Anne Arundel officials outline federal grant exposure that could affect schools and county services

Anne Arundel County Council members heard Feb. 11 that federal funding supports tens of millions of dollars of county and school programs and that uncertainty around federal policy changes could force budget choices next spring.

Chris Trumbauer, Anne Arundel County budget officer, told the council the county recorded about $33,800,000 in federal grants in its fiscal 2024 operating budget and, after a recent review, about $187,700,000 of federal dollars programmed in the six-year capital improvement plan. "I can't sit here today and give you a reasonable expectation of what funding will ultimately be threatened because that is still being played out in real time," Trumbauer said.

The memo Trumbauer provided shows most operating federal funds flow to health and community development; the capital grants are distributed across districts, with the largest single item tied to Fort Meade military installation projects. Matt Stanski, chief financial officer for Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS), said the district expects roughly $53,800,000 in federal-restricted grants for fiscal 2026 and that the largest federal awards to the district are special education (about $31,000,000) and Title I (about $17,000,000). "The biggest ones are obviously our special education grants at $31,000,000 and our Title I grant ... $17,000,000," Stanski said.

Why it matters: Many…