Information for Researchers
Last updated February 25, 2025
Proposals and Awards
The federal workforce is sustaining reductions in staffing. As a result, investigators will likely face communication delays about their currently-funded projects, submitted proposals, and future funding opportunities. Here is the latest available information:
The Division of Sponsored Programs will continue to submit to federal agency submission systems as they are available.
Researchers should continue work on their existing federally-funded projects unless they are told to stop. If researchers receive stop work orders, requests for certificates of compliance, or terminations, they should first confer with the Division of Sponsored Programs to ensure that they are following the most up to date legal information.
There are a number of temporary restraining orders in place that prevent the agencies from implementing pauses, freezes, or cancellation of current obligations, among other things. Please reach out to the Office of General Counsel if you have questions.
The Division of Sponsored Programs and the Office of General Counsel will reach out directly to impacted investigators and Associate Deans for Research in the event that stop work orders are received.
Please be aware that investigators should not provide attestations on behalf of the institution. If you receive requests for attestations or certifications regarding an active or pending award, please forward it to DSP for review and determination of the appropriate action.
Indirect costs
There is a temporary restraining order in place which prohibits the implementation of an indirect cost rate of 15% at NIH.
We are continuing to submit federal proposals according to our negotiated indirect cost rate.
Indirect research costs, also known as F&A, are actual costs that are incurred in the process of safely and securely conducting high-impact research. To learn more about these costs, which we share with the federal government, please visit our new webpage: https://research.uiowa.edu/indirect-costs.
Federal Policy Updates
The OVPR is working very closely with our partner associations (AAU, APLU), federal relations team, and Office of General Counsel to monitor the latest agency communications and judicial actions that may impact the UI research enterprise.
COGR – 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources
COGR's website contains a comprehensive list of Executive Orders, Department/Agency Directives and Memos and relevant news articles for the research community.
White House Presidential Actions
Overview of Executive Orders - Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (February 6, 2025)
Leading Universities Report – Association of American Universities
Campus Updates
March 5, 2025 - Judge issues nationwide injunction blocking NIH rate cut
Today, a federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction which halts the implementation of a 15% indirect cost rate on NIH grants and contracts. The injunction will likely be in place until the judge hears full arguments in three lawsuits brought forward by 22 state attorney generals, associations, and organizations representing institutions of higher education.
In her ruling, Judge Angel Kelley of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts wrote, “Considering the irreparable harm likely to befall similarly situated nonparties, the chaos that would result both for institutions and NIH from a patchwork of injunctions, the diffuse nature of the Plaintiffs, and the nature of the suit, a nationwide preliminary injunction is the appropriate and reasonable remedy.”
At this time, the University of Iowa will continue to submit research proposals according to our federal negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.
February 24, 2025 - Judges issue preliminary injunction, extend restraining order
Federal Transition Update
Dear colleagues,
I’m reaching out to share two legal updates that occurred over the weekend, and to assure you that our federal relations staff are continuing to engage with members of Congress on policy and staffing issues that may impact our research enterprise.
A preliminary injunction was issued in Maryland, which prevents the federal administration from enacting key portions of the DEI executive order. This order prevents agencies from implementing pauses, freezes, or cancellation of current obligations because of the Executive Order.
A separate temporary restraining order that was set to expire today about indirect costs at NIH was extended. The order prevents the implementation of 15% F&A at NIH until the judge determines the next steps. As a result, we are continuing to submit federal proposals according to our negotiated indirect cost rate. We are also continuing to study and share the potential impacts of policy changes related to indirect costs with our stakeholders.
Our guidance for campus remains the same; researchers should continue work on their projects unless they are told to stop. If researchers receive stop work orders, requests for certificates of compliance, or terminations, they should first confer with the Division of Sponsored Programs to ensure that they are following the most up to date legal information. If you have questions about your award with a DEI component, you may reach out to grant accounting to discuss your budget.
Please continue to check the 2025 Federal Updates website for the latest information about federal-level and agency-wide actions.
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
February 20, 2025 - Federal staffing reductions result in delays
Dear colleagues,
I’m reaching out about the latest federal updates that may pertain to our UI research community. As mentioned in last week’s leadership update, we are continuing to work closely with our partners, federal relations team, and Office of General Counsel to monitor the latest agency communications and judicial actions that may impact the UI research enterprise.
As many of you are aware, the federal workforce is sustaining reductions in staffing, including at NIH, NSF, and NASA. As a result, our investigators will likely face communication delays about their currently-funded projects, submitted proposals, and future funding opportunities.
Please continue to reach out to the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) if you receive any communication from agency official(s) or have questions about sponsored projects. Please be aware that investigators should not provide attestations on behalf of the institution. If you receive requests for attestations or certifications regarding an active or pending award, please forward it to DSP for review and determination of the appropriate action.
The Division of Sponsored Programs and the Office of General Counsel will reach out directly to impacted investigators and Associate Deans for Research in the event that stop work orders are received.
As we communicated in a message to campus on Feb. 11, we are continuing to submit federal proposals according to our negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. As of today, a temporary restraining order is still in place which prohibits the implementation of an indirect cost rate of 15% at NIH.
Indirect research costs, also known as F&A, are actual costs that are incurred in the process of safely and securely conducting high-impact research. To learn more about these costs, which we share with the federal government, please visit our new webpage: https://research.uiowa.edu/indirect-costs.
Thank you for your steadfast commitment to our public research mission as we navigate through these challenges.
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
February 11, 2025 - Federal judge issues temporary restraining order on indirect costs
NIH rate change blocked by federal judge
Dear colleagues,
We are reaching out with updated news related to the proposed change to NIH F&A.
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order that applies to all institutions nationwide. This temporarily pauses the implementation of the 15% F&A rate. The next hearing on the issue is scheduled for Feb. 21.
Given this new information, the actions that we outlined for campus yesterday, Feb. 10, related to pausing NIH submissions are not required at this time.
Please continue to contact the Division of Sponsored Programs about your upcoming submission deadlines. We will work with investigators to ensure proposal submissions can move forward following the most recent guidance from federal agencies and institutional leadership.
Please recognize that this is a very fluid situation, and we request and appreciate your patience. We are staying on top of events, consulting with peer institutions, and meeting with our congressional delegation. We will do our best to keep campus updated as we receive information that is useful in your work.
If you have project-specific questions, or receive communication directly from a federal agency, please continue to communicate with the Division of Sponsored Programs at dsp@uiowa.edu.
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
February 10, 2025 - Campus issued guidance about indirect costs
Federal Updates: Indirect costs
Dear colleagues,
On Friday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed changes to the reimbursement of indirect research costs (F&A). The proposed rate of 15% applies to new and existing grants.
Specifically, indirect research expenses paid for by the federal government include the costs for:
maintaining state-of-the-art research laboratories
facilitating high-speed data processing
ensuring national security protections (e.g., export controls, cybersecurity, research data security)
protecting patient safety protocols (e.g., human subjects protections)
radiation safety measures and disposal of hazardous waste
hiring personnel required to support essential research (e.g., technical, financial staff)
ensuring we have maintenance staff to clean and supply labs and facilities
Simply put, the federal government provides reimbursement for real costs that are incurred in the process of safely and securely conducting high-impact research. This research has tangible benefits for the lives of Iowans.
We recognize the urgency of the situation and are working to assess potential impacts at the college, department, lab, and investigator level. We are working diligently to understand how best to support our mission-driven research and the talented people across our institution who forge new frontiers of discovery.
We are actively monitoring the rapidly changing federal landscape and engaging with our federal delegation to ensure that they understand the profound impact this change would have on research at the University of Iowa. We will continue to work closely with our partners, including AAU, AAMC and APLU, to monitor and interpret the latest updates.
At this time, we are taking the following actions:
Proposal submissions: Until we have more clarity, we will pause the submission of new NIH grant applications. (Investigators who have an upcoming submission deadline should reach out to the Division of Sponsored Programs to discuss options.)
Hiring: We also will pause the hiring of new Graduate Research Assistants unless they are already budgeted as a direct cost on a funded project. If investigators have non-federal sources of funding to hire Teaching Assistants, they may proceed. Faculty recruitment and hiring of personnel should be considered carefully in coordination with unit/collegiate leadership.
General expenditures: Researchers and departments should exert extra caution and defer starting new activities until we have more clarity. For already existing federal projects, researchers may continue work unless they are instructed not to by a federal agency (e.g., a stop work order).
As we learn more, we will be in a better position to determine the next steps. If you have project-specific questions, or receive communication directly from a federal agency, please communicate with the Division of Sponsored Programs at dsp@uiowa.edu. We will continue to post updates of our Federal Transition webpage.
Working together, I am confident that our discoveries will continue to have a transformative impact on our state and in our local, national, and global communities. Thank you for your resilience and steadfast commitment to our public research mission as we navigate this period of uncertainty and change.
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
February 8, 2025 - NIH releases new guidance on indirect costs
Dear colleagues,
I’m reaching out to provide you with our latest guidance on the federal transition as it pertains to the UI research community.
As you may have seen, NIH released new guidance regarding indirect rates on grants.
Overall, the federal transition continues to be a rapidly changing environment. We continue to work closely with our partners including AAU and APLU to monitor and interpret the latest updates and communicate with impacted investigators.
We are actively engaging with our federal delegation as well to ensure they understand the profound impact this change would have on research at the University of Iowa.
If you have project-specific questions, or receive communication directly from a federal agency, please continue to communicate with the Division of Sponsored Programs at dsp@uiowa.edu.
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
February 7, 2025 - Study sections resuming
Federal Transition Updates
Dear colleagues,
I’m reaching out to provide you with our latest guidance on the federal transition as it pertains to the UI research community.
As was reported in Science earlier this week, the NIH has begun hosting virtual study sections, including panels that include UI investigators. We are encouraged that this core function of the NIH funding programs is moving forward.
Overall, the federal transition continues to be a rapidly changing environment. We are working closely with our partners to monitor and interpret the latest updates and communicate with impacted investigators.
For the majority of our campus, researchers may continue work on their federal projects unless they are instructed not to by a federal agency (e.g. a stop work order).
However, given the complexity of the Executive Orders and agency memos received this week, and their implementation, researchers and departments may wish to exert extra caution and defer starting new activities until we have more clarity. This is particularly true if the subject matter is closely related to impacted activities under one or more of the Executive Orders (DEI, gender ideology, etc). As we learn more, we may be in a better position to determine next steps.
If you have project-specific questions, or receive communication directly from a federal agency, please continue to communicate with the Division of Sponsored Programs at dsp@uiowa.edu.
We will continue to post updates, including this message, to our website Federal Updates 2025.
Thank you for your continued patience. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at any time with questions.
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
January 31, 2025 - Court orders prevent implementation of Executive Orders (Updated Feb. 3)
Update – Feb 3: The UI received a Notice of Court Order effective immediately, that states “Federal agencies cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate any awards or obligations on the basis of the OMB Memo, or on the basis of the President’s recently issued Executive Orders... Agencies may exercise their own authority to pause awards or obligations, provided agencies do so purely based on their own discretion—not as a result of the OMB Memo or the President’s Executive Orders—and provided the pause complies with all notice and procedural requirements in the award, agreement, or other instrument relating to such a pause.”
We are awaiting further guidance from agencies. Our recommendation for campus remains the same; researchers should continue work on their federal projects unless they are instructed not to by a federal agency (e.g. a stop work order).
Federal Transition Updates
January 31, 2025
Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate a fast-changing federal landscape.
In the coming days and weeks, we expect the White House and federal agencies to offer updated guidance about specific project components that are impacted by executive orders. We are linking to the most recent list of federal communications on our website, and are forwarding agency memos to funded investigators. Please note that if you receive an agency memo, it does not necessarily mean that your specific project is in non-compliance with the executive orders. In only a few cases, we have received stop work orders and have communicated those orders to impacted investigators. Compliance with the agency directives is mandatory.
Our guidance for campus remains the same. Researchers may continue to conduct the research and scholarship funded by our federal agencies unless we are instructed to do otherwise. For the majority of our campus, research projects are continuing as usual.
To have access to the best information we can provide, please visit the website Federal Updates 2025. The website includes new guidance for investigators who have questions for agency officials.
If you have project-specific questions, or receive communication directly from a federal agency, please continue to communicate with the Division of Sponsored Programs at dsp@uiowa.edu. If you have specific questions about interpreting agency memos, please reach out to DSP or the Office of General Counsel at general-counsel@uiowa.edu or 319-335-3696.
Thank you,
Lois Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
January 29, 2025 - OMB memo 25-13 released
Update – 12:45pm: OMB 25-13 was rescinded by the Office of Management and Budget after this message was distributed to campus. Our guidance for campus remains the same; researchers should continue work on their federal projects unless they have already been instructed not to by a federal agency. We will continue to monitor agency communications that impact federally-funded research, and will communicate with campus and investigators who are directly impacted by federal orders.
Federal transition updates
January 29, 2025 - 9:00am
The university is continuing to collaborate with our partners to carefully track and ascertain the implications of a number of memos, agency directives, and executive orders that may have impacts for the research enterprise. As you may already be aware, a federal judge temporarily blocked the federal pauses outlined in OMB 25-13 yesterday afternoon. The judge’s order expires at 5:00pm on Feb. 3.
Earlier yesterday, the OMB also issued a Q&A which clarifies the scope of the OMB 25-13 memo. Any program not implicated by the President’s Executive Orders will not be subject to the pause. Financial aid is also not impacted.
We understand that the uncertainties regarding recent directives have created a considerable amount of concern within our research community about current and future funding. My office is working closely with the Division of Sponsored Programs to communicate with investigators who are directly impacted by recent agency communications. We are in the process of reviewing the details of specific projects to determine which employees may be impacted and to what extent.
At this time, researchers may continue to conduct the research and scholarship funded by our federal agencies unless we are instructed to do otherwise.
We are committed to forging a path forward that includes working with stakeholders and listening to the research community. If you receive direct communication from a federal agency, please forward it to dsp@uiowa.edu, so that we can continue to track the impacts to our research enterprise.
We have launched a new website, Federal Updates 2025, where we will post regular updates and link to resources for the community. We will be in touch as soon as we have more clarity from the federal agencies about the impacts of recent directives.
Lois J. Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
January 27, 2025 – NIH activities paused
The university is continuing to monitor communications from federal agencies that may impact UI research, including the freeze at the National Institutes of Health. At this time, the freeze is set to lift after Feb. 1. We ask that researchers and administrators share all agency communications related to their sponsored projects with the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) at dsp@uiowa.edu. We will communicate important updates to campus as they become available.
January 23, 2025 – Campus notified about agency pauses that may impact research
The university is aware that several federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, have paused some activities that may impact federally-funded research at the University of Iowa.
Our UI teams (Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of Federal Relations, Collegiate Associate Deans for Research) are actively monitoring federal agency communications and are working with our professional associations to understand and track the implications of these directives. We will provide updates to campus via our website as soon as they become available.
In the meantime, we ask that researchers and administrators share all agency communications related to their sponsored projects with the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) at dsp@uiowa.edu.
Lois J. Geist
Interim Vice President for Research
Questions?
Please contact vpr-office@uiowa.edu or dsp@uiowa.edu.