After releasing a “skinny” budget for fiscal year (FY) 2026 in early May, the administration has now released additional budget materials. These include the budget appendix, which includes all discretionary budget accounts and proposals in tabular form. Still missing are some supplemental materials from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) plus congressional justifications for certain departments and agencies. Without the latter, it can be difficult to pinpoint the specifics of—and reasoning behind—budget proposals.
After reviewing the new documents, one analyst observed, “It seems like most grants are either zeroed out or level-funded.” Table 1 at the end of this brief only hints at the extent to which this is true. It summarizes recent and proposed funding for several dozen discretionary and mandatory grants that account for the majority of federal aid to states. Funding for the discretionary grants listed on the table would decline by 18% under the president’s budget (even accounting for programs that would replace them).
Table 2 lists 193 grants proposed for elimination in FY 2026; FY 2025 appropriations for them totaled $107 billion.
This Budget Brief highlights themes in the president’s budget and summarizes selected proposals.