[Cato Insights](/insights) 

Share 

More 

Copy Link 

Link Copied 

[ 

Download as Image 

](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2024-04/Cato%20Insights%20-%20Federal%20Subsidy%20Programs%20for%20Individuals_0.png) 

##### Embed 

Click to copy 

Copy Link 

Link Copied 

Download 

[ 

Download as Image 

](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2024-04/Cato%20Insights%20-%20Federal%20Subsidy%20Programs%20for%20Individuals_0.png) 

Embed 

Click to copy 

# The number of **federal government subsidy and benefit programs** for individuals and businesses is soaring 

![Insight: Number of Federal Subsidy Programs](https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/16241543/thumbnail) 

April 17, 2024 

Sources 

Sources 

[https://​sam​.gov/​c​o​n​t​e​n​t​/​a​s​s​i​s​t​a​n​c​e​-​l​i​s​tings](https://sam.gov/content/assistance-listings)

Notes 

Notes 

*Counts for 2020 and 2023 are from July listings under [grantsgov here](https://sam.gov/data-services/Assistance%20Listings?privacy=Public). Previous years were counts based on hardcopy and electronic versions of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. The new Assistance Listings keeps the same CFDA numbers. The counts should be considered only a rough measure of federal subsidies since what constitutes one program and one grant is rather loose.*

Further Reading 

Further Reading 

Chris Edwards, [“Independence in 1776; Dependence in 2023,”](https://www.cato.org/blog/independence-1776-dependence-2023) Cato Institute, July 3, 2023.

For questions please contact <insights@cato.org>.

Subscribe to the 

Cato Insights 

Newsletter

[text](#)

[Cato Insights](/insights)[Cato Insights](/insights) illustrate, through thought-provoking data visualizations, important truths central to promoting and supporting a more free and open society.

[Cato Insights Gallery](/insights) 

##### Latest Cato Insights 

[##### Sweden’s excess death rate during the pandemic was **the lowest in Europe**

![Cato Insights - Sweden During the Pandemic](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/cato-insights-sweden-low-excess-mortality.png?itok=3eEJzCXV) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/swedens-excess-death-rate-was-lowest-in-europe) 

[##### **More than 99%** of people who want to immigrate to the US don’t qualify

![Cato Insights - Less Than 1 Percent Get Greencards](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/insights-greencard-applicants-breakdown.png?itok=a1D2wGlv) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/more-than-99-percent-of-immigrants-do-not-qualify) 

[##### The world economy has increased **more than a hundredfold** since the ‘Great Enrichment’ began 200 years ago

![Cato Insights - The Great Enrichment Hockeystick](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/World%20GDP%20Growth_0.png?itok=l1LemNvg) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/world-economy-has-grown-hundredfold) 

[##### More countries have **decoupled economic growth** from carbon dioxide emissions

![Cato Insights - Decoupling of Economic Growth and Emissions](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/insights-many-countries-have-decoupled-economic-growth-from-carbon-dioxide-emissions.png?itok=q-zJ24_V) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/more-countries-have-decoupled-economic-growth-from-co2) 

[##### Only **~1 in 50** federal convictions come from jury trials

![Cato Insights - Jury Trials - A Rarity](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/insights-federal-criminal-prosecutions-breakdown_0.png?itok=U7dtTpph) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/only-1-in-50-federal-convictions-come-from-jury-trials) 

[##### Extreme poverty, child labor, and inequality in well-being have **all fallen** since 2000

![Cato Insights - Falling Poverty, Child Labor, Inequality](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/new%20Insights_%20Extreme%20Poverty%2C%20Child%20Labor%2C%20Inequality%402x.png?itok=GrtKuKPL) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/extreme-poverty-child-labor-inequality-in-well-being-all-fallen) 

[![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) 
This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).