by Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle
May 18, 2026
Federal grants accounted for 42% of Indiana’s general revenue in fiscal year 2025 — totaling about $22.6 billion — and state officials say a new public dashboard launched Monday intends to give Hoosiers a better look at how that money is spent.
The new Federal Funding Expenditures Dashboard, available within the Indiana Transparency Portal website, allows users to sort and review six years of federal spending data across state government.
The tool breaks down expenditures by federal department, federal program, state agency, spending category and individual accounts.
Indiana Comptroller Elise Nieshalla said the dashboard is aimed at expanding transparency around the growing role of federal funding in Indiana government.
“This dashboard gives every Hoosier — from citizens to state legislators, media and federal partners — the clearest view yet of how those dollars move through Indiana government,” Nieshalla said in a statement.
The dashboard is the first public-facing tool in Indiana dedicated specifically to tracking federal expenditures, according to the comptroller’s office. It complements the existing Indiana Transparency Portal, which already includes information on contracts, employee salaries, vendors and overall state expenditures.
State officials said the new platform differs from federal databases like USASpending.gov because it focuses on dollars actually spent by Indiana agencies — not just federal awards issued to the state.
Users can sort expenditures by federal departments — such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. Department of Agriculture — as well as by spending categories, including social service payments, contractual services and payroll costs.
Officials said the dashboard also provides greater detail than previously available publicly, including federal program information and some vendor-level spending data pulled from the state’s PeopleSoft financial system.
The tool was designed to mirror the state’s existing expenditures dashboard while separating out only the federal portion of spending.
If a payment included both federal and state matching dollars, for example, the federal expenditures dashboard would display only the federally funded share.
The system updates weekly and reflects transaction-level spending data entered by state agencies. Officials cautioned, however, that the figures are unaudited and can sometimes reflect delayed entries or later bookkeeping adjustments.
“The historical data included further enables spotting trends and flagging where extra review is needed,” Nieshalla said, “and it’s a meaningful assist to agency partners working to root out any fraud, waste or abuse that may be lurking.”
Gov. Mike Braun praised the effort in a statement Monday.
“This new dashboard ensures Hoosiers have clear, accessible insight into how billions in federal dollars are spent across our state,” Braun said. “Transparency builds trust, and I commend Comptroller Nieshalla and her team for their continued commitment to accountability and innovation. Tools like this empower citizens and strengthen confidence in how government manages public resources.”
State officials said they expect to continue refining the platform and adding features based on public and agency feedback.
