Background

The FPI Exploratory Pilot is an interim step to creating a comprehensive inventory, which was designed to provide critical insight into the most efficient path to a more comprehensive inventory.  The pilot intends to identify possible gaps in guidance and inconsistencies in current definitions.

The pilot consists of the following phases:

  • Phase One – December 2020:  OMB introduces the FPI pilot and identifies programmatic categories.
  • Phase Two – December 2020 and January 2021:  Agencies, working with OMB counterparts, identify associated programs and provide data about those programs. 
  • Phase Three – January 2021 through TBD:  OMB publishes data on a public website and engages stakeholders while finalizing the analysis of these programmatic categories.
  • Phase Four – TBD:  OMB synthesizes the feedback and lessons learned.  If required, OMB issues updated guidance in advance of the next data collection iteration.

The FPI Exploratory Pilot is a step towards an inventory and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of programs, nor is it a scaled-down version of the final inventory.  The data on this website are not the authoritative source of spending data for the categories in this pilot. 

Click here to learn more about what the pilot asked agencies to provide and the known data limitations.

What will a successful pilot achieve?

A successful pilot will provide OMB with insights into how to effectively and efficiently collect more comprehensive information about Federal programs. To that end, OMB has gained considerable insights from the preliminary analysis of the Federal agencies collected data.

What data was collected from agencies?

The pilot focuses on spending in 12 categories, where agencies were asked to work with OMB to identify associated programs and provide for each of them descriptive information and two years of historical spending data.

All Programs

Note: The tables below are not compatible with some browsers or mobile devices.

 Total
Categories of Spending12
Agencies Represented*34
Programs711
Estimated 2019 and 2020 total program obligations ($/billion)809
* The Department of Defense was unable to provide complete data for the initial launch of this website; the partial data provided is not being made available.  In addition, many smaller agencies did not report data under this pilot; OMB has not verified, in all cases, whether agencies did not have data to report.

What are the 12 categories?

CategoryDescriptionNumber of
Agencies Reporting
Number of Programs2019 Est. Obligations
($/billion)
2020 Est. Obligations
($/billion)
A.I. R&D/
Quantum R&D
Programs with research and development funding in Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Quantum Information Science (QIS)11660.60.8
BroadbandPrograms that support broadband infrastructure deployment and broadband adoption/digital inclusion activities113710.24.9
Economic DevelopmentPrograms that directly support economic development through grants, cooperative agreements or similar financial assistance8452.72.9
Flood RiskPrograms that provide Federal funding related to determining flood risk, including investments in the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP)7450.70.7
Global HealthPrograms that directly support and/or have the explicit goal of supporting human health-related activities in foreign countries3258.912.9
HIV/AIDSDomestic programs that provide funding for HIV/AIDS health care services and treatment, cash/housing assistance, prevention, and research4258.17.1
HomelessnessPrograms that are fully targeted to people experiencing homelessness and/or are at-risk of homelessness8336.99.9
Native AmericanPrograms that benefit, in whole or in part, American Indians and Alaska Natives2628810.921.9
Opioid Epidemic ResponsePrograms that predominately address health-related prevention, treatment, recovery, and overdose death prevention of/from opioid use6464.54.4
STEM EducationPrograms that provide formal or informal K-12 or post-secondary education primarily focused on STEM disciplines, topics, or issues19883.13.3
Transportation InfrastructureDepartment of Transportation programs that invest in the Nation’s surface, air, and water transportation infrastructure14263.268.8
Workforce DevelopmentPublic-facing programs that impart skills, furnish information, or provide employment opportunities in furtherance of participants’ careers167918.018.8

Why were these categories chosen?

OMB chose these categories because they cover a broad range of agencies and priority topics.  The categories also vary by type including areas with and without clear legislative definitions, categories that emphasize specific missions/purposes and/or specific beneficiaries, and categories that focus on both domestic and international activities.  In many cases, OMB and agencies have previously compiled budget crosscuts for similar categories of programs.

What was the definition of program?

Program was defined using a common set of elements that when used together would create a program identifier.  The four common elements were:

Expenditure Method:  How a program distributes fundingMission/Purpose: The mission or purpose of the program
Recipients: The immediate recipients of the fundingBeneficiaries: The intended populations served by the program

A program is a unique combination of an expenditure method and clearly delineated mission or purpose that has one or more recipients and beneficiaries.

Who can I contact if I have questions or recommendations?

Please reach out to fpiwebsite@omb.eop.gov

Where can I find additional information?

Click here for some additional background information
Click here for the glossary