closely monitor budget obligations to avoid overspending award accounts while awaiting anticipated future funding.
- Communicate with your grant officer: Stay in contact with your program or grant officer to confirm that there are no changes affecting your award.
- Reports and deliverables: Continue to submit required reports and deliverables to your sponsoring agency on time. Prioritize the submission of any materials that may be past due.
- Monitor policy updates: Keep an eye on announcements from the agency overseeing your grant for any updates on funding or compliance updates.
- Review information on your granting agency in the Agency Specific Information section below. You may need to review your project. You should be prepared to adapt or make modifications in consultation your program officer.
- If you receive communication directly from a federal sponsor regarding the status of your award, your first step should be to reach out to ORED (research@fiu.edu).
- Contact ORED if you have questions about compliance with new guidelines or requirements.
Stop Work Orders
Awardees must comply with official stop work orders. The Office of Research and Economic Development has provided additional guidance:
- For grants with an official work stop order, such as USAID grants, FIU cannot post any expenses to those grants after the work stop date.
- FIU is unable to request reimbursement for work-stop grants after work stop date.
- Units should cease related expenses.
- Any unavoidable expenses must be transferred to a departmental account with a positive balance. Units should NOT create deficits.
Terminations
If you receive notice that your grant has been officially terminated by the agency:
- Ensure that ORED has been notified (research@fiu.edu) and has all documentation.
- Work with your grant administrator in your unit to follow close out procedures.
- If you have employees being paid on the grant, work with your unit to move them to another account with a positive balance. Units are responsible for these costs.
- If you have questions about employment contracts, please work with your HR representative.
Agency Specific Information
We will continue to update the sections below as we receive further details on the implementations of the policies and priorities of the new administration at individual departments and agencies.
The table below summarizes the types of updates in guidance. Individual agency names link to further details below the table.
| Agency / Department | New Grant Actions Suspended | PI Review for DEIA and Report to Agency | Agency Review for DEIA | Stop DEIA Work | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) | ✗ | ✗ | |||
| Dept. of Defense (DOD) | |||||
| Dept. of Education (ED) | ✗ | ||||
| Dept. of Energy (DOE) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) | |||||
| HHS: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | |||||
| Dept. of Justice (DOJ) | ✗ | ✗ | |||
| Dept. of State | |||||
| Dept. of State: US Agency for International Development (USAID) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Dept. of Transportation (DOT) | ✗ | ||||
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | |||||
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) | ✗ | ||||
| National Science Foundation (NSF) | ✗ | ||||
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
General Information
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has resumed award activities following a suspension during the first part of 2025. However, the number and breadth of active requests for applications remains limited.
Department of Defense (DoD)
DoD: Indirect Cost Rates
Through a June 12 memorandum, the DoD is seeking to implement a 15 percent cap on indirect cost rates for all new financial assistance awards to institutions of higher education and to renegotiate the indirect cost rates on existing awards.
On July 18, 2025, a judge in the civil action against the policy brought by a group of universities and university associations (AAU v. DoD.; D. Mass., No. 25-cv-11740) issued a preliminary injunction, blocking implementation of the policy for parties to the lawsuit, including member universities of the plaintiff organizations. The policy had previously been paused by a June 17 temporary restraining order (TRO). The injunction will be in place until a final judgment is made in the case..
Department of Education (ED)
DEIA
In accordance with the new administration’s orders related to DEIA, the Department of Education has moved to close DEIA initiatives within the Department and remove outward-facing DEIA resources from its websites. As part of a broader effort to downsize or eliminate the Department, programs have been eliminated or significantly reduced, including the Institute of Education Sciences, which currently has no active requests for applications.
Various lawsuits challenging the legality of reductions in force and other Department of Education policies are ongoing.
Department of Energy (DOE)
Communications
The Department of Energy paused nearly all agency agency actions as it underwent a policy review during the first months of the year. Since then, many elements of the Department have undergone major reductions in force. While DOE has resumed making new awards for research, however current opportunities appear to be limited.
DOE: Oversight of financial assistance funding
On May 15, 2025, the Department of Energy announced a new policy to improve oversight and ensure responsible use of financial assistance funding. In a policy memorandum titled, “Ensuring Responsibility for Financial Assistance,” the DOE outlined a process for reviewing financial awards to verify that projects are financially viable, legally compliant, and aligned with national and economic security interests.
Key elements of the policy include:
- A review of 179 financial assistance awards totaling over $15 billion, with a focus on large-scale commercial projects in the initial phase.
- Evaluations will be conducted on a case-by-case basis to ensure effective use of taxpayer funds and to prevent waste, fraud, or abuse.
- Award recipients are required to submit timely, accurate, and complete information in response to DOE requests to support these reviews. While many financial assistance awards may incorporate the audit rights under 2 C.F.R. part 200, other forms of awards have different information gathering rights available at DOE.
- The DOE will keep responses confidential and may share relevant risk information with other government entities when appropriate.
- Projects that meet DOE standards will proceed, while those that do not may be modified or terminated. Failure to cooperate with the review process may also result in loss of funding.
- If a recipient of financial assistance fails to respond to information requests within the provided timeframe, does not respond to follow-up questions in a timely manner, or offers incomplete responses that do not reasonably facilitate DOE’s review, DOE may treat as the recipient’s refusal to cooperate as grounds for termination of the award or the withholding of funding.
DOE: Indirect Cost Rates
On April 11, 2025, the DOE announced Policy Flash 2025-22, which limited the indirect cost rate paid through DOE awards to 15 percent for institutions of higher education, replacing current negotiated rates.
On June 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court in the District of Massachusetts issued a judgment vacating Policy Flash 2025-22. A May preliminary injunction had previously enjoined DOE implementing the policy during the court case.
DOE: Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related policies
Via Policy Flash 2025-16, DOE rescinded several policies related to DEI including requiring, using, or enforcing Community Benefits Plans (CBP) and requiring, using, or enforcing Justice40 requirements. A March 14 memorandum rescinded the memorandum associated with PF 2025-16. Instead, CBPs, Justice40 requirements, and related elements of existing awards will be considered voluntary by the Department.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at HHS
CDC awardees were directed to immediately terminate all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion that are supported with CDC award funds. The CDC further directed that any “vestige, remnant, or renamed piece of any DEI programs” are terminated.
In compliance with the Temporary Restraining Order issued on January 31, 2025, in the United States District Court in the District of Rhode Island, the CDC has rescinded the directives to cease DEI activities on all CDC funded awards and all activities promoting gender ideology. The rescission is effective on Tuesday, February 11.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) at HHS
NIH has recently made a number of changes to policies and procedures related to grants, including the implementation of policies set out in NOT-OD-24-084 (April 4, 2024). These and other, more recently announced, changes, as well as the status of grant reviews and other NIH activities in light of ongoing changes to agency priorities have been collected on a dedicated page on the NIH website.
NIH Biological Research Safety and Security
On May 5, 2025, the White House released the Executive Order on Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research. NIH has provided the following guidance to the biomedical research community:
- Policies, actions, and definitions defined in this Executive Order supersede NIH’s implementation of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) May 2024 U.S. Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (DURC/PEPP Policy). Accordingly, NIH is rescinding NOT-OD-25-061.
- NIH will not accept competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for due dates after May 7, 2025, and/or R&D contract proposals submitted to solicitations issued after May 7, 2025, for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of the Executive Order.
- Per NOT-OD-25-127, NIH will terminate funding for “dangerous gain-of-function research” conducted by foreign entities in “countries of concern or foreign countries where there is not adequate oversight” and suspend all other funding and other support for other projects meeting the definition of gain-of-function research.
- As required by NOT-OD-25-127 FIU is currently reviewing ongoing NIH-funded research activities meeting the definition of dangerous gain of function research.
A new policy, to be delivered within 120 days, will replace the proposed DURC/PEPP Policy set to take effect May 6, 2025. Until this new policy is in place, research meeting the definition of dangerous gain-of-function research is to be paused. For the purposes of this Notice and, as defined in the Executive Order, dangerous gain-of-function research means scientific research on an infectious agent or toxin with the potential to cause disease by enhancing its pathogenicity or increasing its transmissibility.
More information regarding the current FIU policy to ensure Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) is identified and conducted pursuant to University research missions and applicable federal laws and policies can be found at FIU’s Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) & Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (PEPP) page.
NIH Indirect Cost Rates
On February 7, 2025 the National Institutes of Health issued a notice that, as of February 10, an indirect cost rate cap of 15% would be in place for new and existing grants. This seeks to replace previously negotiated rates with universities and research institutions.
Please contact ORED (research@fiu.edu) if you have any questions or if you are contacted by your NIH program officer regarding this policy.
NIH Foreign Research and Subawards
A May 5, 2025, Executive Order directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to issue government-wide guidelines to limit collaborations with foreign entities of concern.
Starting no later than September 30, 2025, NIH will prohibit subawards to foreign entities for all new grants, cooperative agreements, and renewals. If a project cannot proceed without a foreign subaward, NIH may consider bilateral termination, taking into account factors such as patient safety and animal welfare.
NIH Accelerated Public Access Policy
NIH has accelerated implementation of the 2024 Public Access Policy. As of July 1, 2025, all Author Accepted Manuscripts (AAM) accepted for publication in a journal, on or after July 1, 2025, must be submitted to PubMed Central (PMC) upon acceptance for publication, for public availability without embargo upon the Official Date of Publication.
Some journals automatically submit AAMs to PMC, however it is the principal investigator/project director and institution’s responsibility to ensure that the requirement is met. It is important to confirm that the publication will submit the AAM, even if they or a related have done so in the past. If the publication does not automatically submit the AAM, it is the responsibility of the PI/PD to do so.
Review the NIH FAQ page on the policy for further details.
NIH Award Terminations and Closeouts
If a project is terminated early, full closeout will still be required. For clinical trials, data-sharing obligations may continue to apply—NIH guidance is forthcoming.
NIH: AI in Proposals and Annual Per PI Submission Limitations
Following recent observations that a small number of Principal Investigators are submitting large numbers of proposals, possibly developed using AI tools, on July 17, 2025, NIH released a policy (NOT-OD-25-132) effective September 25 with the following provisions:
- Applications substantially developed by AI or containing sections substantially developed by AI will not be viewed by NIH as the original ideas of the applicants. If the improper use of AI is detected after an award is made, NIH may refer the matter for research integrity review and may take enforcement actions, potentially including termination of the award.
- NIH will only accept six new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications from an individual Principal Investigator/Program Director or Multiple Principal Investigator for all council rounds in a calendar year.
Review the policy notice for further details and contact ORED (research@fiu.edu) if you have any questions.
Department of Justice (DOJ)
General Information
In early 2025, the National Institutes of Justice cancelled all previously posted Notices of Funding Opportunity and associated webinars. As of July 31, 2025, there were no posted notices of funding opportunity for research from the Department of Justice.
Department of Transportation (DOT)
General Information
As of July 31, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the only agency within the DOT with open requests for proposals for research.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
General Information
EPA has issued a statement confirming that there is no pause on activities related to the now-rescinded OMB memo of January 27. In accordance with the January 20 Executive Order on Unleashing American Energy, the agency has paused all funding actions related to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Recipients are encouraged to contact their EPA project officer with any questions.
As of July 31, 2025, EPA has no active requests for proposals for research.
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
General Information
In response to recent Executive Orders, NEH has revised its current funding opportunities, adding several prohibited categories to the Funding Restrictions of opportunities related to DEIA. These include the following purposes:
- promotion of gender ideology;
- promotion of discriminatory equity ideology;
- support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives or activities; or
- environmental justice initiatives or activities.
NEH is maintaining a frequently asked questions page related to this change.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
General Information
Following various Executive Orders and the later-rescinded OMB Memorandum M-25-13, NSF previously instructed all grantees to cease activities related to DEIA under their awards. A temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued by a federal district court as part of an ongoing lawsuit by a group of states challenging the legality of pauses and other actions at federal agencies in response to the Executive Orders.
Following further review, NSF later terminated over 1,000 awards nationwide on the basis of misalignment with administration priorities around DEIA and misinformation.
Non-Discrimination Statutes
NSF has modified its Award Term and Condition 35, related to non-discrimination. In addition to compliance with a number of federal non-discrimination statutes, by accepting an award from NSF, the recipient institution certifies that:
- They do not, and will not during the award period, operate programs that promote or advance DEI/DEIA initiatives in ways deemed inconsistent with federal anti-discrimination laws; and
- They do not, and will not, participate in or support prohibited discriminatory boycotts.
Indirect Cost Rates
NSF implemented a 15% cap on indirect costs (IDC) effective May 5. In response, several national organizations, including the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), filed a lawsuit on May 8. While previous legal challenges to similar IDC changes at NIH and the Department of Energy led to temporary restraining orders (TROs), no TRO decision has yet been issued in this case.
On June 20, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, in No. 1:25-cv-11231-IT, vacated NSF’s 15% Indirect Cost Rate policy (NSF 25-034). In compliance with the court’s decision, NSF will not implement the policy at this time.
Department of State (including USAID)
General Information
In accordance with the January 20 Executive Order 14211, Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, all foreign assistance funded through the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was paused for 90 days for re-evaluation. During this pause, all foreign aid and other financial assistance (including research awards) managed through USAID was terminated.
Going forward, the administration intends to roll the functions of USAID into the State Department.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
General Information
NASA has ordered contractors and grantees to immediately cease all DEIA-related activities, including training, reporting, and staffing considerations. DEIA requirements in contracts and grants will be terminated, with stop-work orders and modifications issued as needed. NASA has also removed DEIA-related policies from its websites. On Jan. 31, NASA sent a memo to a set of science committees directing them to pause their work while NASA determines if the groups’ activities comply with the DEIA executive orders.
Contractors and grantees are directed to cease any DEIA activities required by their contracts/grants. Further, contractors/grantees must notify their Grant/Contract officer if they identify such requirements in their grant/contract. Grant/Contract officers will begin to contact contractors or grantees directly regarding required modifications as additional guidance becomes available.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
General Information
On May 23, 2025, the White House released the Executive Order Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The order directs:
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to undergo policy reform, including changes to the structural, cultural, and regulatory framework to accelerate licensing timelines and reduce costs; and
- Propose revised rules within 9 months with final rules and guidance issued within 18 months, including science-based radiation limits, expedited design approvals, and standardized licensing for modular and microreactors from the date of the order.
External Resources
The following resources provide broader context for the ongoing shifts in federal policy and potential impacts on the university research environment.
Council on Governmental Relations
Credit: Adapted from the Washington State University Office of Research news and the Arizona State University Office of Research Operation’s guide on this topic.
