In this explainer, I cover:What is USAspending.gov? How it works and why it matters for transparencyKey components: Awards, profiles, COVID-19 spending, bulk downloads2026 updates: Real-time data, improved visualizations, new search filtersUse cases: For journalists, researchers, contractors, and citizensLimitations: What the data doesn’t show and whyThis tool is essential for anyone interested in government accountability, public policy, or data analysis. Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:30 Overview
1:15 How to search
2:45 Profiles explained
4:00 Data download
5:00 What’s missingResources:
Official website: https://www.usaspending.gov/
Data Dictionary: https://www.usaspending.gov/data-dictionarySubscribe for more government data explainers.
