COVID salary flexibility extension for NASA SMD grants

Until recently, government-wide rules (e.g., in OMB memo M-20-26) allowed recipients of grants and cooperative agreements the flexibility to pay salaries and benefits of participants who could not work because of COVID-19 (e.g., because they could not get into a necessary facility closed due to COVID-19). 

Because the government-wide flexibility in OMB memo M-20-26 ended on 9/30/20, NASA has issued Grant Notice 20-02 allowing us, on a case-by-case basis, to extend this flexibility so grantees may continue to pay salaries. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate has created a web page at https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/covid-and-awards to host Grant Notice 20-02, provide information about COVID and grants and, at the bottom of that page, an easy way for grantees to request an extension of the now expired flexibility so PIs may (with approval from their organization) continue to pay salaries of participants who cannot work because of COVID-19.