Denver officials are scrambling to determine how the Trump administration’s order to freeze federal funding will affect local programs, noting the city is relying on hundreds of millions of federal dollars this year alone.

Jon Ewing, a spokesperson for Mayor Mike Johnston, told The Denver Gazette the city’s budget includes $150 million in federal funding. That money, he said, supports “countless essential services,” including assistance to small business owners to building bridges and maintaining roads.

“We are working in close contact with all city agencies to understand the scale and scope of the order, and will work tirelessly to protect the funding and services Denverites deserve,” Ewing said.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration paused grant, loan and other financial assistance programs at the Office of Management and Budget. Minutes before the freeze was slated to take effect, a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s efforts.

The order said federal financial assistance should be geared toward advancing the new administration priorities, that include eliminating the financial burden of inflation on citizens, promoting efficiency in government, and ending “wokeness.”

“The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” the order said. 

Ewing said the directive has created “mass confusion” across the U.S. and that it “threatens to disrupt the lives of countless Denverites who depend on resources funded in part by the federal government.”

Roughly 62% of all grants in Denver’s 2025 budget are from federal sources. The city receives between 100 to 180 grant awards each year from local, state and federal sources, amounting to between $100 million and $350 million annually.

According to Denver’s 2025 budget, the city’s largest grant recipients are the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Denver Economic Development and Opportunity, Department of Housing Stability, Department of Public Health and Environment and the Office of Children’s Affairs.

The departments didn’t respond to The Denver Gazette’s request for comment. Meanwhile, several councilmembers said their respective teams need more time to assess how such a funding freeze would affect the city.

“Pausing federal contracts without a clear plan harms Denver’s most vulnerable residents and stalls critical projects in District 10, from affordable housing developments to essential infrastructure repairs,” said Councilmember Chris Hinds, who represents the downtown Denver district. “These federal investments are lifelines for our community, and this decision jeopardizes local jobs, Denver initiatives and the well-being of hardworking families in Denver.”