Georgia’s future depends on every community having the tools to thrive. For too long, systemic barriers have made it harder for low-income families, rural residents, immigrants, and communities of color to access quality health care, education, housing, and economic opportunity. Federal programs are a key part of how we begin to close those gaps—providing critical support where state funding falls short.
Now, that lifeline is at risk. The Congressional budget packages threaten to cut or cap federal support for essential services and to widen the very disparities Georgia should be working to close. Federal cuts could happen in both the budget reconciliation package and in the regular appropriations bills that must be passed by Sept 30, 2025. Ongoing, unprecedented federal cuts are also happening through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and through federal worker layoffs.
Rural Georgians are already hungrier, sicker and have fewer pathways to economic security. All the proposed federal cuts would aggravate those conditions, and trade war measures reduce the value of every rural Georgian’s hard-earned dollar.[1] Federal funding cuts would further destroy rural Georgians’ well-being by cutting food and health care access. Loss of these funds would rob children of their tomorrow by cutting education in rural districts experiencing poverty. Overall, cuts would put thousands of jobs at risk across the state.[2] Cuts to programs like the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) will only exacerbate food insecurity, financial hardships and health inequities across Georgia.[3]
One way to understand the intersection of food insecurity, rural Georgia, and how federal funds help address food insecurity is to compare where SNAP participants are concentrated with a map of Georgia’s rural areas.
Source: Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services (SNAP participants as of February 25, 2025), and US Census 2024 county population totals; Carl Vinson Institute of Government and Georgia State Office of Rural Health
GBPI is committed to tracking how the state of Georgia raises and spends fiscal resources. Historically this has primarily meant tracking the state’s budget. However, in this moment when federal funding cuts could have deep and lasting impacts on Georgians and on the state’s ability to meet the needs of all its residents, we are compelled to share the data. Analyzing and publishing that data to hold our government accountable presents a new challenge as data sets and research are disappearing daily.[4]
There are several threats looming from this administration, and we do not have an exhaustive list, but have attempted to prioritize and provide information on the biggest threats.
In collaboration with many national partners, GBPI has compiled information on our website on the impact of potential cuts in funding on some major services and populations. It is also important to point out that all the research coming out about these potential cuts is that these measures will impact hardest households experiencing poverty and families in Georgia who are overwhelmingly Black, Latino, or under 18 years of age.[5] These populations each represent over 15% of Georgians living in poverty in the respective demographic.[6] Georgia has the 14th highest poverty rate in the U.S..[7] You can see the full collection of GBPI publications that address federal policy at GBPI.org/federal-policy.
What is the Federal government’s role?
One of GBPI’s core beliefs is that the role of government in society includes ensuring a basic standard of living for all citizens, especially during times of personal or economic hardship. One of the primary ways it fulfills this responsibility is through a network of federal safety net programs designed to reduce poverty and provide support for vulnerable populations. These programs serve various functions, from providing income for seniors and people with disabilities, to helping families who earn low incomes afford food, healthcare, and temporary financial assistance. Some of the programs have been in existence since as early as 1935. Some of the early programs include:[8]
- 1935: The Social Security Act – brought about the largest safety net program in the U.S. providing financial protection for seniors, retirees, and individuals with disabilities.
- 1935: Unemployment Insurance – provides temporary financial support for those who have lost their job.
- 1964: Head Start – program designed to promote school readiness for children from families with low incomes.
- 1964: SNAP – provides food benefits to families with low incomes to supplement their grocery budget.
- 1965: Medicaid – provides health coverage to children, pregnant, and postpartum women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.
- 1965: Title 1 – provides funding to schools with a high percentage of students with low incomes to improve academic achievement, particularly for students who are struggling.
The first clause of Article 1 Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution outlines the enumerated powers of the legislative branch of government including the provision to “collect taxes” to provide for the “general Welfare of the United States.”[9] In keeping with these legislative functions, congressional Committees have been created to have jurisdiction over these assistance programs, and several federal agencies administer these same programs. This safety net was not created overnight nor on whim and dismantling any part of a whole will rip apart the very fabric of the lives of Georgians.[10]
Federal funding is more than just a line item in the Georgia state budget—it is a critical tool for addressing historic and ongoing disparities in health, education, and economic opportunity. For communities who have been denied equal access for decades, these investments are essential.
Georgia leaders must speak out against proposals that would deepen racial and economic inequities. They must demand a federal budget that reflects the values of equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all Georgians—no matter their ZIP code, income, or immigration status.
Without strong federal support, Georgia cannot maintain much less improve the social safety net. We must protect and expand the resources that allow every Georgian—not just the privileged few—to live with dignity, security, and hope for the future.
View our Federal Policy Page here.
Endnotes
[1] Cuts to SNAP and Medicaid could cost Georgia jobs and shrink the state’s GDP, a new report warns | Georgia Public Broadcasting
[2] Cuts to SNAP and Medicaid could cost Georgia jobs and shrink the state’s GDP, a new report warns | Georgia Public Broadcasting
[3] SNAP_FactSheets_022525_GA11.pdf
[4] Axios. Trump administration’s website purge shocks health providers; Axios. HIV, transgender care, climate change and other federal websites go dark; Association of Public Data Users. APDU Statement on Education Research and Data
[5] Poverty Map for Georgia Counties | HDPulse Data Portal
[6] US Census. ACS 2022 1-year estimates. Poverty rate by age category. KFF. Poverty rate by race and ethnicity.
[7] Georgia – 2024 – III.B. Overview of the State
[8] What are the major federal safety net programs in the U.S.? – Center for Poverty and Inequality Research
[9] Article I Section 8 | Constitution Annotated | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
