AHRQ will be highly accommodating of late applications submitted through May 1, 2020. We anticipate, but cannot guarantee, that all late applications submitted by that date will be reviewed in the council round to which they were submitted. As much as AHRQ would like to extend flexibility further, this rapidly evolving situation also creates multiple challenges for conducting peer review, and the timeline for getting review outcomes completed (so that funding can occur) can only be delayed so long. Therefore, applicants should assume that late applications submitted after May 1 may experience delay in peer review.

AHRQ recipients are to follow standard procedures for either notifying AHRQ of one-time no-cost extensions of up to 12 months for grants that are awarded under expanded authorities, or requesting prior approval for no-cost extensions of grants that are not awarded under expanded authorities. The most recent Notice of Award will indicate whether or not a particular award is under expanded authorities. Please refer to AHRQ’s FAQs for details: https://info.ahrq.gov/search?q=&category=8.

AHRQ recipients are to follow standard procedures and due dates for submitting complete Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) to request non-competing continuation support. At this point in time, it is AHRQ’s understanding that all FY2020 Appropriated funds will need to be awarded before September 30, 2020, therefore delays in receipt of RPPRs could delay processing and jeopardize recipient receipt of funding in FY2020. However, AHRQ will consider requests for reasonable extensions of RPPR due dates on a case-by-case basis; please contact the Grants Management Specialist named on the most recent NOA.

AHRQ will allow recipients to continue to charge salaries and benefits to currently active AHRQ awards consistent with the recipients' policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, Federal and non-Federal.

AHRQ will allow other costs to be charged to Federal awards necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. AHRQ will evaluate the grantee's ability to resume the project activity in the future and the appropriateness of future funding, as done under normal circumstances, based on subsequent progress reports and other communications with the grantee.

AHRQ will allow recipients who incur costs related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award, or the pausing and restarting of grant funded activities due to the public health emergency, to charge these costs to their award without regard to 2 CFR § 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs, 2 CFR § 200.404, Reasonable costs, and 2 CFR § 200.405, Allocable costs.

AHRQ will allow recipients to charge full cost of cancellation when the event, travel, or other activities are conducted under the auspices of the grant.

Note: It is expected that recipients will attempt to have cancellation fees waived under any flexibilities vendors are allowing due to COVID-19.

AHRQ is allowing pre-award costs to be incurred from January 20, 2020, through the COVID-19 public health emergency period and prior to the date of a federal award for all applicants and recipients that have been impacted by COVID-19 due to loss of operations. All costs charged to Federal awards must be consistent with Federal cost policy guidelines and the terms of the award, unless otherwise specified in this Notice.

AHRQ will allow grantees to delay submission of financial, performance and other reports up to three (3) months beyond the normal due date. Grantees will be allowed to continue to draw down Federal funds without the timely submission of these reports. However, these reports must be submitted at the end of the postponed period.

AHRQ does not waive the requirement for recipients to notify the agency of problems, delays or adverse conditions related to COVID-19 on a grant by grant basis (200 CPR 200.328(d)(l).

NOTE: This excludes annual RPPR submissions; please see item 5 above (“Abbreviated non-competitive continuation requests”).

AHRQ will allow the grantee to delay submission of any pending financial, performance and other reports required by the terms of the award for the closeout of expired projects, provided that proper notice about the reporting delay is given by the grantee to the AHRQ Grants Management Specialist named on the most recent NOA. This delay in submitting closeout reports may not exceed one year after the award expires.

Grant Competition Deadlines: If your organization is unable to submit an application by the published NOFO deadline due to justified circumstances (such as impacts from COVID-19), you may request an extension. As referenced in the SF-424 Application Guide on pages 14-15 and 48, HRSA’s Division of Grants Policy (DGP) in the Office of Federal Assistance Management is the only office authorized to grant extensions. You must contact the DGP via email at DGPWaivers@hrsa.gov and provide a brief explanation and your earliest estimated date of submission.

For Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) specifically related to COVID-19 response, OMB Memo M-20-17 provides federal awarding agencies with the option to post NOFOs on Grants.gov for less than 30 days. While HRSA will make every effort to provide applicants with adequate time to submit quality applications, should additional funding become available for COVID-19 competitive NOFOs, there may be a point where the need to expedite the process requires a NOFO be published for less than 30 days.

USAMRAA’s terms and conditions of award already allow for a one-time, no cost extension of up to 12 months, without need to request prior approval, when the recipient notifies the Grants Officer (GO).

Recipients may notify USAMRAA’s GO(s) of a blanket no-cost extension on all active awards (including grant numbers) covered under M-20-17 -- i.e., they do not need to be requested on an individual basis for each award. However, please be aware that funding expiration statutes may prohibit extensions. Recipients should contact the USAMRAA GO for award-specific guidance.

Recipients may continue to charge salaries and benefits to currently active awards consistent with the recipients' policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, Federal and non-Federal.

USAMRAA will allow other costs to be charged to Federal awards necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. This may include allowing rent on equipment and facilities during this time frame. However, to the maximum extent practicable, recipients must invoke or institute any and all reasonable mitigation actions and practices to lessen the cost to the Government during the crisis period. Such actions may be part of an existing program created by the recipient organization or may be created to respond to this crisis.

USAMRAA will allow recipients who incur costs related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award, or the pausing and restarting of grant funded activities due to the public health emergency, to charge these costs to their award without regard to 2 CFR § 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs, 2 CFR § 200.404, Reasonable costs, and 2 CFR § 200.405, Allocable costs.

USAMRAA will allow recipients to charge full cost of cancellation when the event, travel, or other activities are conducted under the auspices of the grant. However, recipients should not assume additional funds will be available should the charging of cancellation or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the event or travel.

DOE will determine if an extension to the application due dates are needed due to the COVID-19 crisis on a case by case basis. COs should work with their Program Offices to determine if an extension of due dates for applications is needed for any FOA currently published. If it is determined that an extension to the application due date is needed, COs must amend the FOA to extend the application due date in accordance with current policies and procedures.

Recipients must notify the CO if it is utilizing the regulatory authorities in 2 CFR 200.308(d)(2) to implement a no-cost extension to its award. The CO will then issue a modification to the award to change the expiration date. COs are authorized to provide no-cost extensions to current awards which were active as of March 31, 2020 and scheduled to expire on or before December 31, 2020. COs are also authorized to extend awards for which recipients have already utilized the one-time extension provided in 2 CFR 200.308(d)(2). A determination for non-competitive federal financial assistance as required by 2 CFR 910.126 will not be required for any no-cost extensions due to the COVID-19 crisis. COs are reminded to properly document the award when making the modifications to the expiration date.

Recipients with continuation applications due to be submitted between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, will continue to follow the process as detailed in the ‘CONTINUATION APPLICATION AND FUNDING’ award term of their award. COs, in consultation with their Program Offices, will continue to process continuation awards according to the current policy; however they may determine that an additional statement from the recipient is required to verify that it is able to: 1) resume or restore their award/project activities; and 2) accept a planned continuation award. COs will need to inform recipients (on a case by case basis) when they determine that an additional statement is needed to execute the continuation award.

Recipients are authorized to continue to charge salaries, stipends, and benefits to currently active DOE awards consistent with the recipients’ policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, Federal and non-Federal. The recipient is authorized to charge other costs to DOE awards that are necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. Recipients must not assume that supplemental funding will be available should the charging of such costs or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the project.

COs must determine the allowability of all costs charged by recipients under their awards. The provisions of 2 CFR 200 Subpart E and 2 CFR 910.352 apply for the allowability of costs. DOE may determine if recipient’s costs incurred related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award, or the pausing and restarting of grant funded activities due to the COVID-19 crisis, are allowable. COs will make allowability determinations for these costs incurred on a case by case basis and must document the file accordingly.

Recipients are required to obtain the prior approvals specified in 2 CFR § 200.308 (c) (i-viii). Recipients are reminded that they are to ensure that all costs charged to Federal awards must be consistent with Federal cost policy guidelines and the terms of the award, except as specified in this guidance.

Recipients must inform the DOE CO if they require an extension for the submission of any pending periodic financial, performance and other reports required by the terms of the award. DOE will extend the due dates for the submission of financial, performance and other reports for up to three (3) months. Recipient periodic financial, performance and other reporting requirements due between March 1 and August 1, 2020 can be extended up to 3 months from the date required in their awards. These reports must be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of their award.

Recipients must inform the DOE CO if they require an extension for the submission of any pending financial, performance and other reports required by the terms of the award for the closeout of expired projects. The notice provided by the recipient to delay submitting closeout reports must identify the date which the required reports will be submitted to DOE. The new date may not exceed one year after the award expires.

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

Any request to revise the approved award budget or other matters arising in total or in part to the COVID-19 public health emergency may be directed to ARPA-E-COVID19-Response@hq.doe.gov with the ARPA-E agreement number and recipient name in the subject line.

Awards that are operating in the original period of performance (FY17–FY19 awards) and are active as of March 31, 2020 and scheduled to expire on or before December 31, 2020, are eligible for an NCE.

For awards that are operating in a current NCE (FY16 CINR awards), the PF provides new guidance that allows Contracting Officer (CO) authorization to extend awards for recipients who have already utilized the one-time extension as provided in 2 CFR 200.308(d)(2), are still active as of March 31, 2020, and are scheduled to expire on or before December 31, 2020.

Instructions on how to apply for an NCE are available . If you have questions concerning an NEUP NCE, please contact Tara Haack (DOE-ID) at 208-526-1960 or haacktj@id.doe.gov or Anna Podgorney (INL-IO) at 208-526-2123 or anna.podgorney@inl.gov.

At their discretion, NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may extend competitive funding opportunities based on needs, requirements and deadlines affecting the program. NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may also consider requests for application due date extensions on a case-by-case basis. To request an application due date extension, applicants should contact the NPS point of contact identified in the funding opportunity posting before the current closing date. NPS must clearly describe in all funding opportunities the effect of missing a deadline, including if NPS will consider late submissions under certain circumstances and, if so, what an applicant must do or provide to request consideration of a late submission. Recipients conducting competitive grant programs under an NPS award may also extend this flexibility to their applicants.

Some NPS postings allow application submission in paper copy or by email. Some applicants may encounter difficulties providing a physical or digital signature for their Authorized Representative on the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance” form during the public health emergency. NPS may accept alternatives to physical and digital signatures when they have assurance that the document is coming from an individual authorized to submit the application on behalf of their organization. This may include allowing email submission of unsigned applications from the organization’s Authorized Representative with a statement confirming that the email represents the same certifications they would otherwise certify to with their signature on the SF-424 form. NPS postings should describe any application signature work around options in their funding opportunities and may need to modify currently open funding opportunities to add this information.

To the extent permitted by law, NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may initiate no cost modifications to extend the period of performance for up to 12 months on awards that were active as of March 31, 2020 and scheduled to expire on or before December 31, 2020. This flexibility may not be available or may be limited if the program is subject to a law prescribing specific award period of performance end or sunset dates. Recipients may also extend this flexibility to subrecipients.

When approving period of performance extensions, NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers must not approve an award period of performance end date that is later than the known funds cancellation date for any outstanding balance of funds on the award. Best practice is not to set a period of performance end date that is less than 180 calendar days ahead of the earliest funds cancellation date for the funds obligated for the budget period that ends on the period of performance end date. For fixed appropriations, the funds cancellation date is September 30 of the fifth fiscal year after the period of availability for obligation ends.

Period of performance extensions that do not fit into the criteria established above may be considered by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer on a case by case basis as needed and approved at their discretion.

A non-competitive continuation request is the application or other documentation an NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may require from recipients of continuation awards to request the next increment of funding. For any such requests scheduled to come in between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may waive the normally required documentation, such as additional performance information and metrics, and instead accept a brief statement from the recipient verifying that they are in a position to continue, resume, or restore project activities and accept the next increment of funding. NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers implementing this flexibility should provide specific instructions to their affected recipients. Recipients should contact the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer identified in their award document with any questions related to this flexibility.

A continuation award is a project with a multi-year period of performance for which the NPS agrees to provide a specific level of support on an annual or otherwise incremental basis contingent on funding availability. This flexibility does not authorize competitive programs to begin issuing non-competitive renewals or continuations of currently or previously funded awards not already established as continuation awards. Competitive programs must compete, approve, and establish continuation awards as such from the start of those awards.

NPS recipients experiencing problems, delays, or adverse conditions related to COVID-19 should contact the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer assigned to their award(s) to discuss the situation. Recipients and subrecipients may charge salaries and fringe benefits for employees and/or participants working, or budgeted to work, and stipends, subsistence and a living allowance for participants under the financial assistance agreement on currently active awards when:

a. Employees and/or participants continue to work towards the stated award objectives as planned and approved;

b. The employees and/or participants are placed on, or are authorized to take, administrative, emergency, extraordinary, or other similarly designated leave. Such leave is allowable when:

i. It is authorized under the non-Federal entity’s established (written) leave policy;

ii. Charges are made consistent with the non-Federal entity’s policy for compensating staff and/or participants in the designated leave status regardless of funding source (i.e., also compensates employees whose salaries or benefits are funded from other sources, Federal and non-Federal). Per OMB, due to the unprecedented nature of this event, entities that do not have a written policy for compensating staff and/or participants while on leave under emergency or extraordinary circumstances may establish one and apply it retroactively back to March 19, 2020; and iii. Charges are allocated consistent with requirements in 2 CFR §200.405; they must be distributed in proportion to the benefits accruing to the NPS award. Non-Federal entities must document the allocation methodology used. The non-Federal entity must treat all costs consistently. Reassignment of costs from an indirect cost pool under a negotiated indirect cost agreement requires the approval of the entity’s cognizant agency for indirect costs.

c. Employees and/or participants that are working but working minimally or not at all towards the planned and approved award objectives. The recipient may to continue to charge salaries and fringe benefits and/or stipends, subsistence and a living allowance for award participants to the award. When approved, all such costs are subject to the allowability criteria in section 6(b) of this guidance. NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may allow the recipient to charge other costs to the award necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may evaluate the recipient’s ability to resume the project activity in the future and the appropriateness of future funding, as done under normal circumstances based on subsequent progress reports and other communications with the recipient.

For NPS awards active as of April 17, 2020, all costs incurred by recipients and subrecipients to stand down approved award activities due to the COVID-19 public health emergency are allowable without regard to 2 CFR §200.403, “Factors affecting allowability of costs”, 2 CFR §200.404, “Reasonable costs”, and 2 CFR §200.405, “Allocable costs”. This includes the full cost for cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award. For all such costs charged to the award, recipients must maintain appropriate records and cost documentation as required by 2 CFR §200.302, “Financial management” and 2 CFR §200.333, “Retention requirement of records”, to substantiate the charging of any cancellation or other costs related to interruption of operations or services.

Recipients charging costs to stand down award activities must not assume that the NPS will provide supplemental funding should the charging of such costs result in a shortfall of funding that would prevent them from restarting and carrying out project activities. Recipients anticipating or experiencing such a shortfall should contact the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer identified in their award document to discuss the situation.

NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may allow the recipient to charge other costs to the award necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officers may evaluate the recipient’s ability to resume the project activity in the future and the appropriateness of future funding, as done under normal circumstances based on subsequent progress reports and other communications with the recipient. Recipients who determine they are able to restart a project stood down or paused due to the COVID-19 emergency should communicate with the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer to discuss the situation and any related costs before resuming project activities.

OJP will allow recipients to continue to charge salaries and benefits to their awards consistent with the recipients’ policy of paying salaries and benefits under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances from all funding sources (Federal and non-Federal). As outlined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.431 (a) and (b), benefits may include the costs of leave (“regular compensation paid to employees during periods of authorized absences from the job, such as for annual leave, family-related leave, sick leave … administrative leave, and other similar benefits”), as long as they are provided under written leave policies.

OJP encourages recipients to review and update (if necessary) their written leave policies to address “unexpected or extraordinary circumstances.” Recipients are required to maintain copies of the leave policies and cost documentation (as required by 2 C.F.R. § 200.302, 2 C.F.R. § 200.333, and 2 C.F.R. § 431(b)(1)) to substantiate the charging of salaries and benefits during interruption of operations or services.

For grantees unable to meet original due dates, OJP is allowing delayed submission of up to 60 days for Federal Financial Reports for the reporting period January 1 – March 31, 2020. GMS will continue to send automatic delinquency notifications, which can be disregarded. However, grant funds will not be withheld unless the FFR has not been submitted by June 30. Please note that at this time, due dates for reports for the remaining fiscal year are unchanged.

For grantees unable to meet original due dates, OJP is allowing delayed submission of up to 60 days for progress and performance measure reports due in March and April 2020. GMS will continue to send automatic delinquency notifications, which can be disregarded. Please note that at this time, due dates for reports for the remaining fiscal year are unchanged.

EPA anticipates that there will be an increase in no-cost extensions/amendments and project period waiver requests. EPA can modify workplans, adjust budgets, and extend the period of performance for grants to address the impacts of COVID-19, consistent with applicable law relating to the availability of appropriations or otherwise, 2 CFR 200.308, equivalent provisions of 40 CFR Part 35, and the General Term and Condition “Transfer of Funds” for recipients if necessary. Note that there may be limitations on modifications to workplans of competitive grants as indicated in the Frequent Question, "Can recipients change the activities in the scope of work for competitive grants?" in the Grants Competition Section.

Recipients should email their Grant Specialist for the agreement and send a copy to their Project Officer and provide a description of the action they want EPA to take. The email should include a justification that includes how the COVID-19 public health crisis has impacted their ability to comply with a requirement in the agreement. Please also refer to the instructions provided in the FAQs.

Yes, as long as the recipient also compensates employees whose salaries or benefits are funded from other sources. In other words, if the recipient compensates employees who work on interrupted projects or activities that are not financed by EPA grants, then the recipient may charge EPA grants for the employees’ compensation during the interruption.

Recipients must, as required by 2 CFR 200.405, ensure that personnel costs charged to EPA grants are distributed in proportion to the benefits accruing to the EPA funded project. For example, if 100% of the employee’s compensation has been charged to the EPA grant throughout the performance period then the recipient may continue to charge 100% of the employee’s time to the grant even though project performance has been interrupted. For employees whose compensation is only partially charged to the EPA grant, the recipient must make a reasonable allocation based on actual charges for the employees’ compensation throughout the performance period. As required by 2 CFR 200.302 and 2 CFR 200.333, recipients must maintain documentation of the basis for charging compensation of affected employees to their EPA grant.

• Travel. At this time, allowability of travel cancellation costs will be assessed on a case by case basis. Recipients should document the facts concerning any cancellation, e.g., carrier cancellation policies as adjusted for waivers due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, to substantiate the charging of cancellation costs and provide this information to the GS and PO. The coverage on travel-related cancellation fees applies to both recipient employees and program participants.
• Meeting Facilities. As with travel, the allowability of meeting facility cancellation fees will be determined on a case by case basis. Facility cancellation fees must be based on the venue’s standard practices and consider any cancellation fee waivers or discounts offered due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Recipients must provide the PO and GS with documentation to support payment of meeting facility cancellation fees.
• Personnel compensation and contractor costs. Reasonable personnel and contractor costs associated with planning the event are allowable even if the event has been cancelled as long as carrying out the event is within the scope of work for the grant.

Any determinations by authorized EPA officials provided to recipients that travel or facility rental cancellation costs are allowable must include a statement indicating that the recipient should not assume additional funds will be available if the costs for cancellation or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the award.

EPA Frequent Questions about Grants and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Can recipients donate personal protective equipment and supplies, medical devices, medical supplies, and medicines (equipment and supplies) purchased with EPA funds to carry out the EPA grant to assist in the response to the COVID-19 situation?

It depends. Although the April 9, 2020, OMB Guidance (PDF) provides a class exception to 2 CFR 200.443(a) regarding the allowability of the costs of donations, EPA must still determine that the donations are eligible for funding under the statutory authority for the assistance agreement. These determinations will be made on a case by case basis. Alternatively, EPA will consider requests for disposition instructions for previously purchased equipment and supplies that are not needed immediately for grant performance. EPA interprets the April 9, 2020 OMB Guidance (PDF) as providing exceptions to the property disposition regulations at 2 CFR 200.313 and 2 CFR 200.314 to allow EPA to authorize donations of currently unneeded equipment and supplies to hospitals, medical centers, and other local entities serving the public for the COVID-19 response.

Recipients should follow the procedures described in the answer to the Frequent Question, "How should EPA grant recipients request that EPA provide them administrative relief from a requirement due to COVID-19?" to request authorization for donations by sending an email to the Grant Specialist and Project Officer providing a brief justification. If the recipient is requesting supplemental funding as well, the email should indicate the amount of additional funding requested. Note that recipients who make equipment and supplies donations prior to receiving EPA approval do so at their own risk. Also, there is no guarantee that EPA will have the resources to provide supplemental funding, so recipients may need to absorb the costs for the donated equipment and supplies with currently approved EPA funds and request an adjustment to their scope of work if their capacity to meet deliverable requirements is impacted.

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

Most IES awards are eligible for a one-year no cost extension and then further extensions as approved by IES. If you foresee a need for IES-approved extensions, you should discuss the need with the IES program officer for your award.

There will be some flexibility for extending project timelines. Please be sure to contact your IES Program Officer to discuss your situation.

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

Generally, a grantee or subgrantee may continue to charge the compensation (including but not necessarily limited to salaries, wages, and fringe benefits) of its employees who are paid by a currently active grant funded by the Department to that grant, consistent with the organization's policies and procedures for paying compensation from all funding sources, Federal and non-Federal, under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances, such as a public health emergency like COVID-19.[1] Thus, if the organization pays, consistent with its policies and procedures, similarly situated employees whose compensation is paid with non-Federal funds during an extended closure, those paid with grant funds from the Department may also continue to be paid.[2] "However, an employee who is being paid with Department grant funds while the program grant activities are closed in whole or in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic may not also be paid for the time during which the program is closed by the organization or another organization for working on other activities that are not closed down."

If a grantee or subgrantee does not currently have in place a policy that addresses extraordinary circumstances such as those caused by COVID 19, the grantee or subgrantee may amend or create a policy in order to put emergency contingencies in place for Federal and non-Federal similarly situated employees. If the conditions exist for charges to be made to the Federal grant, charges may also be made to any non-Federal sources that are used by a grantee or subgrantee in order to meet a matching requirement.

Grant funds may be used to reimburse items such as nonrefundable travel or registration costs provided that a grantee or subgrantee first seeks to recover nonrefundable costs (for example, travel, registration fees) associated with a grant from the Department from the relevant entity that charged the fee (for example, airline, hotel, conference organizer). Some businesses are offering flexibility with regard to refunds, credits, and other remedies for losses due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, many agreements or contracts for conferences, training, or other activities related to a grant contain an emergency or "act of God" provision, and the grantee and its subgrantees must seek to exercise those clauses to the extent possible in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

If a grantee or subgrantee is unable to recover the costs, the grantee or subgrantee may charge the appropriate grant for the cancellation costs, provided the costs were reasonable and incurred in order to carry out an allowable activity under the grant, consistent with the Federal cost principles described in 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, And Audit Requirements For Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance).

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

We have changed the application deadlines for five open library services grant programs. You can read the news release on the new deadlines here .

We will continue to consider whether to change other application deadlines, and we will post any such changes as IMLS news releases, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates, and in Grants.gov.

With advance approval, you may continue to charge salaries and benefits to your active IMLS award as long as doing so is consistent with your organization’s policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, both Federal and non-Federal. If you suspend project activities temporarily due to the impact of COVID-19, you may also charge other costs necessary to resume activities supported by your IMLS award as long as doing so is within the scope of the original award, is consistent with applicable Federal cost principles, and is to the benefit of the project.

To request advance approval for charging salaries, benefits, or other costs as described above to your IMLS discretionary award, you must submit an Other Change request through your eGMS Reach account. In the field requesting an explanation for your request, enter “COVID-19: Salaries and benefits” or “COVID-19: Other costs.” Your supporting document should be formatted as a PDF, and it must include (1) a brief explanation of how COVID-19 has disrupted your work; (2) a description and dollar estimate of the expenses you wish to charge to your award; and (3) a verification that charging salaries and benefits to your active IMLS award is consistent with your organization’s policy of paying such expenses (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, both Federal and non-Federal. We will notify you of the approval or rejection of your request through eGMS Reach or email.

NASA is eliminating the requirement that recipients obtain prior approval for the following reasons listed under 2 CFR § 200.308 (c):

3. The disengagement from the project for more than three months, or a 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project, by the approved project director or principal investigator.
4. The inclusion, unless waived by the Federal awarding agency, of costs that require prior approval in accordance with Subpart E—Cost Principles of this part or 45 CFR part 75 Appendix IX, “Principles for Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development under Awards and Contracts with Hospitals,” or 48 CFR part 31, “Contract Cost Principles and Procedures,” as applicable.
5. The transfer of funds budgeted for participant support costs as defined in §200.75 Participant support costs to other categories of expense.

Recipients must continue to obtain prior approvals for all other circumstances specified in 2 CFR § 200.308 (c) i, ii, vi, vii, and viii from their cognizant NASA Grant Officer. Additionally, for research awards, the prior approvals specified in the Research Terms and Conditions Prior Approval Matrix ( https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp ) continue to apply, unless waived above.

You may extend your project’s period of performance if your approved project activity has been rescheduled, or you intend to reschedule to a later date. This allows you to shift the project to a later time period and maintains the availability of your award funds.

Example: Your film festival was rescheduled from April 2020 to November 2020, but your original period of performance was to end on June 30, 2020. You may request to extend the period of performance to include the new project period end date.

You may extend your project’s period of performance if your approved project activity has been rescheduled, or you intend to reschedule to a later date. This allows you to shift the project to a later time period and maintains the availability of your award funds.

Example: Your film festival was rescheduled from April 2020 to November 2020, but your original period of performance was to end on June 30, 2020. You may request to extend the period of performance to include the new project period end date.

If you didn’t start your project activities or know you will not be able to complete any of your approved project activities, you may request to change your project. Your new project cannot be for just anything new as your project must still meet federal and agency requirements.

If you choose this option, we urge you to consider focusing the new project activities on planning for the future. Your new project could include planning for a future production, festival, conference, residency program, exhibition, or educational program, etc. It could be to develop a new strategic plan for your organization. Your new budget could include staff costs, artist fees, and administrative costs (rent/utilities/supplies, etc.) related to these planning activities. If you think you would need to request a scope change, please contact your Arts Endowment specialist to discuss potential alternate projects.

Example: Your approved project was a residential 2020 summer choral camp for kids, but it has been canceled and won't be rescheduled. You may be able to change the scope of your project to a planning project to prepare for the summer 2021 camp.

You may transfer among direct cost line items in your approved budget without prior written approval from us. This means if your approved budget included salaries/wages or artist fees in your budget, you can direct your grant award money toward those costs. You must maintain documentation of all costs charged to the award.

The Arts Endowment has very few prior approval requirements for costs, however you may be able to include costs for which we normally require prior approval. This includes adding indirect costs, foreign travel, or equipment costs over $5,000. All charges must be consistent with Federal cost principles and the terms of the award.

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

Recipients may draw down budgeted salary expenses consistent with the written procedures of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, both federal and non-federal. Recipients also have minor rebudgeting authority that would permit them to charge costs necessary to resume activities supported by the NEH award, consistent with applicable federal cost principles and the benefit to the project.

Recipients may also submit a prior approval request through eGMS Reach for supplemental funding to cover project-related expenses incurred due to coronavirus-related loss of operations. NEH will consider such requests on a case by case basis, and approval is not guaranteed. Please contact your NEH program officer through eGMS Reach for additional information.

Travel: Through June 30, 2020, NEH will reimburse recipients for nonrefundable project-related travel expenses tied to a canceled event.

Recipients who incur costs related to the cancellation of events or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award or related to the pausing and restarting of NEH-funded activities due to the public health emergency; may charge these costs to their NEH award without regard to 2 CFR §200.403 Factors affecting allowability of costs , 2 CFR §200.404 Reasonable costs , and 2 CFR §200.405 Allocable costs. Recipients may charge the full cost of cancellation when the event or other activities are conducted under the auspices of the grant. Changes in budget, scope or key personnel may be necessary if you are unable to reschedule or conduct part of the funded activity. Such changes require NEH prior approval. NEH program and grants management staff will work together to provide maximum flexibility within NEH’s governing authorities.

All grant applications submitted late for due dates between March 9, 2020, and May 1, 2020, will be accepted through May 1, 2020. This notice applies to all relevant funding opportunity announcements, including those that indicate no late applications will be accepted. Institutions need not request advance permission to submit late due to this declared emergency and a cover letter providing a justification is not required.

Disclaimer: This notice pertains to applications reviewed by CSR and does not supersede the IC's discretion nor authorities to make these decisions on case by case basis as noted in the third bullet below.

For Funding Opportunity Announcements that expire prior to May 1, 2020, NIH will extend the expiration date for 90 days to accommodate the submission of late applications and Grants.gov will be adjusted to allow NIH to receive applications.

• Reference Letters for Fellowships and Career Development Award applications submitted during this interval will also be accepted through May 1, 2020.
• Non-AIDS applications eligible for continuous submission (NOT-OD-20-060) will also be accepted through May 1, 2020.
• Some Institute/Center (IC)-reviewed FOAs with due dates during this time may be able to accept applications beyond the May 1, 2020 deadline. However, applicants must contact the IC first, to confirm that a later deadline is possible.

Due dates after May 1 (including the May 7, 2020, AIDS and AIDS-Related Research due dates) will remain as posted and follow usual late application policies.

As outlined in NOT-OD-20-086 , recipients may extend the final budget period of the approved project period one time for a period of up to 12 months. Recipients who do not have access to the No-Cost Extension feature within eRA commons should contact the funding IC to request their first no-cost extension. NIH will also approve requests for second no-cost extensions related to COVID-19. Recipients should notify the funding IC via the prior approval module in eRA, including the justification, number of months of the extension and the unobligated balance on the award. A blank document may be uploaded in the Progress Report and Budget Document Fields. These documents are not required for no-cost extension requests related to COVID-19.

Note: Extensions may be limited for grants that were multiyear funded (i.e. all funds awarded in the first year of the award). Therefore, for grants that were multiyear funded contact the funding IC to discuss the terms and conditions of the award.

Salaries:
NIH understands that many researchers may be unable to work as a result of or related to the effects of COVID-19. If a recipient organization’s policy allows for the charging of salaries and benefits during periods when no work is performed due to the effect of COVID-19, regardless of the funding source, including Federal and non-Federal, then such charges to NIH grant awards will be allowable. Reminder: NIH awarding Institutes/Centers (ICs) may request documentation to confirm the requirements of institutional policies.

Stipends:
Institutions affected by COVID-19 may continue to provide stipend payments to fellows and trainees who may be unable to work as a result of or related to COVID-19. Recipients should notify the assigned grants management official, and provide documentation demonstrating the effect of COVID-19, and how long the institution will be affected.

Travel:
Non-refundable costs associated with grant-related travel that has been cancelled due to COVID-19 may be charged to the NIH award if they would have otherwise been allowable. See NIH GPS 7.9.1 for detailed information on the allowability of travel expenses.

Conference Registration Fees:
Non-refundable registration fees for conferences, symposiums or seminars that have been cancelled due to COVID19 may be charged to the NIH award if they would have otherwise been allowable (e.g. necessary to accomplish program objectives).

NIH-Supported Meetings and Conferences:
Scientific meetings, conferences and workshops supported by NIH funding may be delayed or cancelled due to COVID-19. Non-refundable costs associated with NIH supported meetings and conferences affected by COVID-19 are allowable and may be requested as an administrative supplement to the appropriate funding IC. Recipients should contact their assigned grants management specialist and program official to provide documentation demonstrating the effect of COVID-19. The funding institute or center will work with the recipient to address the impact on the NIH grant. As this Public Health Emergency continues, recipients may identify additional cost-related flexibilities that are needed. NIH will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis. Contact your assigned grants management specialist and program official to provide a detailed justification outlining the effect of COVID-19 and the flexibility required. NIH will consider such requests in line with the Federal cost principles, NIH policy, and need to support the project.

As a reminder, recipients have rebudgeting authority available under NIH Grants Policy Statement Sec. 8.1.1.2 , which states, “NIH prior approval is not required to rebudget funds for any direct cost item that the applicable cost principles identify as requiring the Federal awarding agency's prior approval, unless the incurrence of costs is associated with or is considered to be a change in scope.”

Recipients that are not under Streamlined Non-competing Application Process (SNAP) have the discretion to carry forward unobligated balances on their active grants for immediate efforts to support activities related to or affected by COVID-19 as long as the charges are allowable costs and are within the scope of the original award.

In addition, affected recipients that have active non-SNAP grant projects may extend the final budget period of the approved project period on active grants one time for a period of up to 12 months without requesting prior approval, by notifying the assigned grants management specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions COVID-19 Flexibilities

D. Prior Approvals

6. Can recipients donate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies acquired with NIH grant funds to local hospitals and health care facilities in support of COVID-19 efforts?

Yes, recipients may donate PPE and other lab supplies to hospitals, medical centers, and other local entities that are directly serving the public health emergency crisis for COVID-19 response. NIH has aligned its guidance with OMB Memo M-20-20.

In order to proceed with these donations, recipients must maintain documentation that supports the following:

1. the donated equipment or supplies are not currently needed due to temporary suspension of project activities or no longer necessary to meet the objectives of the grant;
2. if the equipment remains in usable condition, it should be returned to its original purpose upon completion of the public health emergency;
3. the donation(s) will be documented for single audits and will be provided to NIH funding ICs upon request.
4. As outlined in the NIH GPS (Section 8.3.3.2.1) the title for equipment and supplies acquired under NIH grants vests with the recipient institution.

Recipients should not assume that NIH funding ICs will provide additional funds to replace the donated PPE and supplies.

Recipients are only required to obtain NSF prior approval for the following program or budget- related reasons specified in 2 CFR § 200.308(c):

• Change in the scope or the objectives of the project;
• Change in a Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI specified in an NSF award;
• The transfer of funds budgeted for participant support costs to other categories of expense;
• Unless described in the proposal and funded in the approved NSF award, the subawarding or transferring out of any work under an NSF award; and
• The need arises for additional NSF funding to complete the project.

The above requests for prior approval must be submitted via Research.gov. All other prior approvals specified in the applicable Prior Approval Matrix are waived. Recipients are reminded that they are to ensure that all costs charged to NSF awards must be consistent with Federal cost policy guidelines and the terms of the award, except as specified in this guidance.

In addition to the prior approval requirements specified above, Major Facility Recipients who are subject to the Modifications and Supplemental Financial & Administrative Terms and Conditions for Major Multi-User Research Facility Projects and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (dated February 12, 2019) should note that, with the exception of Article 60, Contract Requirements, prior approval requirements are waived.

NSF does not require recipients to submit Federal Financial Reports for each award as financial data is extracted from NSF’s Award Cash Management Service. NSF will continue to process daily grant payments to recipients from the Award Cash Management Service without interruption.

Additionally, NSF has automatically extended the due date for submission of all annual project reports due between March 1 and April 30, 2020, by 30 days. These project reports must continue to be submitted via Research.gov. Recipients are reminded that NSF cannot make any new award or supplement any existing award, if the principal investigator (PIs) or any co-PI(s) has an overdue annual project report; therefore, it is vital that annual reports are submitted by the revised due date.

NSF has automatically extended the due date for submission of all final project reports and Project Outcomes Reports due between March 1 and April 30, 2020, by 30 days. These final reports must continue to be submitted via Research.gov. Recipients are reminded that NSF cannot make any new award or supplement any existing award if the PI or any co-PI(s)s has an overdue final report; therefore, it is vital that final reports be submitted by the revised due date.

NSF also has automatically extended the closeout period for awards that ended between November 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020 to 180 days.

NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-20

Excerpt: The purpose of this guidance is to implement the flexibility class exception authorized by OMB Memorandum M-20-20 that allows Federal awarding agencies to repurpose their Federal assistance awards (in whole or part) to support the COVID-19 response, as consistent with applicable laws. As an example of this flexibility, recipients are authorized, as specified below, to donate medical equipment (including, but not limited to, personal protective equipment, medical devices, medicines, and other medical supplies) purchased with NSF funds to hospitals, medical centers, and other local entities serving the public for COVID-19 response. This class exception also extends to the donation of other resources (such as labor, supplies, and contract services) funded under Federal financial assistance to support COVID-19 emergency response activities.

To utilize this flexibility, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit their request to donate items or resources via use of “Other Request” in the Notifications and Requests module in Research.gov. Each request should specify the items or resources to be donated and any anticipated impacts of the donation on the scope of the project. If the anticipated impact of the donation will result in a change in objectives or scope, the “Change in Objectives or Scope” in the Notifications and Requests module must be used to reflect that change. By submitting a request, the AOR is certifying that the equipment, supplies, etc., is being donated to a hospital, medical center or other local entity serving the public for the COVID-19 response. Recipients must not assume that supplemental funding will be available should the donation result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the project. Recipients are required to maintain appropriate records to substantiate the donation in support of COVID-19 emergency response activities.

For continuation requests scheduled to come in from April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, from awards with planned future support, recipients must submit a brief statement to their cognizant Agreement Officer and Agreement Officer’s representative to verify that they are in a position to: 1) resume or restore their project activities; and 2) accept a planned continuation award.

Agreement officers will provide any specific instructions. USAID will examine the need to extend this approach on subsequent continuation award start dates as recipients have an opportunity to assess the situation.

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

Due to potential impacts from social distancing, USDA NIFA will also allow no-cost extensions for non-competitive capacity grants expiring September 30, 2020 with a remaining balance. Five-year grants will be allowed a six-month extension, and two-year grants will be allowed a one-year extension. The period of performance will be extended accordingly. Recipients with grants in this disposition will be notified in early August 2020 with a list of grants eligible for this no-cost extension and will be provided instructions on how to submit the request with a deadline of September 1, 2020 for response.

For continuation requests scheduled to come in from April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, from competitive award projects with planned future support, USDA NIFA will accept a brief, written statement from recipients to verify that they are in a position to 1) resume or restore their project activities; and 2) accept a planned continuation award.

The recipient must follow all other continuation related requirements described in the award terms and conditions. USDA NIFA will examine any future need to extend this approach on subsequent continuation award start dates as recipients have an opportunity to assess the situation.

Recipients are authorized to continue to charge salaries, stipends, and benefits to currently active USDA NIFA awards consistent with the recipients’ policy of paying salaries (under unexpected or extraordinary circumstances) from all funding sources, Federal and non-Federal. In general, recipients should utilize the salaries, stipends, and benefits rates and staffing levels in place on March 1, 2020 when President Trump proclaimed that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constituted a national emergency.

The recipient also is authorized to charge other costs to USDA NIFA awards that are necessary to resume activities supported by the award, consistent with applicable Federal cost principles and the benefit to the project. Recipients must not assume that supplemental funding will be available should the charging of such costs or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the project.

Recipients who incur costs related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award, or the pausing and restarting of grant funded activities due to the public health emergency, are authorized to charge these costs to their award without regard to 2 CFR § 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs, 2 CFR § 200.404, Reasonable costs, and 2 CFR § 200.405, Allocable costs. Recipients may charge the full cost to the award when the event, travel, or other activities are conducted under the auspices of the grant.

No Additional Flexibilities Stated

Recipients are required to obtain the prior approvals specified in 2 CFR § 200.308 (c) (i-viii) which must be submitted via awards@usda.gov for competitive grants and for capacity grants via capacityequipment@usda.gov. USDA NIFA will review its agency-specific prior approval requirements and notify grantees if decisions are made to temporarily waive any of these requirements.

USDA NIFA will allow grantees to delay submission of financial, performance and other reports up to 90 days beyond the normal due date. Grantees may continue to draw down Federal funds from ASAP without the timely submission of these reports. However, these reports must be submitted at the end of the postponed period. In addition, USDA NIFA may waive the requirement for recipients to notify the agency of problems, delays or adverse conditions related to COVID-19 on a grant by grant basis (200 CFR 200.328(d)(l)) during the effective period of the M-20-17.

USDA NIFA has automatically extended the due date for submission of all final project reports, financial reports, and Project Outcomes Reports due between March 1 and April 30, 2020, by 90 days. Recipients are reminded that USDA NIFA cannot make any new award or supplement any existing award if the PI or any co-PI(s)s has an overdue final report; therefore, it is vital that final reports be submitted by the revised due date.