[CED/CD/EAT] FW: Pause on all federal grants and loans

Tue Jan 28 14:42:32 MST 2025

Dear Directors,

Below is an email from Jon Chorover, Interim Associate Vice President for Research for ALVSCE. As you probably know, the new administration has requested a pause on federally funded grants, which impacts all county offices and centers. I've attached the memo Jon refers to (Pause on Funding), dated January 27, 2025. This is from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The pause will take effect today at 5:00 PM EST.

Also attached is another memo from the OMB sent out today, January 28, 2025 (OMB QA M Jan 28 2025), clarifying that the pause does not apply to programs, projects, and grants that directly benefit Americans. Although I believe that means nothing in Extension should be affected, I am aware that may not be the case for all our federal partners, many who help fund Extension programs.

I have received several emails asking for clarification on how Extension offices address the concerns of staff and faculty supported by federal grants. I recommend continuing with business as usual unless you receive a letter/memo from your sponsor requesting you to suspend or pause spending. If you receive this, contact your business manager and we will work to get you clarification.

We will do our best to keep everyone updated as we receive information at the state level.

Please share this email and attachments with your faculty and staff.

Regards,

Ed

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Edward C. Martin, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President and Director
Cooperative Extension
Division of Agriculture, Life, & Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension

Professor/Extension Specialist - Biosystems Engineering
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

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Office:  520-621-7145 |  Cell: 520-709-0939
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From: ec-alvsce-request at list.arizona.edu <ec-alvsce-request at list.arizona.edu> On Behalf Of Chorover, Jon - (chorover)
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 9:45 AM
To: Arnold, Betsy - (fungi) <Arnold at ag.arizona.edu>; Curry, Joan E - (jecurry) <Curry at ag.arizona.edu>; Kacira, Murat - (mkacira) <mkacira at arizona.edu>; Merrell, Douglas Scott - (dscottmerrell) <dscottmerrell at arizona.edu>; Scaramella, Laura V - (scaramella) <scaramella at arizona.edu>; Stoner, Kathryn E - (kstoner) <kstoner at arizona.edu>; Tabashnik, Bruce E - (tabashnb) <BruceT at cals.arizona.edu>; Thompson, Gary D - (gdthomps) <GaryT at ag.arizona.edu>; Wilund, Kenneth R - (kwilund) <kwilund at arizona.edu>
Cc: EC listserv <ec-alvsce at list.arizona.edu>
Subject: [ec-alvsce] Pause on all federal grants and loans

Dear CALES Unit Heads,

The attached memo from the OMB director released last night has been heavily discussed in today's news.  Some of you have asked if we should meet to discuss, and my feeling is that while I am happy to set up a meeting to discuss, we don't know enough to come to any meaningful actions or conclusions at this point. It's not clear on how this will shake out yet, and I've read that many agency leads are trying to get clarification on what, specifically, is affected by this pause (i.e., is it all programs or only a subset?). Also, the SVPRI is aware of this memo and will be communicating with faculty and staff further as needed (beyond his email of yesterday, which predates this memo).

It is worth noting that the implications of this directive extend well beyond all federally-funded U.S. research institutions. If it persists, the impacts will be felt by many states whose second highest source of revenue (after state-and local- taxation) for things like Head Start, Section 8 housing subsidies, etc. derive from federal grants.  While research programs are thus only part of what is affected, we are laser focused on impacts to faculty and staff programs.

There is presently significant pushback against this order by congressional democrats, because of potential violation of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974, which states that the president can't rescind money that Congress previously approved.

Jon

-----------------------------------
Jon Chorover
Interim Associate Vice President/Associate Dean for Research
Professor, Department of Environmental Science
Division of Agriculture, Life & Veterinary Sciences, & Cooperative Extension (ALVSCE)
College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences (CALES)
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone:  (520) 626-5635
Email:  chorover at arizona.edu<mailto:chorover at arizona.edu>

I am on ancestral lands of the
Tohono O'odham and Pascua Yaqui.

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