On March 12, the University of Michigan shared an overview of a new research funding program that has been developed in response to federal stop-work orders impacting and projected to impact the university’s research enterprise.
The following FAQ is intended to provide a high-level overview of the funding program and to answer questions top-of-mind for the research community. It will be updated on a regular basis.
What types of stoppages in funding are eligible under this program?
This program includes units whose existing federal grants or contracts have been terminated unexpectedly, have experienced a disruption to the current level of funding provided via an official stop-work order or non-competing renewal delay, or where funding delays put participant health and safety at risk. Typical grant life-cycle non-renewals are not included at this time.
What is the role of the dean under this new program?
Dean and dean-level directors determine if a project merits funding. They will then initiate a request for central funding. Researchers should work through their existing research structure to understand if their work is eligible to be funded through this new program.
Are there certain criteria the unit must meet to access funds?
Access criteria includes:
- Funding requests must be made at the dean’s direction for a school/college, or the director level for LSI and ISR.
- An official stop-work order, complete termination through an order, or threat to health and safety that suggests a funding stoppage, lapse, or significant delay must be present.
- Any existing project funding that has been received must have been exhausted.
- Researchers will need to demonstrate the amount of direct, eligible cost that would be incurred over the duration of the support.
- In the case of research that involves human subject participants, researchers need to demonstrate risk to life, health, or safety of human research participants in the case of an abrupt stoppage.
- Requests for funding must come with a timeline including when federal funding is expected to stop and when it is either expected to restart or when the funding source was originally expected to end.
- If funding is restored and is retroactive, repayment of funds would be required.
- This program does not apply to activities that are not currently funded. For example, this program does not apply to proposed continuations of existing grant-related activities for which future funding requires a new application.
How are funding determinations made?
Funding approvals will be made by the EVPs under recommendation from deans/directors and VPRI.
How long will the program provide support?
The program will provide up to six months of coverage, taking into account the remaining duration of the grant that was terminated.
What portion of research costs will this new program cover?
Collectively, we have identified a fixed amount of institutional financial resources that are ready to be deployed to meet up to half of eligible expenses, with units covering the remaining portion. Units are responsible for recommending the match against central funds that they are seeking.
What expenses does the funding cover?
Central funding can be used to:
- Provide salaries, benefits, supplies, and other needed direct expenses for employees and PhD students who cannot be reassigned to other work and have lost salary coverage as a result of cancellation of the federal grant.
- Safely wind down certain studies involving human subjects.
Note that equipment would generally not be eligible, unless it is necessary to protect the life, health, or safety of participants.
Would units be required to repay if funding is ultimately restored?
If retroactive funding is restored, units would be required to repay central funding.
When does the new program go into effect?
It is effective immediately. We will evaluate initial funding decisions and reassess the current amount of funding reserved for this program on a quarterly basis, at minimum.
Who does this program apply to?
This program applies to our Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn campuses, as well as Michigan Medicine.