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Brookings study puts tribal grant and contract cuts at $469 million

A Brookings Institution study says federal spending cuts reduced grants and contracts for tribal communities by $469 million. The study attributes about 65 percent of the cuts to natural resources and environmental grants and contracts, and 11 percent to agriculture.

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What happened

Key facts

  • The report said about 65 percent of the cuts involved natural resources and environmental grants and contracts (per cherokeephoenix.org).
  • The report said the tribal cuts represented about 6.5 percent of all Department of Government Efficiency funding cuts (per cherokeephoenix.org).
  • A 2025 GrantExec analysis found that “Tribal” was the most frequently flagged term in canceled grant programs, appearing in 31 percent of them (per cherokeephoenix.org).
  • The Brookings Institution is described as a nonpartisan research and policy organization (per cherokeephoenix.org).

The brief

A Brookings Institution report puts the reduction in grants and contracts for tribal communities during President Donald Trump’s federal spending-cut effort at $469 million. The Cherokee Phoenix reported the figure and described the cuts as part of an effort led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The Brookings study categorized about 65 percent of the reductions as natural resources and environmental grants and contracts. It classified another 11 percent as agriculture. The article does not provide a breakdown of the remaining cuts by category, so those figures should not be treated as a complete accounting of how the total was distributed.

The report said the tribal funding reductions amounted to about 6.5 percent of all DOGE funding cuts. The Cherokee Phoenix also cited Census figures for the Native American share of the U.S. population, saying estimates vary from 1 percent to 2.7 percent.

The article presents those figures as context for the cuts’ scale; it does not provide a comparable breakdown of funding cuts for other populations. The Cherokee Phoenix connected the Brookings findings to an earlier analysis by GrantExec. That 2025 analysis found that “Tribal” was the most frequently flagged term among canceled grant programs, appearing in 31 percent of them.

The finding concerns the wording of canceled programs and does not, by itself, quantify the value of those cancellations. The Cherokee Phoenix describes Brookings as a nonpartisan research and policy organization.

Its account does not include a response from the Trump administration or DOGE, nor does it give the report’s methodology or identify the individual grants and contracts included in the $469 million estimate.

The cuts described in the report concern grants and contracts for tribal communities, with the largest named categories being natural resources and environmental programs and agriculture.

The report’s figures provide the stated total and category shares, while the earlier GrantExec analysis offers a separate measure based on how often “Tribal” appeared in canceled grant programs.

Why it matters

  • Tribal communities are the populations tied to the reported $469 million reduction in grants and contracts.
  • Natural resources and environmental grants and contracts account for about 65 percent of the reported cuts; agriculture accounts for another 11 percent.
  • The reported tribal cuts make up about 6.5 percent of all DOGE funding cuts, according to the Brookings study.

What to watch next

  • Whether Brookings publishes further details on the grants and contracts included in its $469 million estimate.
  • Whether the Trump administration or the Department of Government Efficiency responds to the reported figures.
  • Whether further reporting identifies how the remaining share of the cuts was categorized.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
2 source articles · 2 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Too few rated· 1 Center · 1 unrated
Where the outlets are based: US/Canada 50% · Unknown 50%
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2 unique outletsDominant coverage: US/Canada
Limited coverage
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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. The Brookings Institution, founded in 1916, is a nonpartisan research and policy organization.
    Background · from our historical context
  2. Congress enacted the Snyder Act, authorizing federal spending on services for Native Americans.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. Congress enacted the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, allowing tribes to administer federally funded programs through contracts.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  4. President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included funding opportunities for tribal infrastructure.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  5. President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included funding for environmental work.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. A GrantExec analysis found that “Tribal” was the most frequently flagged term in canceled grant programs, appearing in 31 percent of them.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  7. On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14158, reorganizing the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service and establishing a temporary DOGE organization within federal agencies.
    Background · from our historical context
  8. On February 26, 2025, Executive Order 14222 directed agencies to review contracts and grants for potential savings.
    Background · from our historical context

How we got here

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14158, reorganizing the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service and establishing a temporary DOGE organization within federal agencies. On February 26, 2025, Executive Order 14222 directed agencies to review contracts and grants for potential savings.

A 2025 GrantExec analysis found that “Tribal” was the most frequently flagged term in canceled grant programs, appearing in 31 percent. The Snyder Act of 1921 authorized federal spending on services for Native Americans, and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 allowed tribes to administer federally funded programs through contracts and grants.

Original sources

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