Glossary
Award
As the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service defines it, in the words of its USAspending glossary.
Definition
Money the federal government has promised to pay a recipient. Funding may be awarded to a company, organization, government entity (i.e., state, local, tribal, federal, or foreign), or individual. It may be obligated (promised) in the form of a contract, grant, loan, insurance, direct payment, etc.
On this site
Of the $5.3 trillion obligated in fiscal year 2025, $778.0 billion was in contracts and $1.2 trillion in grants. See the figures →
Every term: the glossary. The hub: Federal spending.
Sources
- USAspending glossary — U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service · retrieved September 26, 2026
Compiled automatically from USAspending glossary by a checked SQL query · Editor: Kian O'Connor · How this site is built
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