January/February 2026 Federal Government Shutdown Guidance

UPDATED 2/3/2026

On February 3rd, Congress passed a spending bill that provided funding for most of the remaining federal agencies through the end of the current fiscal year, lifting the shutdown for those agencies. The Department of Homeland Security received only temporary funding, pending further negotiations.

Guidance for Investigators Impacted by the Partial Shutdown

Principal Investigators whose funding could be impacted by the partial shutdown should review the following guidance. 

Key Points Regarding Shutdowns:

  • A shutdown does not mean you must immediately stop work on projects funded by the affected agencies (unless you receive a "stop-work order," which is not expected).
  • The campus will manage cash flows so research can continue in the immediate term.
  • Grant payments, new funding, and agency communications will be stalled during the shutdown.
  • SPO will continue to submit proposals to federal sponsors in the normal manner to the extent proposal submission systems (Grants.gov, NSPIRES, etc.) are operable.
  • SPO will process/negotiate awards already received that do not require interaction with sponsor personnel or access to electronic systems that are not available during the shutdown period.
  • In case of shutdowns, the White House asked each agency to develop an Agency Contingency Plan. UCOP has collected links to these plans on this Federal Government Shutdowns page.

Immediate Actions for Principal Investigators:

  • Check in with postdocs/graduate students on direct federal fellowships, as their payments will be affected.
  • Review current balances on your federal awards and other sources of funding, to understand what flexibility you may have in case of a prolonged shutdown.
  • Forward any stop-work order notices to spoawards@berkeley.edu for guidance.
  • Watch for any revised proposal deadlines.

Resources for Postdocs and Graduate Students Paid Directly

Postdocs and Graduate Students who receive fellowship funding directly from federal agencies should anticipate a suspension of payments during a shutdown.

What to Expect During a Shutdown:

In a shutdown, the administration, distribution, and funding of federal grants and contracts will be impacted. While it is important to note that each federal agency will have its own unique procedures and protocols, as well as issuing its own contingency plans, we can generally expect the following:

  • Agencies will be prohibited from signing new grants or contracts.
  • Funding agency staff may be prohibited from accessing their email or responding to phone calls, meaning that they will not be able to respond to any inquiries received, including about upcoming deadlines, proposal preparation, and applications. Grant payments to the campus will be stalled.
  • The review process for proposals will be delayed, although deadlines may still be enforced unless an agency posts alternate instructions. We encourage you to continue submitting proposals for federal funding opportunities.
  • No new funding increments, including Continuing Grant Increments (CGIs), will be awarded. Supplemental funding proposals will not be processed or awarded until normal operations resume. 
  • No-cost extensions will likely not be processed until normal agency operations resume; investigators should not obligate federal funds with expenses that occur beyond the award end date unless they have other sources of funds to cover them if the extension is not granted.
  • Graduate students and postdocs who are paid directly by a federal agency should expect not to receive payments during the shutdown, and may need assistance.
  • While rare, a federal contract or federal flow-through subcontract may receive an official stop-work order notice pursuant to the federal shutdown. These would require UC Berkeley and its subcontractors to stop work on the affected projects until further notice. Please forward any stop-work order notices to spoawards@berkeley.edu for guidance.
  • Principal Investigators (PIs) should be able to (and should continue to) submit annual and final project reports and Project Outcomes Reports via the relevant agency portal, such as Research.gov. 
  • SPO will continue to submit proposals to federal sponsors in the normal manner to the extent proposal submission systems (Grants.gov, NSPIRES, etc.) are operable.
  • While proposal due dates may move, plan to submit on the original due date, unless/until otherwise indicated by the agency.
  • SPO will process/negotiate awards already received that do not require interaction with sponsor personnel or access to electronic systems that are not available during the shutdown period.
  • Once the shutdown is lifted, there will still be delays as the federal government resumes its operations. Do not expect grants and contracts to be immediately issued the day or week after the shutdown ends. Expect that agency staff will have many inquiries to respond to, and will likely take time to get back to you.
  • We expect that most visa processing services will continue to function because they are fee-based and thus not subject to the shutdown. If you are planning to submit any new cases please contact the Berkeley International Office as soon as possible.
  • After the previous shutdown, NIH extended the eligibility window for Early-Stage Investigators and K99/R00 applicants. Check with the appropriate program officer about any changes in time-based eligibility restrictions due to a shutdown

Resources for More Information:

Please submit questions to the VC Research Federal Impacts form.

We will provide updates as the situation evolves.