2025 Federal Agency Transition Guidance

This webpage will feature key updates and resources related to Federal Executive Orders and other federal actions affecting federally funded research. It will be regularly updated to reflect new developments.

Internal Announcements:

January 27, 2025 Federal Landscape Changes

January 28, 2025 Memo to NASA Investigators

January 29, 2025 Federal Agency Transition Guidance and Town Hall Announcement

January 30, 2025 Message to DOE, CDC, NSF Investigators 

January 30, 2025 Town Hall Recording

February 4, 2025 Temporary Restraining Order Issue

February 10, 2025 Message from Chancellor King regarding NIH F&A Cuts

February 13, 2025 NIH Indirect Cost Rate Guidance for Proposals

 

Executive Orders and Related Resources

COGR: 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources

Department/Agency Directives/Memoranda

• NIH 15% Cap on Indirect Cost Reimbursement - Information & Resources
• On January 29, 2025 the OMB issued OMB Memorandum (OMB M-25-14) that rescinds the January 27 OMB memorandum.
• Office of Management and Budget Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs
• Office of Management & Budget M-25-11 "Guidance Regarding Section 7 of the Executive Order Unleashing American Energy"
• Department of Energy (DOE) Agency-wide Review of Program and Administrative Activities 
• DOE PF 2025-16 Rescission of DEI, CBP, and Justice40 Policy Flashes, Acquisition Letters, and Financial Assistance Letters
• DOE Memorandum for All DOE Funding Agreements or Awards:  Cease All Activities Associated with DEO and CBP
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications
• DHHS Acquisition Guidance on Acting Secretary Memo entitled, “Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications – ACTION” (January 21, 2025)
• DHHS Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications (January 21, 2025)
• NASA Initial Guidance Regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) Executive Orders
• NASA Amendment 109: Removing DEIA Requirements from ROSES-2024
• Department of Labor: Immediate Implementation of Executive Orders “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”
• U.S. Department of Education Takes Action to Eliminate DEI
• USAID: Notice on Implementation of Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid 
• Department of Labor: S Department of Labor to cease and desist all investigative and enforcement activity under rescinded Executive Order 11246
• NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders January 28, 2025
• DOE: Cease All Activities Associated with DEI and CBP
• CDC: Cease DEI Activities on CDC Awards

 

Guidance for SBU Researchers

The following agencies/sponsors have issued stop-work orders or provided other communications directly to Stony Brook University to date:

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

March 24, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs

Please review this Notice of Court Order and the associated Preliminary Injunction Order. 

• NASA 

March 20, 2025; March 5, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs including notice of court order  in accordance with the preliminary injunction issued by the court.

January 27, 2025: Directed to immediately cease and desist all Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) activities on NASA federal flow-through subaward. Rescinced on February 4, 2025 in accordance with the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by a United States District Court on Friday, January 31, 2025

• DOE

March 14, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs and PIs

Rescission of the January 28, 2025 Memorandum from the Procurement Director of NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY

Please see the attached memorandum rescinding the following communication effective immediately: Memorandum for All DOE Funding Agreements or Awards

March 11, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs

SUBJECT: RESCISSION OF NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF DEI, CBP/PIER PLANS AND
JUSTICE 40 RELATED ACTIVITIES UNDER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
AWARDS

Please see DOE Contracting Officer letter rescinding DEI, CBP or PIER Plans, and Justice40 requirements in all financial assistance awards issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, Consolidated Service Center – Office of Grants and Cooperative Agreements, effective immediately.

Dear Recipient:

DOE believes that few, if any, funding agreements issued by the Office of Science are “equity-
related” under section 2(b)(i) of Executive Order 14151, 90 FR 8339, entitled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Program and Preferencing,0F nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution it
is rescinding the following communication effective immediately: DEI, CBP/PIER Plans and
Justice40 related activities suspension letter dated, January 31, 2025.
However, pursuant to DOE’s enforcement authority and in accordance with current administrative
priorities, any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Community Benefit Plan (CBP), Promoting
Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plan or Justice40 activities provided for in your funding
agreement(s), for the time being, are voluntary. DOE will compensate you for all activities
undertaken pursuant to the terms of your funding agreement(s).

January 28, 2025:  Cease All Activities Associated with DEI and CBP

• CDC

March 20, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs:  Notice of Court Order - Washington v. Trump - 03.20.2025 - Please review the attached Notice of Court Order and attached Court Order Clarifying Scope of Preliminary Injunction inWashington v. Trump. Court Orders Clarifying Scope - 03.20.2025

March 10, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs including Notice of Court Order  and Preliminary Injunction Order.

February 11, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs

In compliance with the Temporary Restraining Order issued on January 31, 2025, in the United States District Court in the District of Rhode Island, the purpose of this communication is to rescind the following CDC communications effective immediately:

January 29, 2025: Cease DEI Activities on ALL CDC funded awards

 January 31, 2025: Cease ALL Activities Promoting Gender Ideology

 Please direct questions to PRISM@cdc.gov

January 29, 2025:  Cease DEI Activities on CDC Awards

• NSF

March 6, 2025: Communication sent to the Office of Sponsored Programs

Preliminary Injunction Order - Washington v. Trump

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, a Federal Court issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting certain actions related to Executive Orders 14187 and 14168, which is effective immediately. You can review the court’s order and the Executive Orders at https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/files/Washington-v-Trump-NoticeOfCourtOrder-3-5-2025.pdf.

The Order prevents NSF employees from withholding federal funding because a health care entity or health professional provides gender-affirming care.

The Court’s Order also prevents NSF from implementing the requirements contained in Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of Executive Order 14,168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.

Pursuant to the Court’s directive this notice is being provided “to all Defendants, and agencies and their employees, contractors and grantees.” 

Sethuraman Panchanathan

Director

 

Implementation of Recent Executive Orders

If PIs receive stop-work orders or other notifications directly from a funding agency, they should promptly forward them to the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at osp@stonybrook.edu. OSP will provide guidance on implementing the order and will handle any necessary follow-up communications with the funding agencies.

 

Related Content

• Secretary of Energy: Agency-wide Review of Program and Administrative Activities
• Executive Office of the President: Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Communications Pause and Travel Suspension
• Trump Adminstration Executive Orders - Health Focused

 

Guidance for Moving Ahead

Proposal Submissions

• Submission Process: Proposals will continue to be submitted as long as federal submission systems remain operational (currently operational).
• Review Timelines: Sponsor review timelines may be extended due to federal pauses in specific funding areas.
• Deadline Confirmation: Reconfirm proposal deadlines, as they may change.
• Funding Announcements: Verify that funding announcements have not been revised, postponed or canceled. Some federal agencies have withdrawn posted RFPs pending program reviews. Additionally, some agency webinars may be canceled without notice—please check with the sponsor for the latest updates.
• DEIA Anticipation: Anticipate the removal of DEIA-related aspects from solicitations.
• Alerts: Sign up for agency or sponsor alerts whenever possible to stay informed of any updates.

Active Awards Management

• Terms and Conditions: The terms and conditions of active awards remain enforceable. Invoicing and operations will continue as usual unless notified otherwise.
• Award Amendments: Any formal changes to awards will come through an amendment from the agency for review and execution via OSP. We will promptly review and share any amendments.
• Message to PIs Regarding Communications with Sponsors and Executive Orders: Principal Investigators (PIs) may feel the need to reach out directly to sponsors, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the Executive Orders. We encourage a coordinated approach to ensure that all communications align with institutional guidance and the evolving sponsor policies. To support this, we recommend that PIs inform the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) before initiating contact with sponsors about the Executive Orders. This will allow us to provide accurate context, ensure consistency, and track any responses. If PIs do contact sponsors independently, we kindly request that all replies and relevant communications be shared with OSP. This will enable us to monitor sponsor directives, share relevant information with other faculty who may be addressing similar issues, and ensure that potential concerns are addressed consistently across the institution. Thank you for your collaboration in ensuring a unified approach to this matter.