WhereTaxMoneyGoesFederal spending in Illinois, FY 2026
Federal awards performed in Illinois totaled $138.3 billion in fiscal year 2026 — about $10,801 per resident, ranking 12th among states and territories. Of award spending (excluding loans), contracts 9.3%, grants 29.8%, direct payments 60.6%, other assistance 0.3%.
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 Illinois by fiscal year
FY 2026 spending was up 2% from FY 2025 ($135.2 billion). Over the period shown, the peak was FY 2023 at $158.5 billion.
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $138.3 billion |
| FY 2025 | $135.2 billion |
| FY 2024 | $128.8 billion |
| FY 2023 | $158.5 billion |
| FY 2022 | $118.0 billion |
| FY 2021 | $141.2 billion |
| FY 2020 | $110.2 billion |
| FY 2019 | $89.4 billion |
| FY 2018 | $88.7 billion |
| FY 2017 | $84.6 billion |
Top recipients in Illinois
FY 2026, place of performance in Illinois. State agencies often top this list because Medicaid and other formula grants pass through them.
| # | Recipient | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple recipients (aggregated) | $75.1 billion | |
| 2 | Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services | $25.5 billion | |
| 3 | Illinois Department of Human Service | $5.7 billion | |
| 4 | Illinois State Board of Education | $2.7 billion | |
| 5 | Illinois Department of Transportation | $2.4 billion | |
| 6 | W S Darley & CO | $1.8 billion | |
| 7 | Chicago Housing Authority | $1.2 billion | |
| 8 | Medline Industries, LP | $943.1 million | |
| 9 | Illinois Environmental Protection Agency | $778.2 million | |
| 10 | Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC | $774.3 million |
Which agencies spend in Illinois
FY 2026 award obligations by awarding agency.
| # | Agency | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Administration | $60.9 billion | |
| 2 | Department of Health and Human Services | $38.5 billion | |
| 3 | Department of Defense | $7.7 billion | |
| 4 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $7.1 billion | |
| 5 | Department of Agriculture | $6.5 billion | |
| 6 | Department of Transportation | $4.2 billion | |
| 7 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $4.0 billion | |
| 8 | Department of Education | $3.4 billion | |
| 9 | Department of Energy | $2.3 billion | |
| 10 | Railroad Retirement Board | $900.0 million |
Largest federal assistance programs in Illinois
Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA programs) with the most FY 2026 obligations performed in Illinois.
| # | Program | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Retirement Insurance (96.002) | $49.0 billion | |
| 2 | Grants to States for Medicaid (93.778) | $24.5 billion | |
| 3 | Social Security Disability Insurance (96.001) | $5.1 billion | |
| 4 | Social Security Survivors Insurance (96.004) | $4.4 billion | |
| 5 | Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability (64.109) | $4.3 billion | |
| 6 | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (10.551) | $3.7 billion | |
| 7 | Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance (93.774) | $3.2 billion | |
| 8 | Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (93.770) | $3.0 billion |
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Contracts in Illinois Grants in Illinois
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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