University Invites Comments on New OMB Uniform Guidance Proposal

On May 29, 2026, the Office for Management and Budget (OMB) released a proposal to revise the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance that would alter government-wide policies and requirements related to the management of grants, cooperative agreements, and other forms of assistance. This proposed rule would establish new baseline requirements for federal programs, including research grants. These requirements will govern how awards are issued, approved, managed, monitored, or canceled.

The proposed rule, if finalized, would create significant changes to how federal awards are administered and codify several Executive Orders.  As presented, a conversion of Uniform Guidance to Uniform Regulation will require adoption across all agencies and impact how we apply for awards, redefine allowable costs, and provide additional authority to how the Federal Government modifies or terminates awards. 

Several associations have released summaries and other resources addressing some of the major issues with the OMB proposed rule change:

• American Association of Universities – OMB Proposes Major Changes to How the Federal Government Funds Scientific Research
• Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities – Key Issues within OMB Uniform Guidance Proposal
• Council on Government Relations – OMB Proposed Rule on Uniform Guidance: Immediate Considerations for Research Institutions

The University invites comments and feedback from the campus research community on the anticipated impact of the proposed rule, and will plan to incorporate these comments into an institutional response which will be submitted on behalf of the University. Please use the following form to provide comments no later than Tuesday, June 30, 2026: https://forms.gle/X6rPKmCa7QceTyqB7

Separately from the official university response, members of the campus research community are also welcome to submit public comments directly to the federal register individually as private citizens. Public comments can be submitted until Monday, July 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. A full description of the proposed rule and instructions for submitting comments are available here.