Mission:
To raise awareness about the role of federal subsidies in the economy.

Background:
A project of the Pew Charitable Trusts, Subsidyscope is working to create a searchable database of federal subsidies for each sector. All data from the project will be made available in an open source environment, analyzed by Pew staff, and published in a series of reports. The project is led by an advisory board of bipartisan experts in federal spending, taxes, and finance and is supported by the Sunlight Foundation, which acts as Subsidyscope's technology partner.

Outstanding Web Features:
The Subsidyscope Web site includes graphics and data about which financial institutions are receiving benefits from the Treasury Department, the FDIC, the Federal Reserve, and other government agencies, enabling users to better understand how and where taxpayer dollars are being spent. For instance, one chart includes data on the distribution of TARP funds organized by transaction, recipient, and date. The site also contains an archive of government documents and reports related to the financial rescue, a tool to track TARP-funded warrants, and, on the home page, a tool to find out whether your bank or holding company is receiving TARP funding or is participating in an FDIC debt-guarantee program.