WhereTaxMoneyGoesFederal spending in Tennessee, FY 2026
Federal awards performed in Tennessee totaled $129.5 billion in fiscal year 2026 — about $19,277 per resident, ranking 17th among states and territories. Of award spending (excluding loans), contracts 9.6%, grants 15.8%, direct payments 74.5%, other assistance 0.2%.
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 Tennessee by fiscal year
FY 2026 spending was up 7% from FY 2025 ($121.3 billion). Over the period shown, the peak was FY 2026 at $129.5 billion.
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $129.5 billion |
| FY 2025 | $121.3 billion |
| FY 2024 | $107.1 billion |
| FY 2023 | $103.0 billion |
| FY 2022 | $96.2 billion |
| FY 2021 | $108.8 billion |
| FY 2020 | $100.3 billion |
| FY 2019 | $86.1 billion |
| FY 2018 | $82.4 billion |
| FY 2017 | $81.2 billion |
Top recipients in Tennessee
FY 2026, place of performance in Tennessee. State agencies often top this list because Medicaid and other formula grants pass through them.
| # | Recipient | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple recipients (aggregated) | $92.5 billion | |
| 2 | Finance & Administration Tennessee Depar | $12.2 billion | |
| 3 | Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC | $3.3 billion | |
| 4 | Ut-Battelle LLC | $3.0 billion | |
| 5 | Tennessee Department of Human Services | $2.5 billion | |
| 6 | Department of Education Tennessee | $1.4 billion | |
| 7 | Tennessee Department of Transportation | $1.4 billion | |
| 8 | Tennessee Emergency Management Authority | $823.3 million | |
| 9 | United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC | $569.6 million | |
| 10 | Tennessee Department of Health | $530.1 million |
Which agencies spend in Tennessee
FY 2026 award obligations by awarding agency.
| # | Agency | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Health and Human Services | $62.8 billion | |
| 2 | Social Security Administration | $38.2 billion | |
| 3 | Department of Energy | $7.9 billion | |
| 4 | Department of Veterans Affairs | $6.9 billion | |
| 5 | Department of Agriculture | $3.0 billion | |
| 6 | Department of Defense | $2.2 billion | |
| 7 | Department of Education | $2.2 billion | |
| 8 | Department of Transportation | $1.7 billion | |
| 9 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | $1.3 billion | |
| 10 | Department of Homeland Security | $1.1 billion |
Largest federal assistance programs in Tennessee
Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA programs) with the most FY 2026 obligations performed in Tennessee.
| # | Program | Amount | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Security Retirement Insurance (96.002) | $29.6 billion | |
| 2 | Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance (93.774) | $25.4 billion | |
| 3 | Medicare Hospital Insurance (93.773) | $19.8 billion | |
| 4 | Grants to States for Medicaid (93.778) | $11.7 billion | |
| 5 | Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability (64.109) | $5.3 billion | |
| 6 | Social Security Disability Insurance (96.001) | $4.4 billion | |
| 7 | Social Security Survivors Insurance (96.004) | $2.8 billion | |
| 8 | Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (93.770) | $2.5 billion |
Search Tennessee awards
Contracts in Tennessee Grants in Tennessee
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