Federal Updates

Key Federal Updates
Issued on or after January 20, 2025

This page provides a consolidated summary of federal updates related to the administration transition, effective January 20, 2025. Please forward any communications regarding federal requirements or agency statuses to research@wku.edu for inclusion. Relevant updates will be posted as they become available.

October 1, 2025

• The NIH has issued Notice NOT-OD-26-004 to guide the extramural research community through a potential lapse in federal funding beginning October 1, 2025.  During this period, staff will have limited availability for grant oversight, administrative support, and communications. Active awardees may continue work and draw previously awarded funds through the HHS Payment Management System, but reporting, prior approvals, and no-cost extensions will be delayed until operations resume. Applications can still be submitted via Grants.gov or ASSIST, though they will not be processed, and peer review meetings will be postponed with related deadlines extended.

September 30, 2025

• The NSF has issued guidance for a potential funding lapse beginning October 1, 2025. During this period, staff will be largely unavailable, no new awards or continuing increments will be issued, and processing of proposals, reports, and requests will stop after September 30. Awardees may continue work on active grants using available funds and draw payments intermittently through the Award Cash Management Service (ACM$). Proposals and reports can still be submitted via Research.gov, but they will not be processed until operations resume. Peer review panels scheduled after September 30 will be canceled and rescheduled, with deadlines extended. Post-award actions such as no-cost extensions and transfers will also be delayed. Reference: NSF Shutdown Announcement.

September 11, 2025

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued guidance aligning with National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33) and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. This covers research security programs (RSPs), research security training (RST), and prohibitions on malign foreign talent recruitment programs (MFTRPs) for covered institutions and individuals. Reference: NOT-OD-25-154, Implementation of NIH Research Security Policies

July 17, 2025

• NIH Research Security Training Requirement. Effective October 1, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) mandates that all faculty researchers and senior/key personnel involved in NIH-funded research complete training on disclosing all research activities and affiliations (active and pending) in Other Support, per NIH policy NOT-OD-25-133.
  Reference: NIH Notice NOT-OD-25-133. 

• Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications. The NIH issued guidance on the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) in research applications.

  • A new policy limits the number of applications per Principal Investigator that NIH will consider in a calendar year to promote fairness and originality.
    Reference: NIH Notice NOT-OD-25-132.

July 10, 2025: NSF Research Security Training Requirement

• Effective October 10, 2025, the National Science Foundation (NSF) requires Research Security Training for proposers and senior/key personnel, per Notice No. 149. The training addresses cybersecurity, international collaboration, foreign interference, proper use of funds, disclosure, conflict of commitment, and conflict of interest. Reference: NSF Notice No. 149.

July 2025: NIH Shift in Funding Opportunities for Animal Models

• The NIH announced it will no longer develop new funding opportunities focused exclusively on animal models of human disease.
• Future funding opportunities will use broader language to encourage diverse research approaches.
  Reference: NIH Announcement Details.

May 23, 2025: Executive Order 14303 – Restoring Gold Standard Science

• President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14303, directing federal agencies, including NIH, NSF, DOE, HHS, USDA, and NASA, to adopt “Gold Standard Science” principles to ensure scientific activities are reproducible, transparent, communicative of error and uncertainty, collaborative, interdisciplinary, skeptical, falsifiable, subject to unbiased peer review, accepting of negative results, and free of conflicts of interest.
• Agencies released implementation plans by August 2025, outlining how these principles will be embedded into funding, reporting, and oversight processes:
• References: EO 14303, Federal Register, May 29, 2025; NIH Plan; NSF Plan; DOE Plan; HHS Report; USDA Plan; NASA Plan; OSTP Guidance, June 23, 2025.

February 10, 2025

• Court Order on Frozen Funds
  A federal judge granted an ex parte emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, directing the Trump Administration to comply with an order regarding frozen federal funds.

January 29, 2025

• Public Health Service (PHS) Directive on DEI Activities
  The PHS issued a letter announcing the cessation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities on CDC awards.
  Reference: PHS Letter, January 29, 2025.
• Western Kentucky University (WKU) Guidance
  Dr. Bud Fischer, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, issued a statement addressing the White House Budget Office’s pause on grants, loans, and other federal financial assistance. WKU is monitoring the impact of this directive and advises prudent spending until further clarification is provided.
  Source: Email from Dr. Bud Fischer, January 29, 2025.
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum
  OMB issued Memo M-25-14 to the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, rescinding OMB’s Memo M-25-13.
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) Update
  CPB clarified that funds appropriated by Congress for Community Service Grants (CSGs) are unaffected by the OMB’s pause. Second CSG payments will proceed as planned in mid-March for grantees who have submitted required annual reports.
  Source: Email from Patricia Harrison, CEO, CPB, January 29, 2025.

January 27, 2025

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Pause on Awards and Activities
  In response to OMB Memorandum M-25-13 (January 27, 2025), NSF announced a pause on review panels, new awards, and payments under open awards to conduct a review of financial assistance programs impacted by recent Executive Orders. Grantees must comply with these orders, ceasing activities related to DEI principles or those violating federal anti-discrimination laws. NSF has established an Executive Order Implementation webpage for updates.
  Source: Message from Sethuraman Panchanathan, NSF Director, January 28, 2025.
• Department of Energy (DOE) Suspension of DEI and Related Requirements
  In response to an Executive Order titled "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing:"

From: PAMS <PAMS.Autoreply@science.doe.gov>
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2025 9:37 AM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Executive Order update to PIER Plan requirement

The President has issued 43 Executive Orders, Presidential Memoranda, and Proclamations, including an Executive Order entitled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing. DOE is moving aggressively to implement this Executive Order by directing the suspension of the following:

• diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, procedures, programs, activities, and reviews involving or relating to DEI objectives and principles until further notice;
• requiring, using, or enforcing Community Benefits Plans (CBP); and
• requiring, using, or enforcing Justice40 requirements, conditions, or principles in any loans, loan guarantees, grants, cost sharing agreements, funding opportunity announcements, contracts, contract awards, or any other source of financial assistance.

The Office of Science is immediately ending the requirement for Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plans in any proposal submitted to the Office of Science. All open solicitations have been or will be amended to remove the PIER Plan requirement and associated review criterion. For proposals that have already been submitted to the Office of Science, no action on the part of the applicant is required, but applicants will have the option to resubmit a new application with the removal of the PIER plan. Reviewers will not be asked to read or comment on PIER Plans. Selection decisions will not take into consideration the content of PIER Plans or any reviewer comments on PIER Plans. If you have questions, please email questions@science.doe.gov. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

January 21, 2025

• HHS/NIH Pause on Documents and Communications
  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced an immediate pause on issuing documents and public communications pending further guidance.
  Source: HHS/NIH Announcement, January 21, 2025.

Guidance for Faculty on Federal Grant Proposals and Awards Amid Administration Changes

Proposals

• OSP will continue to submit proposals as the federal agency submission systems are operational.
• Please confirm when preparing applications/proposal that the funding announcement has not been revised, postponed, or that deadlines have not changed.  Changes or cancellations have occurred in some programs, e.g., NIFA and AFRI projects, NIH diversity supplements, and international programs (as of January 27, 2025).
• As new versions of existing Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) are released, please review carefully.  While they may explicitly identify changes, not all changes in the wording may be highlighted.
• Sponsor proposal review timelines have been delayed at some agencies while federal agencies navigate pauses on federal assistance funding.

Awards

• Please continue with work on existing awards under the terms and conditions of that award.  If there is a change to your award, such as a stop work order and/or similar directions, we should receive an amendment. 
• Please also be aware that new awards likely will be delayed at least during the administration’s transition period.
• Closely monitor obligated budget balances to avoid deficits while awaiting future obligations. Anticipated future funding remains subject to the availability of funds and the government’s priorities and should not be considered guaranteed. 
• We anticipate updates to award research reporting and compliance requirements.  These changes could either be implemented through direction from a federal agency or sponsor or may require an amendment on a project-by-project basis.  OSP will share information we receive with you, and request that you share with us should you receive a change in terms directly from your Program Officer.   If you have questions on a specific project(s), please contact post.award@wku.edu.
• Monitor Policy Updates: Keep an eye on announcements from the federal agency overseeing your grant or contract for any updates on funding or compliance requirements.