Your TL;DR: A government shutdown disrupts funding cycles, but clear communication keeps stakeholders confident. EBHC helps you frame evaluation and data into strong updates that reassure partners and reviewers.
Why Communication Matters During a Shutdown
When the government shuts down, the silence from federal agencies can be unnerving. Deadlines shift, reimbursements are delayed, and guidance from program officers goes quiet. For applicants and grantees, this can leave partners, collaborators, and community stakeholders wondering: what happens now?
👉 For context on how shutdowns affect grants, see our earlier post here.
Strong communication is the difference between stakeholders losing confidence and staying engaged.
What Applicants Should Communicate
Even if your application is stalled in review, you can still keep partners engaged by:
- Sharing evaluation plans: Show collaborators how outcomes will be measured, so they understand the value of their role.
- Reconfirming commitments: Use this time to reassure partners that their letters of support or contributions are still critical.
- Explaining timelines: Acknowledge uncertainty, but explain the steps you have ready for when reviews resume.
What Awardees Should Communicate
For current grantees, delayed payments or reporting requirements do not have to translate into silence. Use this pause to:
- Update stakeholders with data: Share interim evaluation findings to prove progress continues.
- Show resilience: Demonstrate how your team is maintaining activities despite delays.
- Outline sustainability: Reassure funders and community partners that the project is structured to survive disruptions.
The Gap Without Communication
If you remain silent during a shutdown, stakeholders may assume your project has stalled—or worse, failed. Missed opportunities to share data and evaluation findings can weaken trust, making it harder to re-engage when agencies reopen.
How EBHC Strengthens Your Messaging
Evaluation is not just numbers; it is a communication tool. At EBHC, we help clients translate data into compelling updates that keep stakeholders confident even in times of uncertainty. Our track record includes:
- Providing NSF and EDA grantees with evaluation reports that served as both compliance tools and communication assets.
- Helping clients articulate progress in terms funders value most: measurable outcomes, sustainability, and impact.
We don’t just evaluate—we help you tell the story of resilience and results.
Keeping Confidence High in Times of Disruption
Shutdowns may pause federal processes, but they do not have to stall your relationships with funders and partners. With clear communication grounded in evaluation, you can maintain credibility, trust, and forward momentum.
EBHC ensures your evaluation data becomes your most powerful communication tool.
Ready To Take the Next Step?
We assist our clients in locating, applying for, and evaluating the outcomes of non-dilutive grant funding. We believe non-dilutive funding is a crucial tool for mitigating investment risks, and we are dedicated to guiding our clients through the entire process—from identifying the most suitable opportunities to submitting and managing grant applications.