What the federal government spends in your state

I'm pleased to share with you State Smart, a brand 

new release from National Priorities Project. 

State Smart shows you exactly how the federal government is spending taxpayer dollars at the state level. 

Here's a sample of what you can find 

at State Smart:

• How much money does the federal government spend on contracts in your state, and which agencies are footing the bill?
• What kind of compensation do federal employees in your state receive?
• Is your state getting more or less in federal grants now compared to a few years ago?
• What's the average per-person benefit for federal programs like Social Security, food stamps, and unemployment insurance in your state?

My fellow researchers and I have spent months uncovering these details and more from a variety of sources, aggregating them into one comprehensive and easy-to-use website. We highlight how much states pay in federal taxes at the individual and business level, as well as the totality of federal dollars that come to states through four primary spending areas:

• federal money directly to individuals, 
• grants to state and local governments, 
• federal compensation, and 
• federal contracts.

Check out what the Washington Post's GovBeat has to say about State Smart.

Why is State Smart needed?

Since 2010, the last year that the U.S. Census Bureau published its Consolidated Federal Funds Report, there has been limited transparency of spending data at the federal level. That report was partially replaced with an incomplete and inaccurate website called USASpending.gov. In addition to its errors, USASpending is difficult to use, making it unlikely that ordinary Americans can actually access data about how much the government is spending in the states.

My colleagues at NPP and I believe the government should report this level of detail itself, since the money in question is primarily provided by individual taxpayers like you and me. Unfortunately, right now that's just not happening.

We decided to fill the void. Why? Americans are affected every day by federal spending. These dollars have a direct impact on people: food stamps, education benefits, Medicaid, and hundreds of other programs are funded by the federal government. Plus, it's our money. We need, and deserve, accurate and state-level information about how that money is being spent.