What is the biggest federal assistance program in FY2020?

Social Security Retirement Insurance, obligating $853.6B in FY2020.

What is a CFDA number?

The identifier from the federal Assistance Listings catalogue (formerly the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance). Every grant, loan and direct-payment program has one, which is how the same program can be tracked across agencies and years.

Where does this ranking come from?

It is computed from USASpending.gov award records, which are U.S. government works and in the public domain. Each figure is the FY2020 obligations recorded against that assistance program. TheFiscalFinder does the ranking; the underlying figures are the government's own.

How many programs are shown?

The top 100 for FY2020. Each row opens that program's own page, where the same money is broken out by year, by counterparty and by place.

Does a high position mean anything is wrong?

No. This is a description of where public money went in FY2020, computed from public records. It is not an allegation about anyone on it.

Rankings

Top federal assistance programs: FY2020

FY2020 · complete year · data as of 2026-07-12

≈ computed · CFDA

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Social Security Retirement Insurance was the largest federal assistance program in FY2020, obligating $853.6B. Ranked by CFDA program — the catalogue number every federal grant, loan and direct-payment program carries. This is the named-program view of assistance spending. Computed

Ranked from USASpending records. FY2020 to FY2026 are loaded.

Quick findings

Computed

The top 10 account for 76% of the $4.2T combined total of all 100 programs listed.

Rank	Name	FY2020
01	Social Security Retirement InsuranceAssistance Listing 96.002	$853.6B
02	Paycheck Protection Loan Program (PPP)Assistance Listing 59.073	$532.3B
03	Grants to States for MedicaidAssistance Listing 93.778	$460B
04	Medicare Supplementary Medical InsuranceAssistance Listing 93.774	$409.7B
05	Medicare Hospital InsuranceAssistance Listing 93.773	$395.7B
06	Coronavirus Relief FundAssistance Listing 21.019	$147.7B
07	Social Security Disability InsuranceAssistance Listing 96.001	$142.7B
08	Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural DistributionAssistance Listing 93.498	$99.7B
09	Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected DisabilityAssistance Listing 64.109	$94.2B
10	Social Security Survivors InsuranceAssistance Listing 96.004	$90.5B
11	Medicare Prescription Drug CoverageAssistance Listing 93.770	$89.2B
12	Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramAssistance Listing 10.551	$83.9B
13	Supplemental Security IncomeAssistance Listing 96.006	$56.2B
14	Highway Planning and ConstructionAssistance Listing 20.205	$45.7B
15	Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals and Households - Other NeedsAssistance Listing 97.050	$41.7B
16	Education Stabilization FundAssistance Listing 84.425	$30.1B
17	Federal Transit Formula GrantsAssistance Listing 20.507	$28.6B
18	Coronavirus Relief - Pandemic Relief for Aviation WorkersAssistance Listing 21.018	$28.2B
19	Federal Pell Grant ProgramAssistance Listing 84.063	$27.6B
20	Disaster Assistance LoansAssistance Listing 59.008	$26.1B
21	Universal Service Fund - High CostAssistance Listing 32.002	$25.7B
22	Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters)Assistance Listing 97.036	$25.5B
23	National School Lunch ProgramAssistance Listing 10.555	$25.1B
24	Section 8 Housing Choice VouchersAssistance Listing 14.871	$24.8B
25	Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency AdvanceAssistance Listing 59.072	$20B
26	Children's Health Insurance ProgramAssistance Listing 93.767	$18.2B
27	Temporary Assistance for Needy FamiliesAssistance Listing 93.558	$17.1B
28	Title I Grants to Local Educational AgenciesAssistance Listing 84.010	$16.2B
29	Social Insurance for Railroad WorkersAssistance Listing 57.001	$13.5B
30	Airport Improvement Program, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Programs, and COVID-19 Airports ProgramsAssistance Listing 20.106	$13.5B
31	Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)Assistance Listing 14.195	$13.2B
32	USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs OverseasAssistance Listing 98.001	$13.1B
33	Special Education Grants to StatesAssistance Listing 84.027	$12.8B
34	Purchase Care ProgramAssistance Listing 64.029	$11.5B
35	Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC)Assistance Listing 93.323	$11.2B
36	Head StartAssistance Listing 93.600	$11.1B
37	Post-9/11 Veterans Educational AssistanceAssistance Listing 64.028	$10.2B
38	VHA Outpatient Specialty CareAssistance Listing 64.041	$9.1B
39	Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 1Assistance Listing 10.130	$8.8B
40	Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development FundAssistance Listing 93.596	$8.6B
41	Veterans Prescription ServiceAssistance Listing 64.012	$8.3B
42	VHA Outpatient Ancillary ServicesAssistance Listing 64.045	$7.5B
43	Unemployment InsuranceAssistance Listing 17.225	$7.4B
44	VHA Inpatient MedicineAssistance Listing 64.040	$7.1B
45	Veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Service-Connected DeathAssistance Listing 64.110	$6.9B
46	Community Development Block Grants/State's program and Non-Entitlement Grants in HawaiiAssistance Listing 14.228	$6.3B
47	Basic Health Program (Affordable Care Act)Assistance Listing 93.640	$6.3B
48	Foster Care Title IV-EAssistance Listing 93.658	$5.6B
49	WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Assistance Listing 10.557	$5.3B
50	Grants for New and Expanded Services under the Health Center ProgramAssistance Listing 93.527	$5.1B
51	State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramAssistance Listing 10.561	$4.9B
52	Allergy and Infectious Diseases ResearchAssistance Listing 93.855	$4.9B
53	Public Housing Operating FundAssistance Listing 14.850	$4.8B
54	Low-Income Home Energy AssistanceAssistance Listing 93.568	$4.6B
55	UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND - SCHOOLS and LIBRARIESAssistance Listing 32.004	$4.4B
56	General Department of State AssistanceAssistance Listing 19.700	$4B
57	Child Care and Development Block GrantAssistance Listing 93.575	$3.5B
58	VHA Mental Health clinicsAssistance Listing 64.048	$3.5B
59	Adoption AssistanceAssistance Listing 93.659	$3.4B
60	VHA Diagnostic CareAssistance Listing 64.050	$3.4B
61	Tribal Self-Governance Program: IHS Compacts/Funding Agreements Assistance Listing 93.210	$3.3B
62	Rehabilitation Services Vocational Rehabilitation Grants to StatesAssistance Listing 84.126	$3.1B
63	Veterans Prosthetic AppliancesAssistance Listing 64.013	$3B
64	State of Good Repair Grants ProgramAssistance Listing 20.525	$3B
65	National Railroad Passenger Corporation GrantsAssistance Listing 20.315	$3B
66	VHA Primary CareAssistance Listing 64.047	$3B
67	Pension for Non-Service-Connected Disability for VeteransAssistance Listing 64.104	$2.9B
68	Aging ResearchAssistance Listing 93.866	$2.8B
69	Biomedical Research and Research TrainingAssistance Listing 93.859	$2.8B
70	Community Development Block Grants/Entitlement GrantsAssistance Listing 14.218	$2.8B
71	Public Housing Capital FundAssistance Listing 14.872	$2.7B
72	Contributions to International Organizations for Overseas AssistanceAssistance Listing 19.515	$2.7B
73	Price Loss CoverageAssistance Listing 10.112	$2.6B
74	Conservation Stewardship ProgramAssistance Listing 10.924	$2.6B
75	Child Support EnforcementAssistance Listing 93.563	$2.5B
76	Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Assistance Listing 10.931	$2.5B
77	Formula Grants for Rural Areas and Tribal Transit ProgramAssistance Listing 20.509	$2.5B
78	VHA Community Living CenterAssistance Listing 64.049	$2.4B
79	VHA Inpatient SurgeryAssistance Listing 64.042	$2.4B
80	National Guard Military Operations and Maintenance (O&M) ProjectsAssistance Listing 12.401	$2.3B
81	Global AIDSAssistance Listing 93.067	$2.2B
82	Nutrition Assistance For Puerto RicoAssistance Listing 10.566	$2.2B
83	Federal Transit Capital Investment GrantsAssistance Listing 20.500	$2.2B
84	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological DisordersAssistance Listing 93.853	$2.1B
85	Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants)Assistance Listing 84.367	$2.1B
86	Health Center ProgramAssistance Listing 93.224	$2.1B
87	Continuum of Care Program Assistance Listing 14.267	$2B
88	Universal Service Fund - Rural Health CareAssistance Listing 32.005	$2B
89	Emergency Solutions Grant ProgramAssistance Listing 14.231	$1.9B
90	Crop InsuranceAssistance Listing 10.450	$1.9B
91	Conservation Reserve ProgramAssistance Listing 10.069	$1.9B
92	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural ResearchAssistance Listing 93.847	$1.8B
93	Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance AbuseAssistance Listing 93.959	$1.8B
94	Unaccompanied Alien Children ProgramAssistance Listing 93.676	$1.7B
95	National Infrastructure Investments Assistance Listing 20.933	$1.7B
96	ChampvaAssistance Listing 64.039	$1.7B
97	Community Services Block GrantAssistance Listing 93.569	$1.7B
98	Mental Health Research GrantsAssistance Listing 93.242	$1.7B
99	Mathematical and Physical SciencesAssistance Listing 47.049	$1.6B
100	Cardiovascular Diseases ResearchAssistance Listing 93.837	$1.6B

A program's obligations are usually routed through state agencies or institutions, which appear as the recipients of record. The program page shows both ends.

Questions

What is the biggest federal assistance program in FY2020?: Social Security Retirement Insurance, obligating $853.6B in FY2020.
What is a CFDA number?: The identifier from the federal Assistance Listings catalogue (formerly the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance). Every grant, loan and direct-payment program has one, which is how the same program can be tracked across agencies and years.
Where does this ranking come from?: It is computed from USASpending.gov award records, which are U.S. government works and in the public domain. Each figure is the FY2020 obligations recorded against that assistance program. TheFiscalFinder does the ranking; the underlying figures are the government's own.
How many programs are shown?: The top 100 for FY2020. Each row opens that program's own page, where the same money is broken out by year, by counterparty and by place.
Does a high position mean anything is wrong?: No. This is a description of where public money went in FY2020, computed from public records. It is not an allegation about anyone on it.

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Why the labels? The graph is only worth anything if the links are trusted. Facts taken straight from a federal filing are Source; figures we calculate are Computed; links we infer (corporate parents, districts, similar contractors, connections between records) are Inferred, worded carefully, never asserted as fact and never a claim that one thing caused another. Spot an error? Tell us.