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What does the do?

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The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) is a subdivision of the Department of the Interior responsible for managing financial assets held in trust by the federal government for Native American tribes and individual Native Americans. The agency ensures the proper management, investment, and disbursement of these trust funds, providing accountability and transparency in its operations. It was established to uphold the federal government's trust responsibilities and to support the economic development and financial stability of Native American communities. It was established in it's current form in 2020.

In FY 2024,

$1.23B

was spent by the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration
In FY 2024,

7.2%

of Dept. of the Interior spending was by the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration

How much does the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration spend?

The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration spent a net total of $1.23 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 7.2% of the $17.1 billion spent by the Department of the Interior, which itself was 0.3% of all federal spending. The BTFA ranked 9th among DOI 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 Bureau of Trust Funds Administration ranked 9th among Department of the Interior divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOI 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 Bureau of Trust Funds Administration’s federal spending has increased from $777.7 million in 2020 to $1.23 billion in 2024.

The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 2020.

Yearly federal net spending by BTFA, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 2020–2024

Since 2020, the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration's spending has increased 58.1%, while overall spending has decreased 14.7%.
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. BTFA spending grew more than overall federal spending since 2020, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, BTFA accounted for 0.018% 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 Bureau of Trust Funds Administration’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 2020.

Net spending by BTFA as a share of federal spending, FYs 2020–2024

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, all of the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net BTFA spending.

How did the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to BTFA, FY 2024

Who leads the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration?

The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) is led by a director. This individual is appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. The director of the BTFA reports to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. 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.

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