WhereTaxMoneyGoesFederal spending in Arkansas, FY 2026
Federal awards performed in Arkansas totaled $34.6 billion in fiscal year 2026 — about $11,517 per resident, ranking 36th among states and territories. Of award spending (excluding loans), contracts 3.8%, grants 32.6%, direct payments 62.9%, other assistance 0.7%.
FY 2026 totals are still filling in (Defense contracts publish with a 90-day delay), so they will rise as data arrives.
Federal awards in Arkansas by fiscal year
FY 2026 spending was down 1% from FY 2025 ($35.0 billion). Over the period shown, the peak was FY 2021 at $35.5 billion.
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $34.6 billion |
| FY 2025 | $35.0 billion |
| FY 2024 | $31.9 billion |
| FY 2023 | $32.3 billion |
| FY 2022 | $31.4 billion |
| FY 2021 | $35.5 billion |
| FY 2020 | $30.1 billion |
| FY 2019 | $25.5 billion |
| FY 2018 | $24.1 billion |
| FY 2017 | $23.9 billion |
Top recipients in Arkansas
FY 2026, place of performance in Arkansas. State agencies often top this list because Medicaid and other formula grants pass through them.
| # | Recipient | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple recipients (aggregated) | $20.3 billion | |
| 2 | Human Services, Arkansas Department of | $7.1 billion | |
| 3 | Arkansas Department of Transportation | $1.1 billion | |
| 4 | Arkansas Department of Human Services | $652.3 million | |
| 5 | Department of Education Arkansas | $526.0 million | |
| 6 | Redacted Due to Pii | $428.8 million | |
| 7 | General Dynamics-Ots, INC. | $248.3 million | |
| 8 | Executive Office of the State of Arkansa | $208.6 million | |
| 9 | Arkansas Department of Health | $166.0 million | |
| 10 | Department of Agriculture Arkansas | $142.7 million |
Which agencies spend in Arkansas
FY 2026 award obligations by awarding agency.
| # | Agency | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Administration | $17.0 billion | |
| 2 | Department of Health and Human Services | $8.7 billion | |
| 3 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $2.8 billion | |
| 4 | Department of Agriculture | $1.4 billion | |
| 5 | Department of Transportation | $1.4 billion | |
| 6 | Department of Defense | $971.3 million | |
| 7 | Department of Education | $898.4 million | |
| 8 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $374.9 million | |
| 9 | Railroad Retirement Board | $269.9 million | |
| 10 | Department of Energy | $198.1 million |
Largest federal assistance programs in Arkansas
Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA programs) with the most FY 2026 obligations performed in Arkansas.
| # | Program | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Retirement Insurance (96.002) | $12.3 billion | |
| 2 | Grants to States for Medicaid (93.778) | $6.9 billion | |
| 3 | Social Security Disability Insurance (96.001) | $2.5 billion | |
| 4 | Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability (64.109) | $2.3 billion | |
| 5 | Social Security Survivors Insurance (96.004) | $1.3 billion | |
| 6 | Supplemental Security Income (96.006) | $859.3 million | |
| 7 | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (10.551) | $467.3 million | |
| 8 | Highway Planning and Construction (20.205) | $357.9 million |
Search Arkansas awards
Contracts in Arkansas Grants in Arkansas
Compare with nearby ranks
Source data last updated November 4, 2026 · Imported November 6, 2026 · Dollar figures are nominal and rounded. How these numbers are calculated · Report a problem