APLU Federal Government Shutdown Resources

APLU president Waded Cruzado released a statement on the shutdown’s harmful impacts on public and land-grant universities and call for the White House and Congress to find the path forward to reopen.

As a resource to members, the association developed a compilation of federal agency lapse plans.

Background
Direction from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) required agencies to outline actions that will be taken in a short-term (one-five day) shutdown and to describe adjustments if the lapse extends beyond five days. An FAQ document to agencies followed on September 30, 2025.

Last Reviewed October 1, 2025 – Questions or additional resources can be shared with Ashley Amian of APLU staff.

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Lapse of Funding Plan

U.S. Department of Commerce
Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations

Bureau Details:

• Economic Development Administration (EDA)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

U.S. Department of Education

• Contingency Plan for Lapse in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations
• Federal Student Aid Electronic Announcement: (GENERAL-25-42) Government Lapse in Appropriations – Federal Student Aid Processing and Customer Service Guidance (10/1/25)
  

U.S. Department of Energy
Lapse Plan Summary Overview

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Contingency Staffing Plan for Operations in the Absence of Enacted Annual Appropriations

Operating Division Details:

• FY 2026 Lapse Plan National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • NOT-OD-26-004 – Information for the NIH Extramural Community During the Lapse of Federal Government Funding (10/1/25)
• FY 2026 Lapse Plan Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• FY 2026 Lapse Plan Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
• FY 2026 Lapse Plan Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Procedures Relating to a Lapse in Appropriations

U.S. Department of Interior
U.S. Geological Survey Contingency Plan

U.S. Department of State
Updated Guidance on Operations During a Lapse in Appropriations

U.S. Department of War
Contingency Plan Guidance for Continuation of Operations in the Absence of Appropriations

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Contingency Plan for Shutdown

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

• Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations
• Newsletter: How the government shutdown impacts VA (10/1/25)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• NASA Continuity of Appropriations Plan
• Additional NASA Guidance

National Endowment for the Humanities
Agency Operations in the Absence of Appropriations

National Science Foundation (NSF)
Plan for Operations During a Lapse in Appropriations

Legislative Branch
Legislative Operations During Lapse in Appropriations: Guidance Issued by the Committee on House Administration