Key facts
- The Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants since the start of its second term.
- The disruptions affected all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Health, nutrition, environmental, and disaster relief programs accounted for the largest share of cuts.
- California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and North Carolina experienced the highest amounts of interrupted grant money.
- The $177 billion figure represents nearly 10% of federal discretionary spending.
- The analysis was released by the States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness.
The Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants across all 50 states and the District of Columbia since the start of its second term, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness. The disruptions, which impacted health, nutrition, environmental, and disaster relief programs the most, represent nearly 10% of federal discretionary spending.
Researchers found that grants related to maternal health in Michigan, education research in Mississippi, and assistance to minority farmers in Iowa were among those eliminated, frozen, or delayed. California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and North Carolina experienced the highest amounts of interrupted grant money, according to the tracking tool called Lost Funds.
"By bringing thousands of funding disruptions from the Trump administration together in a publicly accessible, verified database, Lost Funds puts the magnitude of their impact on full display," said Scott Delaney, cofounder of Grant Witness. Kelly Rader, States United Democracy Center’s research director, added, "Lost Funds shows the extraordinary scale and real human impact of these disruptions, and how states are once again on the frontlines protecting their residents."
The Lost Funds tracker, which relies on data from USASpending.gov, will be updated regularly. In some instances, courts have ruled against the administration’s grant funding cuts. States United Democracy Center describes itself as a nonpartisan group dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections, and was cofounded by Norm Eisen, an attorney involved in lawsuits against the Trump administration. Grant Witness is composed of scientists, researchers, and attorneys documenting funding changes under the Trump administration.