WhereTaxMoneyGoesFederal spending in Iowa, FY 2026
Federal awards performed in Iowa totaled $34.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 — about $11,065 per resident, ranking 35th among states and territories. Of award spending (excluding loans), contracts 6.0%, grants 31.2%, direct payments 62.4%, other assistance 0.4%.
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 Iowa by fiscal year
FY 2026 spending was down 7% from FY 2025 ($37.6 billion). Over the period shown, the peak was FY 2025 at $37.6 billion.
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $34.8 billion |
| FY 2025 | $37.6 billion |
| FY 2024 | $32.9 billion |
| FY 2023 | $31.8 billion |
| FY 2022 | $30.8 billion |
| FY 2021 | $34.9 billion |
| FY 2020 | $30.9 billion |
| FY 2019 | $26.5 billion |
| FY 2018 | $24.1 billion |
| FY 2017 | $23.1 billion |
Top recipients in Iowa
FY 2026, place of performance in Iowa. State agencies often top this list because Medicaid and other formula grants pass through them.
| # | Recipient | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple recipients (aggregated) | $19.4 billion | |
| 2 | IA Department of Human Services | $7.4 billion | |
| 3 | Redacted Due to Pii | $1.1 billion | |
| 4 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $975.9 million | |
| 5 | Department of Education Iowa | $602.1 million | |
| 6 | Rockwell Collins, INC. | $546.8 million | |
| 7 | Iowa Department of Health and Human Services | $352.2 million | |
| 8 | Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department | $312.1 million | |
| 9 | Data Link Solutions LLC | $295.2 million | |
| 10 | The University of Iowa | $278.5 million |
Which agencies spend in Iowa
FY 2026 award obligations by awarding agency.
| # | Agency | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Administration | $17.4 billion | |
| 2 | Department of Health and Human Services | $7.9 billion | |
| 3 | Department of Agriculture | $2.3 billion | |
| 4 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $1.7 billion | |
| 5 | Department of Defense | $1.6 billion | |
| 6 | Department of Transportation | $1.3 billion | |
| 7 | Department of Education | $708.4 million | |
| 8 | Department of Homeland Security | $338.4 million | |
| 9 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $295.9 million | |
| 10 | Railroad Retirement Board | $248.7 million |
Largest federal assistance programs in Iowa
Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA programs) with the most FY 2026 obligations performed in Iowa.
| # | Program | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Retirement Insurance (96.002) | $14.4 billion | |
| 2 | Grants to States for Medicaid (93.778) | $6.2 billion | |
| 3 | Social Security Disability Insurance (96.001) | $1.5 billion | |
| 4 | Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability (64.109) | $1.4 billion | |
| 5 | Social Security Survivors Insurance (96.004) | $1.1 billion | |
| 6 | Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (10.988) | $645.0 million | |
| 7 | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (10.551) | $509.6 million | |
| 8 | Supplemental Security Income (96.006) | $442.2 million |
Search Iowa awards
Contracts in Iowa Grants in Iowa
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