PlainSpending

About PlainSpending

PlainSpending is a free, public tool that makes U.S. federal government spending data easy to search and understand. We present data from USASpending.gov, the official source for federal spending information, in a format designed for quick lookup and comparison.

Data Source

All data on PlainSpending comes from USASpending.gov, maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in compliance with the DATA Act (Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014). USASpending.gov tracks every federal dollar spent — from contracts and grants to loans and direct payments.

What We Track

  • States: Total federal spending by state, per capita comparisons, award type breakdowns (contracts, grants, loans, direct payments), top agencies and recipients.
  • Counties: County-level federal spending data with per capita figures and state context.
  • Agencies: Federal agency budgets, obligated amounts, and spending breakdown by award type.
  • Trends: Multi-year spending trends showing how federal spending has changed over time.

Award Types Explained

  • Contracts: Agreements where the government purchases goods or services from private-sector companies.
  • Grants: Financial assistance given to organizations (states, municipalities, nonprofits, etc.) for specific purposes. Unlike contracts, the government does not receive goods or services in return.
  • Loans: Federal lending programs where the government provides financing that must be repaid.
  • Direct Payments: Payments made directly to individuals or entities, including Social Security, Medicare, veterans' benefits, and similar programs.
  • Other Financial Assistance: Insurance, interest subsidies, and other forms of financial support not classified above.

Key Terms

  • Budget Authority: The amount of money Congress authorizes an agency to spend.
  • Obligated Amount: Money that an agency has committed to spend (legally bound). This is typically lower than budget authority.
  • Per Capita: Total spending divided by population, showing the relative intensity of federal spending per resident.
  • Fiscal Year (FY): The federal fiscal year runs October 1 through September 30. FY2024 covers October 2023 through September 2024.

Limitations

  • Spending is attributed to the place of performance, which may differ from where the benefit is ultimately received.
  • Some federal programs (classified defense, intelligence) may not be fully represented.
  • County-level data may not capture all spending, as some awards are only reported at the state level.
  • Data is updated periodically as USASpending.gov publishes new fiscal year reports.

Disclaimer

PlainSpending is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, USASpending.gov, or any federal agency. This site is for informational purposes only. We present publicly available government data and do not make policy recommendations.

Contact

Questions or feedback? Reach out at [email protected].