COVID-19 Sponsor Guidance – updated 4/9/20
General Federal Guidance
Association of American Universities (AAU)
- COVID-19 Federal Guidance FAQs (continually updated)
- Summary of Higher Education and Research Provisions H.R. 748, The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (March 26)
- AAU COVID-19 Resources (AAU login required) (March 18)
- AAU COVID-19 Updates (continually updated)
Council on Governmental Relations (COGR)
- COGR’s FAQs and Resources on COVID-19’s Impact to Federal Awards (April 1)
- Federal Agency Guidance on COVID -19’s Impact on Proposals and Awards (March 31)
- Frequently Asked Questions Regarding COVID-19’s Impact on Federal Awards (V. 2.0) (March 20)
- Multi Association Request to OMB on Expansion of M-20-11 for Administrative Relief (March 18)
- Institutional and Agency Responses to COVID-19 and Additional Resources (March 18)
- COGR’s FAQs and Resources on COVID-19’s Impact to Federal Awards (March 16)
- Lewis-Burke Associates Resources (VUnetID required)
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
- March Grants Innovation Exchange Session (COVID-19) – March 26 at 12 p.m. ET (Sold Out)
- ENCORE: March Grants Innovation Exchange Session (COVID-19) – March 31 at 3:00 p.m. ET
- Innovation Exchange Session Schedule–Sessions are on the 4th Thursday of the month from 12:00 to 12:45 pm. Sessions will be tentatively held on: April 23, 2020, May 28, 2020, June 25, 2020
- M-20-17: Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations (March 19)
- M-20-11: Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 9)
Federal Sponsor Guidance
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- Flexibilities Available to AHRQ Recipients and Applicants Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Due to Loss of Operations (April 6)
- Notice of Intent: Revision Supplements to Existing AHRQ Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Address Health System Responsiveness to COVID-19 (March 26)
Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Information for CDC Applicants and Recipients of CDC Funding (continually updated)
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- COVID-19 Guidance USD(R&E) (April 1)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) for DARPA Performers (March 19)
- Potential Contract Impacts due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 17)
- COVID-19 Attachment 1: DOE-NNSA Financial Assistance Guidance to Contracting Officers (Including for Cooperative Agreements) (April 1)
- COVID-19 Attachment 2: DOE-NNSA Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17 (April 1)
- Guidance on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) No Cost Extensions (NCEs) (March 26)
- Frequently Asked Questions for DOD Research Proposers and Awardees Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 24)
- Defense Industrial Base Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce (March 20)
- Allow Exemptions for DOD Financial Assistance Recipients Affected by the Loss of Operational Capacity and Increased Costs Due to the COVID-19 Crisis (March 19)
- Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO) Guidance During the COVID-19 Pandemic (March 19)
- ARPA-E Actions Owing to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (April 3)
- PF 2020-20 COVID-19 Guidance for Financial Assistance Actions (March 30)
- Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE): Proposal Extension: DE-FOA-0002197: FY20 Advanced Vehicle Technologies Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (March 27)
- Accommodating Interruptions from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (March 13)
- Department of Energy Letter Addressing Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 12)
- Coronavirus Hub (continually updated)
- Department of Energy Travel Guidance
- Due Date Extensions (March 16)
- Guidance provided on Twitter
- Guidance to Award Recipients Impacted by COVID-19: Short Term Relief for Various Administrative, Financial Management, and Audit Requirements (March 21)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
- U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Deadline Extension for Federal Transit Administration Competitive Grant Programs (March 27)
- FTA Resources (continually updated)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- FDA Issues Updated Guidance on Clinical Trial Conduct During the COVID-19 Pandemic (March 27)
- FDA Guidance on Conduct of Clinical Trials of Medical Products during COVID-19 Pandemic (March 2020)
- FDA – Flexibilities Available to Applicants and Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance Affected by COVID-19 (March 26)
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
- HRSA Grant Recipients (March 26)
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
- Information for IMLS Grant Applicants and Awardees (continually updated)
National Air and Space Administration (NASA)
- NASA Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17
- For Researchers Library (and useful links) (continually updated)
- SMD FAQ on Grants and Research during the COVID-19 Epidemic (March 31)
- Preserving Readiness of the Space Industrial Base and Mission Operational Readiness due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation (March 24)
- Virtual Townhall 2020–COVID-19 (March 23)
- COVID-19 Impact to NASA SBIR/STTR Program (March 16)
- Coronavirus Information (continually updated)
- Assistant Administrator for Procurement Message on Coronavirus (March 10)
National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS)
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- CARES Act Guidelines: Grant Program Description (Submit by April 22)
- National Endowment for the Arts FAQs and Information for Applicants and Grantees in response to COVID-19 (March 19)
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
- FAQs – Funding for NEH Applicants and Grantees Impacted by the Coronavirus (March 30)
- NEH Press Release: Information on NEH and COVID-19 (March 13)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
- NIFA-20-005 NIFA Coronavirus FAQs (March 30)
- NIFA Deadline Extensions due to COVID-19 (March 18)
National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients of NIH Funding (continually updated)
- Clinical Trials Related to COVID-19 (continually updated)
- UPDATE: NIH Late Application Policy Due to Public Health Emergency for United States for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 26)
- NIH Shifts Non-mission-critical Laboratory Operations to Minimal Maintenance Phase (March 20)
- Guidance for NIH-Funded Clinical Trials and Human Subjects Studies Affected by COVID-19 (March 17)
- Flexibilities Available to Applicants and Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance Affected by COVID-19 (March 17)
- NIH webpage for NIH Applicants and Recipients (March 17)
- NIH Message to Applicants and Recipients of NIH Funds on Flexibilities Needed for COVID-19 (March 17)
- Flexibilities Available to Applicants and Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance Affected by COVID-19 (March 12)
- NIH Late Application Policy, Administrative Flexibilities, and FAQs Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 11)
- General Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Proposal Submission and Award Management Related to COVID-19 (March 10)
- NIH LATE APPLICATION POLICY Due to Public Health Emergency for United States for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 9)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) COVID-19 Flexibilities for Applicants and Recipients (February 24)
National Security Agency (NSA)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Division of Earth Sciences Virtual Office Hours (April 8)
- Impact on Existing Deadline Dates (April 7)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for National Science Foundation (NSF) Proposers and Awardees (April 2)
- NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17 (April 1)
- NSF Letter to Community Regarding COVID-19 (March 23)
- NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17 (March 23)
- NSF Coronavirus Information (continually updated)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for National Science Foundation (NSF) Panelists (March 17)
- NSF Guidance for Major Facilities and Contracts Regarding COVID-19 (March 9)
- NSF information concerning coroCustom Fieldsnavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (March 5)
- Dear Colleague Letter on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (March 4)
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)
- COVID-19 Pandemic Contingency Planning for Animal Care and Use Programs (April 2)
- Pandemic Contingency Planning and Its Impact on Animal Care (March 19)
- Flexibilities for Assured Institutions for Activities of IACUCs due to COVID-19 (March 17)
- OLAW Guidance in Preparing for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak (March 11)
Office of Naval Research Science &Technology (ONRST)
- Coronavirus Assistance and Acquisition-Related Information and Resources (continually updated)
- (Intent and Direction) Engaging the Research and Development Industrial Base during COVID-19 (March 24)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
- COVID-19 Guidance for Implementing Partners (March 19)
- Information from the Office of Acquisition and Assistance in the Bureau for Management of the US Agency for International Development (March 12)
United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)
- Memorandum for USAFA Contractor Force (March 17)
United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA)
- USAMRAA COVID-19 Resources (continually updated)
- USAMRAA’s Supplemental Guidance on Administrative Flexibilities for Grants and Cooperative Agreements in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic (March 25)
United States Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO)
Non-Federal Sponsor Guidance
- FAQs COVID-19 Impact on AHA Research (March 30)
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
- To Our Partners (March 19)
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- A Message of Support for Our Grantees (March 16)
- Letter to HJF Partners (March 30)
- Our Commitment to Grantee Partners | COVID-19 (March 18)
- MacArthur Foundation Dear Partner Letter (March 16)
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
- COVID-19 Updates (Continually Updated)
Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research (March 17)
- The Rally Foundation has extended the submission deadline for the Career Development Award until Tuesday, April 14, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. EST. Additionally, given that staff are working remotely, e-signatures will be allowed on the signature pages.
- Policies and Procedures (update to Grant Code of Conduct) (April 6)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): information for grant applicants and grantholders (Continually Updated)
Who to Contact at Vanderbilt University for More Information
Some sponsor guidance concerns proposals, contracts and subcontracts, and non-financial award set-up. Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA), an office within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, continues to provide all of its usual pre-award support including proposal submission to external sponsors, contract negotiation, non-financial award set-up, and end-user support for the VU Coeus and PEER electronic research administration (ERA) systems, among others. For information about proposals, contracts and subcontracts, and non-financial award set-up, contact SPA through the SPA staff directory.
Some sponsor guidance concerns award finances. As a reminder, post-award financial administration is managed through the Office of Contract and Grant Accounting (OCGA), which is not part of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) or the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. For information about post-award financial administration, contact OCGA through the OCGA staff directory.