Pennsylvania Federal Spending — Week of 2026-03-29
Federal Spending Report: Pennsylvania (March 29 – April 4, 2026)
Federal agencies obligated $942,000 across four grants to Pennsylvania recipients during the week of March 29 to April 4, 2026, with the Department of Health and Human Services accounting for nearly all spending activity in the state.
The Department of Health and Human Services led federal spending in Pennsylvania with $930,000 distributed through three separate grants. The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania received the largest single award at $479,000, followed by The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology with $363,000. Carnegie Mellon University secured an $88,000 grant from HHS, rounding out the department's major commitments. These three awards appear to reflect research and development priorities, with the concentration of funding among academic and research institutions suggesting focus on biomedical or scientific advancement.
Beyond HHS, the Department of Agriculture distributed $11,000 to a single Pennsylvania recipient whose identity was redacted due to privacy concerns. This represented the only non-HHS grant activity during the reporting period.
Pennsylvania's top contractors during this week were concentrated among established research institutions. The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania led with a single $479,000 award, while The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology followed with $363,000. Carnegie Mellon University rounded out the major recipients at $88,000. All four funding recipients received exactly one award each during the period, indicating a relatively straightforward distribution pattern with no repeat awardees.
A notable pattern emerges from the data: all four awards issued during this period took the form of grants rather than contracts, suggesting non-competitive or continuation funding mechanisms. The heavy concentration of HHS spending—representing 98.8 percent of total obligated funds—indicates that federal research priorities in Pennsylvania during this week were decidedly weighted toward health and medical advancement, with agricultural spending representing a minimal portion of overall activity.
The week's spending activity involved just two federal agencies and four unique contractors, reflecting a narrow focus of federal investment rather than widespread distribution across Pennsylvania's economy.