During a government shutdown, agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) generally pause new grant awards, proposal reviews, and program launches. Institutions with existing federal research awards may still be able to draw down previously obligated funds, but technical assistance, progress reviews, and application processing are typically suspended.
According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), most federal research staff and grant managers are classified as nonessential and furloughed, resulting in delays that can extend well beyond the shutdown itself. Past shutdowns have led to cancellations of reserved time on national lab instruments, closures of field research sites on federal lands, etc.
The impact on undergraduate research is not yet clear, but students applying for NSF, NIH or other federally supported programs might experience delays in response times to email and program timelines might change. UROP advises students involved in projects to stay in communication with project mentors and be attentive to program websites for updates.
CU Boulder’s administration is working to minimize disruptions to research and other grant-supported activities. In the unlikely event that students with UROP funding experience changes in their ability to accomplish project goals, such as the availability of mentors and/or resources, UROP will not withdraw previously awarded funding.
Student Grants
Completion of the Final Survey is the last step in the UROP grant process. We encourage recipients to preview the survey prompts and prepare responses throughout their awarded grant term. In addition to worksheets, you'll find journal prompts here to help you organize your thoughts and inspire your thinking. We also invite students and mentors to explore next steps in their professional development.
Final Survey
Student grant recipients and their mentors are asked to submit a Final Survey near the end of their awarded grant term. These prompts are posted to give students and mentors a preview of what to expect on the Final Survey form for Student Grants (Assistantships & Individual Grants).
Students will find the link to submit their Final Survey on the page linked above.
Next Steps
Engaging with the academic and creative life of the university and broader global community of scholars enables your ability to advance your goals in many ways. We offer ideas here and recommend asking your mentors and advisors about next steps. Start when and where it makes sense for you.