Title page 1

Contents 3

Highlights 2

Letter 7

Background 11

The Federal Program Inventory 11

Types of Federal Programs in the Inventory 13

Key Practices to Help Ensure the Transparency and Usefulness of Open Government Data Websites 14

The Federal Program Inventory Shows Progress, but Does Not Address Requirements to Include All Programs or Information 16

Overarching Information 18

Program Information 20

Spending Information 29

Performance Information 33

Financial Assistance Listing Information 38

Opportunity for OMB to Address Inventory Requirements Through Implementation Plans 42

Opportunities Exist to Improve the Transparency and Usefulness of the Federal Program Inventory 43

Practice 1: Provide Free and Unrestricted Data 44

Practice 2: Engage with Users 45

Practice 3: Provide Data in Useful Formats 50

Practice 4: Fully Describe the Data 54

Practice 5: Facilitate Data Discovery for All Users 62

Opportunity for OMB to More Fully Implement Key Practices Through Data Governance 67

Conclusions 67

Recommendations for Executive Action 68

Agency Comments 70

Appendix I: User Groups and Organizations Interviewed by GAO on the Federal Program Inventory 72

Appendix II: Status of GAO Recommendations Related to Inventory Implementation 73

Appendix III: Examples of Information in the Federal Program Inventory 77

Appendix IV: Financial Assistance Programs in the Federal Program Inventory with No Spending Data 83

Appendix V: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgements 85

Tables 3

Table 1. User Groups and Organizations Interviewed about the Federal Program Inventory 72

Table 2. Open Recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from GAO Work Related to Inventory Implementation 73

Table 3. Closed as Implemented Recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from GAO Work Related to Inventory Implementation 74

Table 4. Closed as No Longer Valid Recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from GAO Work Related to Inventory Implementation 75

Figures 4

Figure 1. Timeline of Key Federal Program Inventory Milestones and Actions 12

Figure 2. Key Practices and Key Actions to Help Ensure the Transparency and Usefulness of Open Government Data Websites 15

Figure 3. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Provides Information Consistent with Statutory Requirements 17

Figure 4. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Provides Information Consistent with Overarching Statutory Requirements 18

Figure 5. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Provides Program Information Consistent with Statutory Requirements 21

Figure 6. Potential Relationships Between a Selection of Department of Education Program Activities and Catalog of Federal Domestic... 26

Figure 7. Example of Certain Program Information Provided for a Financial Assistance Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 28

Figure 8. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Provides Spending Information Consistent with Statutory Requirements 29

Figure 9. Example of Spending Information Provided for a Financial Assistance Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 32

Figure 10. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Provides Performance Information Consistent with Statutory Requirements 33

Figure 11. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Provides Financial Assistance Listing Information Consistent... 38

Figure 12. Example of Financial Assistance Information Provided for a Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 41

Figure 13. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Is Consistent with Key Practices to Help Ensure the Transparency... 43

Figure 14. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Is Consistent with the Key Practice and Key Actions for Providing... 44

Figure 15. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Is Consistent with the Key Practice and Key Actions for Engaging... 45

Figure 16. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Is Consistent with the Key Practice and Key Actions for Providing... 50

Figure 17. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Is Consistent with the Key Practice and Key Actions for Fully... 54

Figure 18. Example of Unexplained Spending Data Discrepancies in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 57

Figure 19. Data Sources and Timeliness Disclosed in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 59

Figure 20. Extent to Which the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory Is Consistent with the Key Practice and Key Actions for Facilitating... 62

Figure 21. Example of an Inappropriate Data Summary in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 64

Figure 22. Program Information for a Sample Financial Assistance Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 78

Figure 23. Spending Information for a Sample Financial Assistance Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 79

Figure 24. Additional Information for a Sample Financial Assistance Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 80

Figure 25. Information for a Sample Tax Expenditure Program in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 81

Figure 26. Information for Interest on the Public Debt in the 2025 Version of the Federal Program Inventory 82