Federal Updates Resulting from Administration Transition
Includes Updates Issued On or After January 20, 2025
We will post updates on this page as they become available. If you receive communication related to federal requirements or agency statuses, forward them to research@wku.edu so that we can include them on this page.
- February 10 - Order Granting Plaintiff States' Ex Parte Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order
- January 29 - letter from PHS regarding Cessation of DEI Activities on CDC Awards
PHS Letter dated January 29, 2025 regarding DEI programs
- January 29 - Email from Dr. Bud Fischer, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, Western Kentucky University
As many of you saw in the news this morning, yesterday the White House Budget Office ordered a pause in grants, loans and other federal financial assistance. We continue to closely monitor the status of federal funding and the potential impact of recent announcements and federal priorities.
WKU remains committed to our mission and the valued work of our faculty and staff. We will continue to move forward in support of our students and our community. For the time being, we ask that you be even more prudent with spending as the federal government clarifies the implications of the recent directive from the White House Budget Office. We will provide additional information and guidance as it becomes available.
Bud Fischer
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
- January 29 - OMB Memo for Heads of Executive Departments and AgenciesOMB M-25-14.pdf
- January 29 - Email from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPG)
From: CSG <csg@cpb.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 10:16 AM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] CPB UpdatePublic Media Colleagues,
The White House Office of Management and Budget has placed a temporary pause on disbursement of federal grant funds (“Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies regarding Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs”). Funds appropriated by Congress to CPB for distribution to public media licensees, including Community Service Grants (CSGs), are not affected by the White House budget office’s order. CPB will release second CSG payments, as usual, in mid-March to grantees that have submitted their required annual reports to CPB.
Patricia Harrison, CEO
- January 28 - Message to the NSF principal investigator community
Dear Colleagues;
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-25-13, issued on January 27, 2025, directs all Federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of their financial assistance programs to determine programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by the recent Executive Orders. Therefore, all review panels, new awards, and all payments of funds under open awards will be paused as the agency conducts the required reviews and analysis. NSF has created an Executive Order Implementation webpage to ensure the widest dissemination of information and updates. We will continue to communicate with you as we receive additional guidance.
All NSF grantees must comply with these Executive Orders, and any other relevant Executive Orders issued, by ceasing all non-compliant grant and award activities. Executive Orders are posted at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/. In particular, this may include, but is not limited to conferences, trainings, workshops, considerations for staffing and participant selection, and any other grant activity that uses or promotes the use of DEIA principles and frameworks or violates Federal anti-discrimination laws. Please work with your institutional research office to assist you in complying with the Executive Orders. You can also direct your questions through the form on this NSF webpage.
Thank you for your work advancing science, engineering, technology and innovation for our nation.
Sethuraman Panchanathan
Director
- January 27 - Email from Department of Energy
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 - HHS/NIH Announcement Announcement from HHS/NIH Subj: Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications - Action
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.