A message from the Leadership Team on Federal Actions

January 29, 2026

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

The continuing resolution that funds the federal government expires at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026. If Congress does not pass spending legislation by that deadline, a partial government shutdown will occur. Unlike the most recent shutdown last October, this shutdown would be limited in scope, as several federal agencies—including the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, the National Science Foundation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—have already been funded through September 30, 2026.

URI receives significant federal funds for research, land- and sea-grant programs, and student financial aid. The University, through the work of the Leadership Team on Federal Actions and several University departments, has been preparing for this possibility and its potential impact on the University and research activities.

University offices are as current as possible on cost-reimbursement drawdowns from federal portals.

Student aid: A short-term government shutdown likely will have limited, if any, immediate impact on URI educational services or financial aid programs. Financial aid has largely been disbursed for the current term.

Existing grants: If a shutdown occurs, researchers with active federally sponsored grants and contracts may receive instructions or stop-work orders from their contracting or program officers; if you receive such information, please notify the sponsored projects office immediately at FederalFundingCommunications-group@uri.edu. The Division of Research and Economic Development remains ready to respond to the needs of our research community.

Visas and passports: The State Department’s visa and passport operations are fee-funded and are not expected to be directly impacted by a government shutdown. It is possible, however, that services will function at a slower pace. Consular availability may be impacted.

During a government shutdown, the following activities are generally affected:

• Contact with federal employees: Due to furloughs, most federal employees will generally be unavailable for inquiries and support.
• Proposal submission: The Division of Research and Economic Development will continue to submit proposals, but proposal submission systems may become unavailable. Each federal agency will provide guidance on the status of the proposal submissions and whether submission deadlines will be revised.
• Peer reviews and council meetings: No peer reviews or council meetings will take place, which may have an impact on the evaluation and approval process of proposed projects.
• Awarded grants and cooperative agreements: Investigators should minimize costs to essential activities (salaries included) and follow any specific agency instructions.
• Federal contracts: Some contracts may be subject to stop-work orders. Determinations will be made by each agency on a contract-by-contract basis.
• New awards and contracts: New awards will not be issued and contracts will not be executed.
• We are committed to minimizing, to the extent possible, impacts a shutdown may have on our education and research endeavors if one should occur.

We will continue to keep the campus community informed of any developments. Information will continue to be posted on our Federal Actions Updates webpage at uri.edu/federal-actions.