5 Hobbies The US Government Will Pay You For | 2026

When most people think about government contracting, they picture jets, tanks, IT systems, or massive construction projects.

What they don’t picture are hobbies.

But that’s exactly what sparked this conversation.

In this video, we explored a simple but eye-opening question: What hobbies does the U.S. government actually spend money on? And not pocket change — I’m talking millions of dollars awarded every year through federal contracts to small businesses and specialized companies.

What we found surprises almost everyone.

Yoga.
ATVs and off-roading.
3D printing.
Foreign languages.
Dog training.

All things people do for fun — and all things the government actively buys.

And once you understand why the government spends money in these areas, you start to see government contracting very differently.

Why “Hobbies” Matter in Government Contracting

One of the biggest misconceptions about government contracting is that it’s only for massive defense primes or highly technical companies.

In reality, the federal government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, and its needs are far broader than most people realize.

Agencies aren’t just buying equipment — they’re buying outcomes:

• Health and readiness

• Training and preparedness

• Security and safety

• Innovation and rapid development

That’s where these so-called “hobbies” come in.

Yoga: Wellness as a Federal Priority

Let’s start with yoga — the one that gets the biggest reaction.

The federal government spends roughly $20–40 million a year on yoga classes and wellness services.

Why?

Because yoga isn’t viewed as a luxury. It’s a preventative health and rehabilitation tool, especially for:

• Veterans dealing with PTSD

• Service members managing chronic pain

• Federal employees in high-stress roles

Agencies have learned that investing in mental and physical wellness reduces long-term healthcare costs, improves performance, and supports retention.

What looks like a personal hobby on the outside is, to the government, a strategic wellness program — and that creates contract opportunities for instructors, studios, and training providers who understand how to sell into that system.

ATVs and Off-Roading: Training for the Real World

Next up: ATVs and off-road vehicles.

The government spends around $70 million annually in this space.

This isn’t about recreation — it’s about operational readiness.

Military units, border patrol, search and rescue teams, and emergency responders all need to operate in environments where roads don’t exist:

• Deserts

• Mountains

• Arctic terrain

• Disaster zones

Off-road vehicles and training programs are critical to making sure personnel can move safely and effectively in those conditions.

What many people think of as a weekend hobby becomes a mission-critical capability once it’s tied to national security and emergency response.

3D Printing: A Hobby That Became a Strategic Advantage

3D printing might have started as a maker-space hobby, but the government now spends roughly $200 million a year on it.

Why?

Because 3D printing allows agencies to:

• Rapidly prototype parts

• Reduce supply chain delays

• Customize medical devices

• Test designs without massive manufacturing runs

Defense, healthcare, and research agencies all rely on additive manufacturing to move faster and adapt quicker than traditional procurement allows.

If you understand both the technology and how the government buys innovation, this is one of the most powerful intersections of hobby and federal demand.

Foreign Languages: Why Humans Still Matter

Despite massive advances in AI and translation tools, the government still spends about $372 million a year on foreign language services.

That includes:

• Translation

• Interpretation

• Cultural advising

• Linguistic analysis

Why hasn’t AI replaced this?

Because in high-stakes environments — legal proceedings, diplomacy, intelligence, and national security — nuance matters. Context matters. Judgment matters.

The government uses technology, but it still relies heavily on human expertise when the cost of misunderstanding is too high.

For linguists and language professionals, this remains a steady and serious contracting market.

Dog Training: One of the Largest “Hobby” Markets

This one shocks almost everyone.

Dog training commands $500–600 million a year in federal spending.

These aren’t pets. They’re working dogs trained for:

• Explosive detection

• Drug detection

• Patrol and apprehension

• Military operations

• Airport and border security

Multiple agencies rely on K9 units, and those dogs require specialized, ongoing training throughout their service life.

Behind every trained working dog is a network of breeders, trainers, handlers, and support services — all tied together through government contracts most people never notice.

The Part Nobody Tells You: Government Contracting Is a Different Market

Here’s the reality check.

Just because the government buys something doesn’t mean you can casually sell it.

Federal contracting is its own ecosystem, with rules around:

• Registration and compliance

• Proposal writing

• Evaluations and past performance

• Pricing and documentation

This is why so many people get excited, jump in, and then get stuck.

Opportunity exists — but only for those willing to learn the system.

Why Education and Preparation Matter

That’s why we talk so much about training.

Programs like GovClose aren’t about hype or shortcuts. They exist because the federal market rewards people who:

• Do the research

• Understand how agencies buy

• Position themselves correctly

• Show up early and prepared

Government contracting isn’t fast money — but it is durable, scalable, and often overlooked.

Final Thoughts

The biggest takeaway from this video is simple:

The government buys far more than most people imagine.

If you have a skill, a passion, or even a hobby, there’s a real chance it already aligns with a federal need — you just don’t see it framed that way yet.

Yoga becomes wellness.
Off-roading becomes readiness.
3D printing becomes innovation.
Language becomes security.
Dog training becomes national defense.

Once you learn how to connect what you know to how the government buys, the market opens up in ways most people never expect.

And that’s where the real opportunity is.

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