Mike Catalini, Associated Press
An analysis by the States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness indicates that the Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants since the beginning of his second term. The tracking tool, released on September 16, 2026, shows that these cuts have impacted all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with significant reductions in health, nutrition, environmental, and disaster relief funding.
The analysis highlights specific grants that were eliminated, frozen, or delayed, including those related to maternal health in Michigan, education research in Mississippi, and assistance for minority farmers in Iowa. The states of California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and North Carolina experienced the largest interruptions in grant funding. The tool used for tracking these changes is named Lost Funds.
Scott Delaney, co-founder of Grant Witness, stated, "By bringing thousands of funding disruptions from the Trump administration together in a publicly accessible, verified database, Lost Funds puts the magnitude of their impact on full display." The $177 billion figure represents nearly 10% of federal discretionary spending, according to the organizations involved in the analysis.
The organizers of the tracker noted that the disrupted grants exceed the typical cuts that occur with changes in administration. Kelly Rader, research director at the States United Democracy Center, remarked, "Lost Funds shows the extraordinary scale and real human impact of these disruptions, and how states are once again on the front lines protecting their residents."
In some instances, courts have ruled against the administration's cuts to grant funding. The new tracking tool, which utilizes data from USASpending.gov, will be updated regularly as new actions are taken by the administration and as lawsuits progress through the courts.
States United describes itself as a nonpartisan organization committed to the rule of law and the integrity of elections. It was co-founded by Norm Eisen, an attorney involved in significant lawsuits against the Trump administration, including one concerning the Kennedy Center. Eisen departed from the organization in 2024. Grant Witness consists of scientists, researchers, and attorneys focused on documenting changes in funding under the Trump administration.
A request for comment on the analysis was sent to the White House.