Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services which focuses on expanding access to community support and meeting the needs of older Americans and people with disabilities at every stage of life. The agency works to help them live where they want, with the people they choose, and take part fully in their communities. It was established in 2012.

In FY 2024,

$2.79B

was spent by the Administration for Community Living
In FY 2024,

0.2%

of Dept. of Health and Human Services spending was by the Administration for Community Living

How much does the Administration for Community Living spend?

The Administration for Community Living spent a net total of $2.79 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.2% of the $1.72 trillion spent by the Department of Health and Human Services, which itself was 25.4% of all federal spending. The ACL ranked 9th among HHS subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Administration for Community Living ranked 9th among Department of Health and Human Services divisions in net spending in 2024.

HHS net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Administration for Community Living’s federal spending has increased from $2 billion in 2012 to $2.79 billion in 2024.

The Administration for Community Living’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 2012.

Yearly federal net spending by ACL, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 2012–2024

Since 2012, the Administration for Community Living's spending has increased 39.8%, while overall spending has increased 39.5%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. ACL spending grew more than overall federal spending since 2012, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, ACL accounted for 0.041% of overall federal spending.

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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 Administration for Community Living’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 2012.

Net spending by ACL as a share of federal spending, FYs 2012–2024

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 2024, the Administration for Community Living transferred 74.2% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net ACL spending.

How did the Administration for Community Living spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to ACL, FY 2024

How many people work for the Administration for Community Living?

Some 243 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Administration for Community Living as of September 2024. This is 140.6% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Administration for Community Living has increased 140.6% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for ACL, September 2010–2024

The Administration for Community Living accounts for 0.011% 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. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.0048%).
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 Administration for Community Living's share of the workforce (0.011%) is smaller than its share of the budget (0.041%).

Who leads the Administration for Community Living?

The ACL is led by an Administrator. This individual is appointed by the president of the United States and does not require Senate confirmation. The Administrator reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There is no fixed term for this position.

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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.

  • Office of Personnel Management

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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