Federal and Private Sponsor Guidance Related to COVID-19

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has announced that Investigators may submit any proposal with a due date between March 9, 2020 and May 1, 2020 may be submitted until May 1, 2020 and still be considered on time.  NIH cautions, however, that late submissions may be reviewed later than expected. Due date guidance has already changed once and is likely to do so multiple times throughout the crisis, so please watch this page for updates is subject to revision as the COVID-19 evolves.

Peer review sessions will take place as scheduled but will not convene in person.

For Investigators with active NIH Awards:

• NIH will continue paying salaries even on projects where work cannot continue until COVID-19 restrictions.
• Stipend/student support payments may continue
• NIH will allow non-refundable travel to be charged to a grant.
• Interim financial reports will be accepted late with no clear time limit stated but will result in a delay in the release of funds for the next year.
• We have a year after the due date to submit final and programmatic reports

NIH’s Coronavirus Page includes a link to FAQs and more detailed policy statements. Please review the NIH Grants Update Video for more information.

On March 31, 2020, Mark Schneider, Director of IES issued a letter addressing IES’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. It affirms IES’s commitment to flexibility in reporting and submission deadlines.  Any extensions need to be discussed with your program officer.

Dr. Schneider’s letter also includes links to IES-vetted distance learning materials in many subject areas and for all age groups.

The federal wide guidance issued by OMB early in March also applies to U.S. Department of Education (US DOE), which means that salary payments may continue even if all or part of the work is temporarily suspended. Non-reimbursable expenses related to event and travel cancelation may be charged to the grant.

Please review the National Endowment for the Humanities' (NEH's) COVID-19 homepage for the most up-to-date information.

• NEH will allow salary expenditures even if activities under the grant have been suspended.
• Expenses associated with the cancellation of travel or events are allowable.
• NEH has indicated it will be flexible and consider all proposed changes to performance periods, budgets, scopes of work. Instructions for submitting requests can be found at the link below.
• All deadlines remain unchanged. NEH has NOT announced any due date changes for reporting requirements.

Please visit the U.S. Department of Defense (US DOD) COVID-19 Page for the most up-to-date information. 

• DOD has issued general guidance for program officers to be flexible about due dates for applications and periodic reporting. Investigators are instructed to contact their program officer to request extensions on an as-needed basis.
• Salary expenses may continue to be charged to the grant, as can non-reimbursable travel and event expenses.
• Note that this guidance only applies to DOD GRANTS. Flexibilities in DOD contracts, if any, are detailed in the terms and conditions. New terms and conditions, including changes to deliverable due dates, alternative service delivery, changes to scopes of work intended to address the COVID-19 crisis will need to be negotiated individually.

Charli Garg has identified a new resource for COVID-19 related grants with an educational focus.  The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations can also link PIs to potential donors and other resources through the Development Office.