Download the entire Federal Spending PDF.
The federal government provides critical support for Colorado’s 1.2 million kids. Federal funds account for nearly 30% of Colorado’s state budget, which helps to support children and families in finding health insurance, affording food, accessing public education and child care, and meeting other
basic needs.
But changes to the federal budget being considered in 2025 would result in cuts to services or fewer children being served by programs that our country has built to help make sure no child is going without education, food, health care, or other essentials. Recent proposals include significant reductions or changes to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Head Start and supports for English learner students.
The programs and services at risk of federal cuts support Colorado kids living in families with low incomes, families in extreme poverty, and families with the least access to health care, food, and child care. But cuts to funding would have ripple effects on the services our state is able to provide to all children and families. Federal proposals for funding cuts change by the day and include a wide range of strategies and policy adjustments across funding streams. This brief outlines the impact of several critical federal investments for Colorado kids.
In Colorado, cuts to federal spending would create a particularly challenging landscape for kids. This year, Colorado legislators faced a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget. And yet the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, requires lawmakers to refund revenue above a certain amount and get the approval of voters before raising additional revenue when needed to fund programs. This unique lack of flexibility means Colorado cannot easily raise revenue to replace federal funding. Federal cuts would almost certainly lead to children and families losing important services and supports.