Updates on Federal Executive Orders and Research Activities

This webpage is dynamic and updated frequently. Please check back often.

Last updated April 10, 2025

Federal research funding forum

Given the continued, widespread changes in the federal research landscape, OVPRI will host another virtual open forum to address recent actions related to federally funded research. We recognize the incredible anxiety caused by recent federal actions at the National Endowment for the Humanities, the US Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, and other agencies. We are committed to supporting our research enterprise as we navigate these unprecedented actions.

Date: Friday, April 11
Time: 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Zoom link (must use DuckID to login)

Please note that this forum is only for the UO research community. Please log into the meeting using your UO credentials. The forum will not be recorded. As before, Chatham House Rule will apply: Participants are free to use and share the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.

At this event, we will discuss recent federal actions and institutional efforts to support researchers’ success, including appeals processes for grant terminations, managing spending on grants (including summer appointments) and start-up, and federal advocacy actions. We will also discuss implications for research from the new United Academics agreement.

This meeting will include Anshuman “AR” Razdan, Vice President of Research and Innovation; Kevin Reed, Vice President and General Counsel; Betsy Boyd, Senior Associate Vice President for Federal Affairs; and Dan Currier, Associate Director of Employee and Labor Relations.

Resources for Researchers

At this time, the Council on Government Relations (COGR) is providing the most complete guidance on how the executive orders could affect operations. COGR's mission is to empower an unparalleled US academic research ecosystem by advancing sound federal policies and regulations that are vital to US science and innovation leadership and our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Request access to the COGR membership portal.

Please note this page is dynamic and information could be incomplete.

Email Updates

The following message was sent to tenure track and research faculty, department grant administrators, OVPRI centers and institutes, core facility staff, Government and Community Relations, Office of General Counsel and OVPRI staff on Wednesday, March 12.

Federal research updates and status of the FY25 federal budget

As we continue to monitor the changing federal landscape, we want to call attention to recent messages recognizing the economic and social impact of federally funded research and the efforts of research agencies to navigate through these challenging times. 

Economic Impact of Research 

United for Medical Research—a coalition of research institutions, patient and health advocates, and private industry—released its annual economic impact report Tuesday, March 11, which detailed that the $36.9 billion awarded to researchers in FY2024 supported 407,782 jobs and stimulated more than $94 billion in economic activity across the country. This represents $2.56 of economic impact for every $1 invested. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan wrote a letter to the US research community emphasizing the agency’s commitment to fueling research and discovery.

Possible Government Shutdown

While we share these strong examples of research advocacy resulting from the recognition of the benefits of federally funded research on communities around the nation, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), along with the UO Government and Community Relations team, is also closely monitoring the federal budget discussions in Washington, D.C. The House of Representatives has passed a stopgap spending bill—known as a continuing resolution—that would fund the federal government through the end of the federal fiscal year, September 30, 2025. The Senate will next vote on the bill; if the bill does not pass, a government shutdown will occur. It is good practice to be prepared for a potential federal shutdown. OVPRI has created an informational webpage for researchers regarding the shutdown that will be updated frequently. Should the shutdown occur, please check this webpage and expect further guidance from OVPRI. We encourage you to monitor the news.ActionThe University of Oregon will do its utmost to support the research community through a shutdown. Please contact vpri@uoregon.edu if you have further questions. If you receive specific guidance or specific grant notifications from agencies (or prime organizations from which you receive funds as a subaward), please continue to forward them to OVPRI and General Counsel (gcounsel@uoregon.edu). 

Prior Emails

Helpful External Websites

Guidelines for the Research Community

On Wednesday, January 29, the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-25-14 to rescind OMB Memorandum M-25-13, which had ordered a pause on all federal funding assistance including billions of dollars in grants and loans to colleges and universities.

UPDATE: As of March 6, a judge has issued a ruling, enjoining the government from "...reissuing, adopting, implementing, giving effect to, or reinstating under a different name the directives in OMB Memorandum M-25-13." Further, the ruling indicates that the government is banned from "pausing, freezing, blocking, canceling, suspending, terminating, or otherwise impeding the disbursement of appropriated federal funds to the States under awarded grants, executed contracts, or other executed financial obligations." 

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) continues to monitor the 2025 presidential administration transition. Below are some helpful guidelines.

  • Closely monitor obligated budget balances to avoid deficits while awaiting future obligations. Anticipated future funding remains subject to availability of funds and should not be considered guaranteed.
  • If you are waiting to hear back from a program officer, please be aware they may not be able to respond during the agency communications pause.
  • Reports and deliverables. Prioritize the submission of any technical reports or deliverables that may be past due.
  • Monitor policy updates: Keep an eye on announcements from the federal agency overseeing your grant for any updates on funding or compliance requirements.
  • Datasets. Principal investigators are encouraged to ensure that they have access to and control over datasets.
  • Continue to submit proposals. Closely monitor the funding announcement to see if the proposal criteria changes.
  • OVPRI and the Office of General Counsel ask that you forward any communications from granting agencies relating to stop work orders or modifications to existing grants.

Additionally, the UO continues to monitor and communicate any immigration updates, and their potential impact to our international, Dreamer, and undocumented students, faculty, and staff.