Guidance Related to Federal Government Shutdown

10/01/25

Dear Penn Community,

As of this morning, the federal government has entered a shutdown following the failure to pass a Continuing Resolution. We know that many in Penn’s research enterprise will feel the impact, and we are monitoring developments closely. At the same time, we expect that classes and core campus services will continue without significant or immediate disruption.

The Office of Research Services (ORS) has launched a dedicated web page, which will remain active and updated during this period. The page includes FAQs about stopping work, submitting proposals, and other topics relevant to the research community. Please note:

Researchers with active funded grants may continue work during a shutdown.
Researchers with active funded contracts may also continue work unless the Principal Investigator (PI) or Penn receives a Stop Work Order for that contract.
Affected agencies may not have personnel available to assist with prior approvals, support or administrative actions. Changes to grant activities requiring prior approval may need to be delayed as a result.
All NIH grant peer review meetings, advisory council meetings, issuance of new awards, and program/grants management activities have been discontinued.
Some agencies will continue to accept automated proposal submissions during the shutdown, but others will not. Most contingency plans do not include good guidance on revised proposal due dates. In an abundance of caution, ORS advises that Principal Investigators and Business Offices continue with proposal preparation and submission in accordance with previously published agency deadlines under the assumption that due dates will not be changing. Proposals prepared in PennERA will be submitted to federal systems as usual unless a federal submission portal becomes unavailable.

Please direct specific questions and/or forward any Stop Work Orders received to Missy Peloso (epeloso@upenn.edu), Sr. Associate Vice Provost & Sr. Associate Vice President for Research in ORS. We are deeply appreciative of Missy’s and her team’s efforts.

Regarding international students and trainees - International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) will continue to serve as the central resource for our international community. Earlier this week, ISSS posted an article on how the shutdown many impact an individual’s immigration status.

Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

Thank you,

Mike

E. Michael Ostap, PhD

Professor of Physiology

Senior Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer,

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania