Assistance to Tribally Controlled Community Colleges and Universities

To provide grants for the operation and improvement of Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to insure continued and expanded educational opportunities for Indian students, and to allow for the improvement and expansion of the physical resources of

Non-competitive grants to tribally controlled community colleges and universities for the basic funds to provide faculty, facilities and the Tribally Colleges and Universities (TCU) operational programs.

Colleges chartered by Federally Recognized Indian Tribes or tribal organizations which are governed by a board of directors, are in operation more than one year, admit students with a certificate of graduation from a secondary institution or equivalent, provide certificates, associate, baccalaureate and graduate degrees, are nonprofit and nonsectarian, and are accredited by a nationally recognized agency or association.

Indian students who are a member of or are at least a one-fourth degree Indian blood descendant of a member of an Indian tribe which is eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to Indians because of their status as Indians.

Funds must not be used in connection with religious worship or sectarian instruction. Funds may be used for the general operating costs of the Tribally Controlled Community College to defray, at the determination of the College, expenditures for academic, educational and administrative purposes and for the operation and maintenance of the College.

Awards are made on an annual basis and the funds remain available without fiscal year limitation until expended by the contractor/grantee.

An applicant should consult the Division of Post-Secondary Education.

The amount of the award is determined by the number of eligible Indian Students enrolled in the college. In addition, no Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be posted on Grants.gov

Applicants which the study team determines as eligible will be funded.

After receiving approval of the application by the governing body or governing bodies, the Director will designate a study team to determine whether there is justification to encourage maintaining a college.

Colleges must submit the Tribe's approval of the application by March 1 of the fiscal year preceding the year in which they wish to be eligible for funding. Evidence that all administrative systems are in place such as accounting, personnel and property must be submitted by July 1 of the preceding year in which they wish to be eligible for funding.

The study team will be designated within 30 days. Within 60 days the team must complete its eligibility study. The tribe will be notified of approval within 60 days of completion of the study.

Colleges must file an annual application to receive continued funding.

A negative determination may be appealed to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs. Within 30 days of receiving a notice of appeal the Assistant Secretary must conduct a hearing at which the applicant may present evidence and offer arguments in support of the appeal. Within 30 days after the hearing the Assistant Secretary must issue a written ruling on the appeal. Specifics relative to the appeals process are found in 25 CFR 41.7.