By Adam Andrzejewski
CEO/Founder, OpenTheBooks.com

The fiscal year of the U.S. federal government just ended on September 30. The most recent data shows that $279 million in federal grants flowed to 86 entities with a Las Vegas Nevada address. 

Here are the top local governments that received a federal grant in fiscal year 2022:

TOP 12 FEDERAL GRANT RECIPIENTS GOVERNMENTS (excluding state government)
FY2022 LAS VEGAS NEVADA

NAME	FEDERAL GRANT AMOUNT
COUNTY OF CLARK	$62,070,833.00
BOARD OF REGENTS NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	$54,572,821.70
SOUTHERN NEVADA REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY	$20,756,808.00
SOUTHERN NEVADA WATER AUTHORITY	$14,149,394.00
LAS VEGAS, CITY OF	$16,307,724.00
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION OF SOUTHERN NEVADA THE	$11,225,395.00
SOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTH DISTRICT	$9,907,919.32
LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT	$9,543,104.00
UNLV	$2,068,998.00
LAS VEGAS PAIUTE TRIBE	$1,724,196.50

Source: Federal Checkbook FY2022 | Learn More at OpenTheBooks.com

Half of the city’s federal grants went for the purpose of emergency staffing in the fire department-- $8.3 million through the SAFER initiative. Other major federal grants included $1.8 million to expand the staff of the culinary training and leadership program started in North Las Vegas—adding two mobile kitchens a van, and other equipment; $3.4 million in lead-based paint control program for private residences; a $437,200 congressional earmark for city-wide small business services with no other details; and even $500,000 for environmental brownfields remediation. 

Here are the top ten non-government recipients in fiscal year 2022:

NAME	FEDERAL GRANT AMOUNT
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SOUTHERN NEVADA	$10,634,222.21
SUNRISE CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION	$8,259,518.00
UNITED STATES VETERANS INITIATIVE	$5,174,165.50
SALVATION ARMY	$4,794,559.50
OPPORTUNITY 180	$4,448,040.00
UNLV RESEARCH FOUNDATION	$3,649,131.00
U S VETERANS INITIATIVE	$3,515,963.00
FIRSTMED HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER	$2,567,460.00
FOUNDATION FOR AN INDEPENDENT TOMORROW	$2,499,999.00
THE SALVATION ARMY	$2,408,232.50

 Source: Federal Checkbook FY2022 | Learn More at OpenTheBooks.com

Interesting federal grants to local entities include:

U.S. Military Racquetball Federation ($150,000)

Neon Museum $63,762

Burlesque Hall of Fame $32,445—to create high-quality scans of its racy photo collection to post more content online, which has been important during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s slogan, “Spectacular. Erotic. And Slightly Shocking.” The museum is a “growing testament to the power and social impact of the art of the tease.”

Opera Las Vegas $20,000

As a city, Las Vegas received much more per capita than Henderson (the second largest city in Nevada). However, Las Vegas trailed in per capita funding versus major cities in Texas. 

Las Vegas ($279 million) with a population of 647,000 received $431 per capita.
Dallas ($972.5 million) with a population of 1.3 million received $748 per capita.
Houston ($1.9 billion) with a population of 2.8 million received $678 per capita.
Henderson ($17.1 million) with a population of 322,000 received $53 per capita.