We’ve unlocked federal award data to reveal exactly how housing funds flow to Virginia’s communities.
While annual budget numbers for federal housing programs are readily available, it’s remained difficult to connect those figures with what really matters—how much finally ends up invested on the ground. Now, our new interactive dashboard changes that by providing real-time access to comprehensive federal spending data for housing and community development programs across the Commonwealth.
What the dashboard shows
The dashboard captures over 30,000 grants and 100,000 loans from federal agencies, representing billions of dollars in investments from fiscal year 2018 through the present. Users can explore funding by geography—from statewide totals down to individual localities—and filter by fiscal year to understand spending trends over time.
Currently, the dashboard includes all programs from HUD and USDA Rural Housing Service. These range from major block grants like HOME and CDBG to specialized programs like Choice Neighborhoods and rural housing loans. Additional housing and community development programs from other federal agencies will be added in the coming weeks.
Understanding the federal spending process
Federal spending doesn’t happen all at once. After Congress appropriates funding, agencies follow a two-step process that the dashboard tracks:
First come obligations—legally binding commitments to pay recipients. Then come outlays—the actual payments to those recipients. This distinction matters because it reveals not just what’s been promised, but what’s actually reached communities.
The dashboard displays both metrics, providing crucial insight into the pace of federal spending. This becomes especially important as we monitor whether agencies are falling behind on making obligations and outlays in FY2025 compared to previous years—a key indicator of the current administration’s efforts to scale back federal assistance and shrink agency capacity.
How to use this tool
The dashboard offers multiple ways to explore the data:
- Geographic analysis: View funding at the state, regional, congressional district, or locality level. See which communities receive the most investment and identify geographic disparities in federal support.
- Program comparison: Examine the top 10 programs by funding amount. Compare direct assistance programs (grants) with loan programs to understand the different types of federal support reaching Virginia.
- Agency breakdown: See total spending by agency to understand which federal departments drive the most investment in Virginia housing.
- Time trends: Track individual program funding across years. Identify which programs are growing, shrinking, or maintaining steady investment levels.
- Real-time monitoring: With data current through March of this year, the dashboard provides near real-time visibility into federal spending patterns. New award data through June will be added in the coming days.
About this dashboard
This dashboard is a collaboration between HousingForward Virginia and the Virginia Housing Alliance, and builds on our previous partnership for the Federal Housing Action Tracker. Support for this work comes from the Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg Foundation and The Blocker Foundation, whose investments make these public resources possible.
Data comes from USAspending.gov—the federal government’s official spending database. While we have made our best efforts to validate the accuracy of these award records, errors and omissions are possible. For additional details on USAspending data, visit their Federal Spending Guide and related resources.
What’s next
We’ll continue expanding the dashboard’s capabilities in the coming weeks and months. Immediate updates will add housing-related programs from additional federal agencies beyond HUD and USDA, and bring award data current through June 2025.
Future enhancements will provide deeper analysis of spending patterns, including whether agencies are maintaining their historical pace of obligations and outlays—a critical metric for understanding the real-world impact of federal policy changes on Virginia communities.
Take action
- Explore the dashboard: Visit VHA’s Federal Funding page to start exploring federal housing investments in your community.
- Share with colleagues: Help spread awareness of this resource to other partners, practitioners, and advocates who need this data.
- Send feedback: Have questions, notice a glitch, or want to share an idea for this tool? Send an email to jonathan@housingforwardva.org.
- Support this work: If you would like to support HFV and VHA’s efforts on federal housing insights, contact Carrie Hamilton at chamilton@vahousingalliance.org.