USAspending.gov

Official site: https://usaspending.gov

What This Site Is

USAspending.gov is the federal government's official public database showing where U.S. tax dollars go.

It tracks contracts, grants, loans, and other federal awards, and lets you see who received the money, how much they received, when it was awarded, and which agency paid it.

This site is used by journalists, watchdogs, researchers, businesses, and the public to trace government spending and verify how federal money is distributed.

What You Can Do Here

  • See who received federal money — companies, nonprofits, state and local governments, and other organizations
  • Look up a specific award using a company name, keyword, or award ID
  • View federal contracts vs. grants and see how much was awarded under each
  • Explore spending by location (state, city, or ZIP code)
  • Analyze spending by agency or program
  • Download official data for reporting, research, or deeper analysis

Start Here

Note: If you're on the USAspending homepage, click "Start Searching Awards" to reach this page.

Screenshot showing where to start on USAspending.gov

Click or press Enter to enlarge

How This Page Works

  1. The yellow box (top right) shows the main navigation menu — use Search Award Data to find spending records
  2. The red box (left sidebar) shows Advanced Search filters — use these to narrow by recipient, agency, location, award type, and time period

Questions This Site Can Answer

  • See how much federal money a company or nonprofit has received over time
  • Find large or unusual federal awards
  • Compare how different agencies spend money
  • Check where federal money is being spent geographically
  • Verify whether a reported contract or grant actually exists
  • Understand the scale of spending behind a program or initiative

Good to Know

  • "Awards" are individual spending records, not summaries — one company may have hundreds of awards
  • Totals change depending on filters (time period, award type, prime vs. sub-awards)
  • Contracts and grants are different — contracts pay for goods/services, grants fund programs
  • Award amounts can change over time due to modifications
  • Data is official but not real-time — recent awards may take days or weeks to appear
  • Search works best when you start broad, then narrow using filters instead of keywords
  • Some recipients appear under multiple names (parent companies, subsidiaries, or spelling variations)
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