There are many agencies that work with the U.S. government; some are independent, while others are dependent. The differences between independent and dependent agencies involve structure, authority, jurisdiction, functional characteristics and funding. Additionally, differences result from the level of control the federal government has over the agency.
One of the major qualifying differences between independent and dependent agencies is where the funding for the agency's expenses comes from. In most cases, the U.S. government entirely funds dependent agencies. On the other hand, independent agencies receive funding from other sources. This funding plays a large role in the amount of control the federal government exerts over agencies and the amount of reliance the agencies have on the federal government.
Advertisement Article continues below this adIndependent agencies do not have complete separation from the government. Typically, the president or a Cabinet secretary has control over independent agencies. This means, among other things, that the president has limited power to choose or dismiss the leader or a member of an independent agency. Since many agencies have high turnover rates, the president often has the ability to appoint the majority of commission or board members of the independent agency during an administration.