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The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR), in coordination with the Office of Federal Affairs (OFA), is carefully reviewing recent executive communications and actions from the new presidential administration that could potentially affect research operations at Carolina.

We are working in lockstep with partners in our NC delegations, advocacy associations, and partner institutions to gain more information and will share it as we receive it. Until the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research issues specific guidance directing a change in status, we advise research teams to continue working on your projects as normal.

As the situation evolves:

  • If you receive information regarding a pause, change, or impact on your federally funded research from an agency, please reach out to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at vcr@unc.edu so that we may provide clarity and assistance. You can also use this email to ask questions, and we will answer to the best of our ability.
  • If you receive a a stop-work order, please direct all agency correspondence to SponsoredPrograms@unc.edu and coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) in all stop-work situations. OSP will review the stop-work order and clarify which transactions are allowable and which cannot be charged during the stop-work period.

Additional proposal and project-specific guidance on executive actions for federally funded programs and stop-work orders can be found on the OSP website.

Visit the Office of Federal Affair’s Trump Administration Transition Resources webpage for latest updates on federal policies and executive orders.

These sites will be updated regularly.

F&A Costs Resources

F&A costs, or indirect cost, are an essential part of the total costs of research and are necessary for safely, securely, efficiently, and effectively conducting world-leading research.

F&A Fact Sheet

F&A Overview Handout

True Costs of Conducting Research, by VCR Penny Gordon-Larsen

The “A” in “F&A:” Understanding the Value of Research Administration, by VCR Penny Gordon-Larsen

Additional Resources:


Current OVCR Guidance

05/9/2025: OVCR Office Hours Summary — a recap of the OVCR Office Hours webinar held on May 5 (this is an internal page, ONYEN login required)

05/08/2025: OSP Updates on Federally Sponsored Programs

04/25/2025: OVCR Office Hours Summary — a recap of the OVCR Office Hours webinar held on April 23 (this is an internal page, ONYEN login required)

04/11/2025: OVCR Office Hours Summary — a recap of the OVCR Office Hours webinar held on April 9 (this is an internal page, ONYEN login required)

04/03/2025: Office of Sponsored Programs Appeal Process for Award Terminations

Previous OVCR Guidance

Current Federal Updates

5/19/2025: NSF has entered into a consent agreement to pause implementation of NSF-25-034 Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate pending resolution after a June 13, 2025 hearing. Effective May 19, 2025, NSF will revert to issuing awards according to the institution’s negotiated rates while implementation is on hold.

5/2/2025: NSF Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate: NSF will apply a standard indirect cost rate not to exceed 15% to all grants and cooperative agreements awarded to institutions of higher education. The 15% rate maximum applies only to new awards made on or after May 5, 2025.

5/1/2025: Updates to the NIH Policy on Subawards: NIH will not issue awards to domestic or foreign entities (new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) that include a subaward to a foreign entity nor will NIH accept prior approval requests to add a new foreign component or subaward to an ongoing project until establishing a new award structure that will prohibit foreign subawards from being nested under the parent grant. NIH will not retroactively revise ongoing awards to remove foreign subawards at this time.

4/22/2025: Updates on NSF priorities and the agency’s implementation of recent executive orders.

Previous Federal Updates

Helpful Information from Partner Associations

AAMC Value of Medical Research Funding Toolkit

APLU, AAU, and ACE Statement on Legal Challenge to NSF Action

APLU, AAU, and ACE Statement On Legal Challenge to the Administration’s Cut to NIH Research

COGR 2025 Administration Transition Information & Resources

APLU Overview of President Trump’s Executive Orders