Federal Government Shutdown Resource Hub
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Explore how the FY2026 federal government shutdown is disrupting county services nationwide, and access tools, data, and advocacy resources to help counties sustain essential programs and share their local impacts with Congress.
County Impact Survey
NACo is seeking member feedback on how the government shutdown is impacting county operations. We appreciate your responses as we continue to call on our federal partners to work in a bipartisan way to keep the federal government fully operational.
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How We Got Here
Congress has not enacted appropriations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, resulting in a shutdown of the federal government. Essential services continue to operate, but many federal programs counties administer or rely on — including nutrition, health, and emergency response programs — are facing funding disruptions or staffing shortages.
Counties are on the frontlines of service delivery. When federal funding stops, counties must often use our own local resources to keep essential programs running, including public health, social services, and emergency management — with uncertainty about when or if federal reimbursements will be made once the government reopens.
Key Impacts on Counties
This section provides a high-level summary of affected programs and systems, with links to deeper NACo analysis.
- FEMA: While FEMA can continue to obligate and spend funds from the Disaster Relief Fund, counties should anticipate delays in reimbursement for ongoing or pending projects, particularly those tied to longer-term recovery and mitigation.
- Public Safety: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is unable to process new grant applications during the shutdown, creating fiscal uncertainty for counties working to sustain critical emergency management and public safety services.
- Forest Service: Limited staffing and suspended non-essential operations within the U.S. Forest Service may hinder wildfire response coordination, prevention efforts, and forest health programs.
- Cybersecurity: The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program expired on September 30, 2025, resulting in a lapse in new federal resources for counties to strengthen cyber resilience and protect local infrastructure.
- Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Funding was expected to lapse in October; however, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reallocated $300 million from the Child Nutrition budget account, allowing operations to continue through approximately November 1. On October 24, NACo, along with 44 other national organizations, signed on to a letter to the White House calling for additional emergency funding. Without additional action from USDA or Congress, states and counties administering WIC will face benefit interruptions thereafter.
- SNAP: On October 10, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) indicated that current appropriations are insufficient to cover full November benefits and directed states to pause processing November issuances pending further guidance. Although a SNAP contingency fund exists, it is estimated to contain about $6 billion, which is less than the roughly $8 billion needed to cover one month of SNAP benefits. On October 24, FNS released a memo stating that they will not use the SNAP contingency fund towards November benefits. If the government shutdown continues beyond November 1, counties will experience program disruptions and increased demand on other local food assistance resources. For the latest, read NACo's blog on actions taken around SNAP in November.
- Community Health Centers: Funding for Community Health Centers (CHCs) — drawn from both annual appropriations and the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) – expired on September 30. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reports that limited mandatory funds remain available to sustain operations temporarily. A prolonged shutdown, however, could result in reduced capacity and service interruptions in county and community-based clinics.
- Behavioral Health: Most Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs — including 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, State Opioid Response, and Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grants — are continuing operations using prior-year funds. Nonetheless, an extended shutdown could delay future grant cycles, create staffing uncertainty, and disrupt coordination for counties administering behavioral health and crisis services.
Learn More: NACo’s Federal Government Shutdown FAQ Page
Share Your County’s Story
NACo is collecting stories from across the nation to demonstrate the real-world impacts of the federal shutdown on counties and residents. Your input helps strengthen our advocacy with Congress and federal partners.
Advocacy Tools for County Leaders
Talking Points
- Counties are calling on the President and Congress to act swiftly and responsibly to fully reopen the federal government and restore the reliability county governments need to serve our residents effectively.
- Strong, predictable intergovernmental partnerships are key to sustaining programs and services for county residents.
- The ongoing government shutdown threatens to disrupt the consistent, reliable flow of resources and the important relationships we maintain with federal officials on the ground.
- While county governments continue to generate over two-thirds of our own revenue to provide services to residents, counties also receive $62 billion in intergovernmental revenue from the federal government.
- From ensuring our residents’ day-to-day safety, to undertaking infrastructure projects, responding to and recovering from disasters, administering federal programs for vulnerable populations and managing air, road and rail transit, county responsibilities often depend on federal, state and local resources and collaboration.
Template Letter to Congress: End the Government Shutdown
Urge Congress and the President to act swiftly and responsibly to immediately pass a bipartisan funding measure to restore stability to counties and the residents we serve.
Download Editable Template Letter (Word/PDF)
Contact your Representative | Contact your Senators
Media Monitoring: Tell Us If Your County Is in the News
If your local news outlet has covered how the shutdown is affecting your county, please share the link with NACo. These stories help inform our federal advocacy and communications with Congress.
Stay Engaged & Informed
Upcoming NACo Events and Updates
NACo will continue providing briefings and real-time updates on the shutdown’s impacts and legislative negotiations through our Inside Washington series.
Stay Up-To-Date
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Resource
What Counties Need to Know When a Government Shutdown Happens
Congress votes to end longest federal government shutdown in history
On November 12, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass a Continuing Resolution and funding package (CR) to end the shutdown of the federal government that began October 1.
Counties pivot as federal substance use funding shifts
Looming reforms include H.R. 1 cuts to Medicaid and restrictions to Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grants and an executive order’s restrictions on harm reduction initiatives and replacement of the “Housing First” approach to substance use disorder and homelessness with a treatment-first model.
NACo and local intergovernmental organizations send letter urging an end to the shutdown
NACo sent a letter to congressional leadership calling for an end of the government shutdown
FAA announces planned flight reductions at 40 major airports—including county-owned airports—amid ongoing government shutdown
On November 6, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans to reduce the number of flights in and out of 40 major airports across the U.S. starting November 7.
NACo sends coalition letter on surface transportation priorities to congressional leaders
On November 5, NACo, in partnership with other members of the Local Officials in Transportation (LOT) Coalition, sent a letter to two key Congressional committees—the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environmental & Public Works—outlining and reiterating the coalition’s top priorities for the next surface transportation reauthorization bill.
What to Expect from the Current Supreme Court Term: Cases Impacting Local Government
Hosted by the Local Government Legal Center (LGLC), join legal experts in a discussion of the new Supreme Court term and what decisions local governments should watch.
Investing in Tomorrow: Jones County's Blueprint for Financial Innovation
Friday, December 5, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Counties today face increasing pressure to make every public dollar count. Success depends not only on smart financial strategy, but also on strong communication across departments, with the community, and with the board of commissioners. Join Jones County Manager, Kyle Smith, Finance Director, Blake Batchelor, and three+one's Mike Abbott for a 30-minute conversation on how proactive, data-driven liquidity management is helping them plan more confidently, respond faster, and build trust throughout their community.
Attendees will hear how Jones County, N.C.:
- Adopted a forward-looking approach to liquidity and cash-flow forecasting through adopting cashVest by three+one
- Strengthened collaboration across departments and with county leadership • Modernized policies and systems to support future planning
- Communicated strategy and results to commissioners and residents
- Used real-time financial insight to pursue grants, capital projects, and long-term priorities
This session will provide practical guidance that county leaders can apply immediately, whether they are reviewing their investment policy, preparing for capital needs, or working to strengthen transparency with their governing board and community.
Register today to learn how a modern, collaborative approach to liquidity strategy can create value for your organization and the people you serve.
For more information, visit the event page!
Modern Networks, Smarter Budgets: A County Leader's Perspective
Join us for a fireside chat with Orleans County, NY, as they share how their team successfully transitioned from a traditional capital expense (CapEx) model to an operational expense (OpEx) model for network services.
When faced with rising maintenance costs and an expiring carrier contract, the county seized the opportunity to modernize its network and lock in predictable monthly costs. By bundling connectivity services with unified communications, they achieved immediate savings of over $124,000, eliminated recurring charges such as long-distance fees and third-party integration costs, and gained access to operational upgrades like call analytics and auto-attendants.
This shift not only strengthened financial planning through fixed monthly expenses but also freed up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives.
Key takeaway: Rethinking your budget model can be just as impactful as upgrading your technology — delivering fiscal stability and enhanced services for your community.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, December 11
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week thirteen of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.