Here’s a snapshot of the mission and history of the 19 independent agencies President Trump said he would stop funding entirely under his “budget blueprint.” Trump’s proposal also calls for deep cuts in other agencies and departments, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Department, and shifts federal resources to defense.

African Development Foundation

Stated mission: The U.S. African Development Foundation is an independent federal agency established by Congress to support and invest in African-owned and -led enterprises, which improve lives and livelihoods in poor and vulnerable African communities.

Established: 1980

Appalachian Regional Commission

Stated mission: The Appalachian Regional Commission’s mission is to innovate, partner and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.


Established: 1965

Chemical Safety Board

Stated mission: The Chemical Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Established: Under the Clean Air Act of 1990 (operational in 1998)

Corporation for National and Community Service

Stated mission: The Corporation for National and Community Service serves more than 5 million people at a local level through a wide array of services. These include projects in six priority areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families through CNCS’s core programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and the Social Innovation Fund.


Established: 1993

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Stated mission: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s mission is to ensure universal access to noncommercial, high-quality content and telecommunications services. It does so by distributing more than 70% of its funding to nearly 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations. CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation.

Established: 1967

Delta Regional Authority

Stated mission: The Delta Regional Authority works to improve economic opportunity by helping to create jobs, build communities and improve the lives of the 10 million people who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state Mississippi River Delta region.


Established: 2000

Denali Commission

Stated mission: The Denali Commission is an independent federal agency designed to provide critical utilities, infrastructure and economic support throughout Alaska. With the creation of the Denali Commission, Congress acknowledged the need for increased inter-agency cooperation and focus on Alaska’s remote communities.

Established: 1998

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Stated mission: The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Its mission has been to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement.


Established: 1996

Inter-American Foundation

Stated mission: To channel development assistance directly to the organized poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Inter-American Foundation also encourages partnerships among community organizations, business and local government directed at improving the quality of life for poor people and strengthening democratic practices.

Established: 1969

U.S. Trade and Development Agency

Stated mission: The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. The agency links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership-building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.


Established: 1961

Legal Services Corporation

Stated mission: The Legal Services Corporation is an independent nonprofit organization created to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The LSC promotes equal access to justice by providing funding to 134 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. Grant recipients serve thousands of low-income individuals, children, families, seniors and veterans in 813 offices in every congressional district.

Established: 1974

National Endowment for the Arts

Stated mission: The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that funds, promotes and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations and develop their creative capacities.


Established: 1965

National Endowment for the Humanities

Stated mission: The National Endowment for the Humanities serves and strengthens the republic by promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. It accomplishes this mission by awarding grants for top-rated proposals examined by panels of independent, external reviewers.

Established: 1965

Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation

Stated mission: The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, also known as NeighborWorks America, seeks to promote reinvestment in urban, suburban and rural communities by local financial institutions working cooperatively with residents and local government. It funds 235 organizations, monitors their progress, and provides grants and consulting services.


Established: 1978

Northern Border Regional Commission

Stated mission: The mission of the Northern Border Regional Commission is to catalyze regional, collaborative and transformative community economic development approaches that alleviate economic distress and position the region along the New England-Canada border for economic growth.

Established: 2008

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Stated mission: The Overseas Private Investmernt Coporation is the federal government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help address critical development challenges, and in doing so advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities.


Established: 1971

U.S. Institute of Peace

Stated mission: The U.S. Institute of Peace works to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict around the world. USIP does this by engaging directly in conflict zones and by providing analysis, education and resources to those working for peace.

Established: 1984

U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness

Stated mission: The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness coordinates and catalyzes the federal response to homelessness, working in close partnership with Cabinet secretaries and other senior leaders across 19 federal member agencies.


Established: 1987

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Stated mission: The Wilson Center, chartered by Congress as the official memorial to President Woodrow Wilson, is the nation’s key nonpartisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue to inform actionable ideas for the policy community.

Established: 1968

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