Federal grants in Alabama
Federal agencies awarded $73 billion in grants to recipients in Alabama from fiscal 2021 to 2025. The largest program was Grants to States for Medicaid, with $30 billion.
- Alabama ranks 27th of the 50 states and DC for federal grant awards over five years.
- Federal grant money to recipients in Alabama fell from $17 billion in fiscal 2021 to $15 billion in fiscal 2025.
- State and local governments received the largest share, 83%.
- Grants to States for Medicaid alone accounted for 41%.
Grants in Alabama by type of organization
- Grants for state and local governments in Alabama
- Grants for colleges and universities in Alabama
- Grants for nonprofits in Alabama
- Grants for businesses in Alabama
- Grants for tribes in Alabama
- Grants for small businesses in Alabama
- Grants for individuals in Alabama
Private foundations based in Alabama: 1,190 foundations, with who accepts applications.
Project grants won in Alabama
Most federal grant money is formula and block grants that go to the state by law: $47 billion in Alabama, 64% of the total. Programs that pay project grants and cooperative agreements, which organizations apply for, brought $12 billion to recipients in Alabama. These are the largest:
Largest federal grant programs in Alabama
Largest grant recipients in Alabama
| Recipient | Type | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Medicaid Agency | State and local governments | 34 | $32 billion |
| Alabama State Department of Education | State and local governments | 173 | $8.9 billion |
| Alabama Department of Transportation | State and local governments | 4,688 | $6.1 billion |
| Department of Human Resources Alabama | State and local governments | 151 | $3.7 billion |
| Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs | State and local governments | 215 | $3.1 billion |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Colleges and universities | 1,498 | $2.1 billion |
| Alabama Department of Health | State and local governments | 146 | $1.4 billion |
| University of Alabama | Colleges and universities | 646 | $759 million |
| AL Department Environmental Management | State and local governments | 92 | $692 million |
| Auburn University | Colleges and universities | 771 | $579 million |
| Ala Emergency Management Agency | State and local governments | 54 | $527 million |
| Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | State and local governments | 196 | $498 million |
| Alabama Port Authority | Other | 10 | $444 million |
| Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services | State and local governments | 38 | $431 million |
| Alabama Department of Workforce | State and local governments | 77 | $413 million |
| AL Department of Mental Health & Ret | Other | 66 | $388 million |
| Department of Military Alabama | State and local governments | 75 | $344 million |
| Civil Air Patrol | Nonprofits | 2 | $306 million |
| Alabama a & M University | Colleges and universities | 155 | $293 million |
| University of South Alabama | Colleges and universities | 181 | $293 million |
Browse all 629 federal grant recipients in Alabama
Where the work happens
The totals above count grants by where the recipient is based. Counted by place of performance, where the funded work happens, grants in Alabama came to $72 billion. Grants for statewide or multi-county work count in no county, so county totals add up to less.
| County | Awards | Grants |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 994 | $11 billion |
| Jefferson County | 2,433 | $3.6 billion |
| Mobile County | 900 | $2.1 billion |
| Tuscaloosa County | 1,026 | $1.3 billion |
| Madison County | 857 | $1.2 billion |
| Baldwin County | 579 | $692 million |
| Lee County | 815 | $679 million |
| Chilton County | 187 | $584 million |
| Shelby County | 270 | $511 million |
| Etowah County | 249 | $379 million |
| Macon County | 283 | $333 million |
| DeKalb County | 241 | $292 million |
| Morgan County | 184 | $277 million |
| Colbert County | 165 | $241 million |
| Talladega County | 187 | $216 million |