COVID-19 Sponsor Specific Guidance
Research Administration Services is continuing to monitor the guidance from federal agencies regarding how the COVID-19 response may impact proposals and awards. Links to current agency and other sponsor guidance can be found below. We encourage researchers to contact their program officers or other sponsor contacts with questions regarding their specific projects.
Please forward communications received to research-continuity@mit.edu so that we can assist with providing a response.
Links to Sponsor Specific Guidance
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – updated 10/20/21
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a number of memoranda providing guidance to federal funding agencies throughout the pandemic. Below are links to the key memoranda that have impacted, and continue to influence, individual agency responses. While some of these memoranda may be no longer in effect, we are maintaining links for reference.
- New Guidance on COVID-19 Workplace Safety for Federal Contractors – (published 9/24/21)
- Extension of Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations - (M-20-26) (published 6/18/20)
- Repurposing Existing Federal Financial Assistance Programs and Awards to Support the Emergency Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (M-20-20) – (published 4/9/20; rescinded 6/18/20)
- Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations – (M-20-17) (published 3/19/20; rescinded 6/18/20)
Department of Defense – updated 10/20/21
- DoD Researcher Proposers and Awardees Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - formerly FAQ page, now provides updated advice and links based on implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-26 (published 6/18/20)
Department of Energy – updated 8/10/20
- Coronavirus Hub – general information
Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) – updated 4/22/20
- Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) – OHRP Guidance on COVID-19 – regularly updated summary page with links to all HHS agency guidance related to human subjects research during COVID-19
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – updated 10/20/21
- NASA Grants Policy and Compliance Branch – includes alerts and forms for NASA proposers and grant recipients about COVID-19.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) – updated 10/20/21
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients – High-level summary page of COVID-19 communications, , including links to guidance documents and FAQs (updated regularly)
- Applicant/Recipient COVID-19 Update History (updated regularly)
- FAQs on COVID-19 Flexibilities for Applicants and Recipients (updated regularly)
National Science Foundation (NSF) – updated 10/20/21
- Coronavirus Information – High-level summary of all COVID-19 communications with links to guidance and FAQs
- Impact on Existing Deadline Dates (updated 5/13/21)
Other Federal Agencies – updated 10/20/21
- Aquisition.gov – Coronavirus Acquisition-Related Information and Resources (added 4/9/20)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for CDC Applicants and Recipients of CDC Funding (added 3/25/20)
- Department of Justice (DOJ) – Funding Resource Center – all COVID-19 communications have been added to this page (updated 4/17/20)
- Department of Transportation (added 3/31/20)
- U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Deadline Extension for Federal Transit Administration Competitive Grant Programs (3/27/20)
- Federal Transit Administration - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – main FTA resource site
- Environmental Protection Agency – RAIN-2020-G02 - EPA Frequent Questions on Grant Issues in Response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency ( revised 7/21/20)
- Food and Drug Administration
- Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – Information for IMLS Grant Applicants and Awardees (updated 7/17/20)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Health and Safety Information for Financial Assistance Recipients during COVID-19 (updated 5/20/21)
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) – National Endowment for the Arts on COVID-19 (March 2021)
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) – FAQs - Funding for NEH Applicants and Grantees Impacted by the Coronavirus (updated 5/3/21)
- USAID – COVID-19 Guidance for Implementing Partners - (3/25/20)
- USDA – National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Foundations
- General guidance from the Office of Foundation Relations is to proactively communicate with your program officer or other contact regarding any significant impacts or expected impacts of COVID-19 on your funded project. Many foundations are pledging flexibility in dealing with the these. Please keep OFR in the loop on any communication with private foundations regarding COVID-19 impacts. OFR can be a resource to provide additional help navigating particularly complex or sensitive issues.
- Contact: foundation-relations@mit.edu, or the individual Foundation Relations staff member you’ve already been working with.
- Notify your RAS Contract Administrator regarding any agreed changes to scheduled grant activities for retention in the Institute’s grant file, and to implement any formal changes to grant terms, such as no-cost extension.
We will post updates and information from other agencies and sponsors as they become available.
Other Resources
- The Council on Government Relations (COGR) has published a page on Institutional and Agency Responses to COVID-19 and Additional Resources, which may provide other useful information.
- MITRE/AIDA COVID-19 Authorities, Contract Vehicles, and Initiatives is a regularly updated page with links to other federal guidance and communications, plus helpful webinars and training resources regarding COVID-19.