Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- USDA-NIFA-TCRGP-011697
- Agency
-
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Department of Agriculture
- Applications due
- Award size
- $150,000 to $2,500,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Agriculture
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is soliciting applications for competitive grants to develop research capacity at tribal colleges in agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences, with application deadline December 31, 2026. Eligible applicants are limited to 35 specified 1994 Land-Grant Tribal Colleges, including Aaniiih Nakoda College, Blackfeet Community College, Diné College, Haskell Indian Nations University, Navajo Technical University, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, among others. All applications must include at least one approved research collaborator from a 1862 or 1890 land-grant institution, USDA Agricultural Research Service, non-land-grant college of agriculture, or McIntire-Stennis-funded forestry school; the lead 1994 institution must retain at least 50 percent of the total federal award.
The FY 2026 funding opportunity totals approximately $11.574 million across three application phases (June 12, 2026; September 11, 2026; December 31, 2026), with approximately $3.8 million allocated per phase. Five grant types are available: 1994 Research Capacity Center (up to $2.5 million), Area of Expertise (up to $650,000), New Discovery (up to $350,000), Applied Faculty/Community (up to $150,000), and Workshop Grants (approximately $150,000). Indirect costs are capped at 30 percent of total federal funds awarded.
The program prioritizes innovative agricultural technologies including artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, and cutting-edge digital tools. NIFA encourages undergraduate student training and leadership development components in these areas. All applications must demonstrate student participation, include a data management plan, and address tribal, state, or national research priorities.
Evaluation criteria are potential for advancing research quality, budget and cost effectiveness, proposed approach and cooperative linkages, institutional capability and capacity building, and key personnel qualifications. NIFA will conduct peer review and may negotiate project modifications before recommending funding. Project periods may not exceed three years; all project periods including no-cost extensions are limited to five years.
Assistance Listing 10.227.
Synopsis
TCRGP focuses on development of research capacity at Tribal colleges, specifically in agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. The program aims to teach leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities that are necessary to prepare students to be competitive with other students for agricultural and related careers in the private sector, government, and academia. Of interest are the projects involving innovative agricultural technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data science, robotics, and other cutting edge digital tools. NIFA encourages incorporation of opportunities for training undergraduate students in these areas to equip them with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society and expose them to educational and career pathways in AI for food and agricultural sciences.
Eligibility
Applicants for the TCRGP must meet all the requirements discussed in this NOFO. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA's About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.The eligible 1994s are listed below:1) Aaniiih Nakoda College2) Bay Mills Community College3) Blackfeet Community College4) Cankdeska Cikana Community College5) Chief Dull Knife College6) College of Menominee Nation7) College of the Muscogee Nation8) Dine College9) Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College10) Fort Peck Community College11) Haskell Indian Nations University12) Ilisagvik College13) Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development.14) Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College15) Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College16) Leech Lake Tribal College17) Little Big Horn College18) Little Priest Tribal College19) Navajo Technical University20) Nebraska Indian Community College21) Northwest Indian College22) Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College23) Oglala Lakota College24) Red Lake Nation College25) Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College26) Salish Kootenai College27) Sinte Gleska University28) Sisseton Wahpeton College29) Sitting Bull College30) Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute31) Stone Child College32) Tohono O'odham Community College33) Turtle Mountain Community College34) United Tribes Technical College35) White Earth Tribal and Community College USDA will not accept competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of E.O. 14292.Duplicate or Multiple Submissions - duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| FY26-TCRGP-NOFO.pdf | ||
| PKG00292476.pdf |
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