As I write another newsletter related to the federal government shutdown, I am relieved that at least this one can focus on the fact that it is over. The government is open again and many of us are breathing a deep sigh of relief.

However, the government is funded only through January 30th, when the Continuing Resolution ends. I say this not to dampen the relief you might feel. Instead, I want to emphasize that the window we have right now is especially important for accomplishing tasks related to funding.

Civil servants are eager to get back to work. Our clients have already received quite a few responses to emails that were sent either before or during the shutdown, which shows that staff are actively working through their inboxes. One client has a meeting with a federal funder scheduled for tomorrow. While I generally recommend waiting until furloughed employees have been back about a week (November 20th) to send new emails, do not wait any longer than that.

Civil servants want to move things forward as much as possible during this period. Things are going to slow down again soon, as many offices will be quieter for several weeks in December. Once we return from the holidays, there could be another deadline looming — January 30th.

I spoke recently with someone who is planning to write proposals next summer. They have other priorities for the upcoming semester. However, my recommendation was to begin outreach immediately. Getting conversations started is different from committing to writing a proposal.

First, it can take a lot of time to establish contact with someone at a funding organization. Then, it can take a while to get on their calendar, and additional time for feedback on a white paper, whether formal or informal. This is a lengthy sequence. The summer is brief. If you begin this only after the spring semester ends, you may still be in the early stages of making contact and starting conversations just as the next academic year is starting.

We understand when someone has competing priorities and does not want to write proposals during a certain period. However, imagine that you came across a very strong opportunity — one that you felt had a high chance of being funded. Would you consider changing your strategy? Yes, of course.

What we all need to remember is how dynamic the entire process is. So many moving parts — from the highest levels of government programs, which are themselves dynamic, all the way down to one’s personal calendar, which also has many moving parts.

One essentially has to be ready to work on all of these fronts at any point in time. That does not mean you must do all of them simultaneously. It does mean you must be prepared so that when low-hanging fruit appears, you are able to grab it. Funding must remain on your radar constantly.

If it does not, you may fall behind relative to where you want to be. You may also miss out on good opportunities when there is money to spend and a program officer needs to act quickly. You could be the beneficiary of that, but only if you are on their radar, in communication, and appear to be an active participant in the process.

Last week, we saw movement and progress. The government is up and running again and we can be thankful for that. Let us also face the fact that FY 2026 is likely to be a slog, and there is nothing to do but keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving toward progress.

Important mindset shifts for new assistant professors

Are you a new assistant professor (or soon to be) navigating the shift from solo contributor to research leader? In the third video of my 7-part series, I cover how to shift from reactive scrambling around deadlines to a more strategic approach to research funding—mapping out a 2–3 year plan, tracking timelines, and using tools that actually work for you. I’ll also walk through concrete habits like submitting early and often, reusing core documents, and doing smart pre-work so each proposal feels less rushed and more competitive.

When you are ready, here’s how we can help

Need to get your research funded, this year? Check out our 12-week program to get you there.

Check out our storefront where you can access our free Unlocking DOD Funding for University Researchers course and other resources, including for faculty applicants.

Ready to book a call to discuss how our program can support faculty at your institution? Let’s chat!