2025 Federal Government Shutdown

Congress must allocate funding to 438 government agencies each fiscal year, which ends at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30. If lawmakers don't pass those bills before the new fiscal year starts 12 a.m. Oct. 1, those agencies will be unable to continue normal operations.

Current Situation

The University of Kentucky is closely monitoring negotiations in Congress regarding funding for the federal government. At midnight on Oct. 1, 2025 the federal government partially shut down. The impact of a prolonged shutdown will depend on many factors, including the length of time until a deal is reached in Congress and contingency plans for the agencies impacted.

• This is the 15th shutdown since 1981, according to the Congressional Research Service, many lasting only a day or two. ​

• The previous shutdown was the longest, lasting 34 days between December 2018 and January 2019. ​

• The 2018-2019 shutdown cost the economy about $3 billion, equal to 0.02% of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office.​

• The 2018-2019 shutdown furloughed roughly 800,000 of the federal government's 2.2 million employees.​

• Lawmakers often temporarily push that deadline back by extending agencies’ current funding levels in a continuing resolution so they can continue negotiating.

• The impact will depend on the length of a federal government shutdown as well as guidance from each of the federal agencies affected.

• We are monitoring the situation closely and will provide more information to campus and research community as it becomes available. ​

• We expect no immediate impact on research funding already in place, but our assessment may change depending on how long a federal government shutdown lasts.

• Every agency has different procedures and protocols and has been directed to issue their own contingency plans.

Office of the President: Federal Government Shutdown FAQs

Considerations when Preparing for the Federal Government Shutdown (COGR)

Federal agency lapse plans (APLU)