Published On: November 13, 20253.2 min read637 words

The longest full government shutdown in U.S. history has officially ended. On Wednesday evening, both chambers of Congress passed a short-term funding package that reopens federal agencies and restores pay for furloughed employees. The President signed the legislation into law late Wednesday night, allowing normal government operations to resume immediately.

The short-term measure extends funding through January 30, 2026, keeping nearly all federal funding levels the same as before the shutdown, which means most agencies are still operating under Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 levels, now two years old.

Given the unprecedented length of this shutdown and earlier staffing cuts, federal agencies will take time to recover. Expect delayed communication and slower processing across agencies as employees work through significant backlogs.

What Happens Now

  • Logistics

  • Government Operations​​ Federal agencies are reopening offices, systems, and public portals. Expect some delays as operations fully restart.
  • Back Pay​ Federal workers will receive back pay, but the timing depends on each agency’s payroll processing. Due to the layoffs of agency payroll employees by this Administration earlier this year, we expect additional delays.
  • Agency Communication Grantees and providers should soon be able to reconnect with their program officers and resume pending work.

  • Youth Homelessness Funding

  • Funding Levels​​​​ Funding for programs like the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program will remain unchanged under this temporary measure.
  • HHS, ED, and HUD Are Reopening​​​ All Federal Agencies will begin reopening offices and systems, allowing communication with program officers to resume.
  • New Grants Processing​​ Providers waiting on awards, reimbursements, or technical assistance will begin to see progress as staff return.
  • Reinstated Federal Employees​ Federal employees who were furloughed or terminated, including Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program officers, will be reinstated.
  • SNAP Now that the government has reopened, the Department of Agriculture has resumed normal operations. However, November SNAP benefits have not yet been fully distributed, and it will take time to navigate the bureaucratic challenges of getting the program fully back on track.

What We are Watching

  • Youth Homelessness Programs

  • Continuum of Care and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program NOFOs​​ This summer, HUD unexpectedly announced it would release a one-year FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the regular Continuum of Care (CoC) program and the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). The NOFOs still haven’t been released, and the delay could mean that some CoCs begin to lose their funding in January.
  • Contacting Program Officers​ Some grantees and service providers are still waiting to hear back from program officers. This includes organizations that have already been awarded grants but cannot yet draw down funds, as well as those awaiting confirmation on whether their grant applications were approved.

NN4Y will continue monitoring the situation and sharing updates on how this reopening process affects youth homelessness programs and grantees.

Learn More at Upcoming Webinar

  • Federal Policy Update on Child and Youth Homelessness (November 2025)

Date​ Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time 1:00 – 2:00 PM Eastern (12:00 PM Central, 11:00 AM Mountain, 10:00 AM Pacific)

This webinar will provide the latest federal policy updates related to child, youth, and family homelessness. We’ll cover:

  • The status and impact of the government shutdown, and/or any pending agreement to reopen the government, as well as the impact of the shutdown on Head Start, housing, and other programs.
  • The status of mass firing of federal agency staff at the U.S. Department of Education, including staff responsible for the education of students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care.
  • The status of the most recent Runaway and Homeless Youth Act funding competition (and any information that may be available on the 2025 HUD Continuum of Care NOFO).
  • The prospects for FY2026 funding for federal programs serving children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness.

Changes to SNAP eligibility (food assistance) and strategies for ensuring that children, youth, and families can access food.

This webinar is co-hosted with SchoolHouse Connection.