Government Shutdown Resource Hub

Partial Government Shutdown as of January 31, 2026

Parts of the federal government are shutdown after Congress and the White House failed to pass the spending bills needed to keep major federal agencies funded and open.

The partial shutdown, which impacts 78% of the federal discretionary budget, could be short-lived. The Senate voted to approve a legislative package January 30th to provide full-year funding for five federal spending bills and to extend temporary funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for another two weeks. The short-term continuing resolution for DHS funding gives lawmakers additional time to negotiate policy changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, following the killing of a second person in Minnesota by federal agents.

The spending package now heads to the House for a vote as soon as Tuesday. With support from Democrats uncertain, House leaders must garner support from virtually every House Republican in order to pass the legislation, including those who have already raised objections.

Why is this a “partial shutdown”?
Following the shutdown last fall, Congress passed FY26 funding bills for six of the twelve federal spending bills required to fund the government. The remaining six bills are: Labor-Health and Human Services, Transportation-Housing and Urban Development, Defense, State-Foreign Operations, Financial Services, and Homeland Security. Congress was not able to reach an agreement on these bill before the January 30th deadline, resulting in a shutdown of non-essential operations within these agencies.

Resources from MNA and the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN)

MNA’s statewide op-ed, Montana’s Nonprofits Aren’t ‘Nice-to-Have;’ They’re Essential Infrastructure Under Threat

NCN Media one-pager outlining the impacts of a government shutdown on nonprofits. This is useful messaging if you are contacted by any media outlets about this issue.

Agency Contingency Plans (Oct/Nov 2025)

Federal agencies have published their contingency plans, outlining which functions will remain open (and which will close) during the shutdown. Additional plans can be found here.

National Council of Nonprofits has put together a summary of agency contingency plans.

• Department of State (DOS): DOS-Lapse-Guidance-updated-29-September-2025.pdf
• Department of the Treasury/IRS:Treasury_IRS_Lapse_Plan.pdf
• Department of Defense (DOD):Contingency Plan Guidance for Continuation of Operations in the Absence of Appropriations
• Department of Justice (DOJ): U.S. Department of Justice FY 2026 Contingency Plan
• Department of the Interior (DOI): Bureau of Reclamation Contingency Plan
• Department of Agriculture (USDA): https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2026-usda-lapse-plan.pdf
• Department of Commerce: DOC Contingency Plan
• Department of Labor (DOL): dol-contingency-plan.pdf
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): FY 2026 HHS Contingency Staffing Plan | HHS.gov
• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUD-Lapse-Plan.pdf
• Department of Transportation (DOT) – DOT_Shutdown_Plan_9.30.25.pdf
• Department of Energy (DOE): https://www.ed.gov/media/document/us-department-of-education-contingency-plan-lapse-fiscal-year-fy-2026-appropriations-112431.pdf
• Department of Education (ED): us-department-of-education-contingency-plan-lapse-fiscal-year-fy-2026-appropriations-112431.pdf
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):Human Capital Contingency Plan – VA Contingency Planning
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS): DHS Procedures Related to a Lapse in Appropriations (Updated September 2025)
• FDA: Food and Drug Administration | HHS.gov
• FTC: Shutdown of Federal Trade Commission Operations Upon Failure of the Congress to Enact Appropriations
• NASA: NASA Guidance – NASA

Here is an infographic outlining how veterans will be impacted by the shutdown.

Montana-specific information (Oct/Nov 2025)

Montana SNAP households received partial SNAP benefits on November 10, 2025. Households are encouraged to check their EBT card balances by calling the dedicated EBT Cardholder Help Desk at 1-866-850-1556 or by visiting mybnft.com. Due to the calculations used to determine partial benefits, some SNAP households may not have received any benefits at this time. All SNAP households will receive their remaining benefits following the end of the government shutdown.

• For help finding food assistance, visit Montana Food Bank Network’s Get Help page.

The status of November SNAP benefits has been uncertain following multiple court rulings and appeals by the Trump Administration in recent days. On November 9th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that the Administration must provide full SNAP benefits, upholding a lower court’s decision. However, implementation of that ruling is on hold (meaning states are once again directed to issue partial benefits – not full benefits) as the Administration appeals the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The outcomes of these court proceedings could become irrelevant as the Senate appears to have reached a deal to end the government shutdown. The government is expected to re-open in the coming days, fully funding the SNAP program.

Montana WIC has funding through November 30th. November benefits were issued as normal.

Fort Belknap Head Start is working to remain open despite likely running out of federal funds on November 1, without a renewal of their federal grant. The Fort Belknap tribal government will provide funding to fill the gap and maintain services for children and families. Other Montana Head Start programs are mid-grant cycle and federal funding should not be interrupted.

Share your story

We are collecting stories about the impact of the shutdown on Montana nonprofits. If you have questions or a story to share, please email Lorianne Burhop, Policy Director.