What does the do?

Refreshed annually

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent, nonpartisan federal agency responsible for advising the president, Congress, and other federal agencies on policies and programs that affect people with disabilities. The council's functions include providing recommendations to promote the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act, collaborating with individuals with disabilities, and ensuring that disability policies are inclusive and effective. It was established in 1978.

In FY 2025,

$3M

was spent by the National Council on Disability
In FY 2025,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the National Council on Disability

How much does the National Council on Disability spend?

The National Council on Disability spent $3 million in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This was 0.000043% of the $7.04 trillion in overall federal spending. The agency ranked 121st among federal agencies in total spending.

The National Council on Disability accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2025.

Share of NCD net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2025

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the National Council on Disability’s federal spending has increased from $833,800 in 1984 to $3 million in 2025.

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The National Council on Disability’s federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1984.

Yearly federal net spending by NCD, adjusted for inflation (2025 dollars), FYs 1984–2025

Since 1984, National Council on Disability spending has increased 259.8%, while overall spending has increased 163.9%.
The department’s spending grew more than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget increased. In 2025, NCD accounted for 0.000043% of all federal spending. That’s 0.000011 percentage points higher than 1984 and 0.000064 points higher than in 2015.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The National Council on Disability's share of federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1984.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to NCD, FYs 1984–2025

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2025, all of the National Council on Disability's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net NCD spending.

How did the National Council on Disability spend its budget in 2025?

Federal government net spending isolated to NCD, FY 2025

How many people work for the National Council on Disability?

Some 18 of the 2.02 million total civilian federal employees work for the National Council on Disability as of May 2026. This is 33.3% fewer people than the department staffed in 2012.

The number of federal employees working for the National Council on Disability has decreased 33.3% since 2012.

Number of federal employees working for NCD, May 2012–2026

NCD accounts for 0.00089% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. NCD constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in May 2026 than in 2012 (0.0013%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the National Council on Disability’s share of the workforce (0.00089%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.000043%).

Who leads the National Council on Disability?

NCD is made up of nine members, including four appointed by Congressional leadership and five appointed by the president. A majority of councilmembers must be people with disabilities.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.