Tribal Courts
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.029
- Agency
-
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 120 $47,530,723 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Block Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 14-2100-0-1-452
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education operates the Tribal Courts program (CFDA 15.029), which funded 10 awards in 2025 through September 24, the most recent award date, and has maintained steady activity with awards in the prior year as well.
The program funds federally recognized Indian tribal governments to establish and operate judicial branch functions, including civil and criminal tribal court services, court personnel positions, detention services, and specialized judicial training in domestic violence, healing-to-wellness courts, victim advocacy, and opioid response. Recent awards included attorney fee support, prosecutor and court clerk positions, adult and juvenile detention services, and training initiatives. The Alaska Native Justice Center received $4 million in July 2022 for statewide justice services and training. Recent smaller awards included $395,231 for attorney fees (September 2025), $260,899 for Navajo Nation prosecutor funding (September 2025), and $141,925 for Cow Creek domestic violence training (September 2016).
The portfolio is predominantly Project Grants (53 awards) with substantial shares of Cooperative Agreements (32 awards) and Block Grants (24 awards). The Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Central Office led award volume with 78 awards totaling $14.2 million in federal dollars obligated, followed by the Bureau's Indian Education division (28 awards, $13.2 million) and the Eastern Region (8 awards, $17.2 million). Combined federal dollars obligated totaled $47.5 million across 120 awards since 1996.
Award magnitude varies widely. Individual tribal court operations and detention services typically range from roughly $36,000 to $1.2 million, while training and specialized programming awards cluster between $50,000 and $350,000. The program structure enables indefinite renewal if an applicant maintains satisfactory performance and submits notice of intent 90 days before expiration. Award amounts depend on tribal prioritization through the Bureau's Tribal Priority Allocation budget process. Applications are processed within 90 days and should be submitted to the local Bureau of Indian Affairs agency or regional office.
The source identifies no currently open grant opportunities.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide funds to Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments to operate a judicial branch of government.
- Description
This program provides funds that can be used by an eligible Indian Tribe to administer civil and/or criminal tribal court services directly to their community.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments exercising law enforcement jurisdiction on their reservation.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments.
- Uses of assistance
Funds may be used for salaries and related expenses of tribal court judges, prosecutors, defenders, clerks of court, probation officers, juvenile officers, and other court personnel.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Awards are made on an annual basis and the funds remain available until expended by the contractor/grantee. Payments may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement. The timing of the payments will be negotiated with the Indian tribe.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
An informal conference with Bureau of Indian Affairs agency representatives is recommended.
- Application procedure
Initial applications must contain the information specified in 25 CFR Part 900, Subpart C, "Contract Proposal Contents." Completed applications should be submitted to the local Bureau of Indian Affairs agency or regional office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
All applicants meeting the requirements of 25 CFR Part 900 will be selected if the program has been prioritized by the individual Indian tribe through tribal participation in the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Tribal Priority Allocation budget formulation process.
- Award procedure
The dollar value of the award depends upon the amount that has been prioritized by the individual Indian tribe through tribal participation in the Bureau of Indian Affair's Tribal Priority Allocation budget formulation process.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Applications will be processed within 90 days.
- Renewals
Awards may be renewed indefinitely upon satisfactory performance by the contractor/grantee. A notice of intent to renew should be submitted at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the current award. The amount of the award may be adjusted as a result of individual tribal priorities established in the budget formulation process.
- Appeals
An unsuccessful applicant may request an informal conference with the deciding official, or may appeal the denial of the application to the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, or may bring suit in U.S. District Court. Full appeal procedures are found in 25 CFR Part 900.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 120 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians | $11,301,606 | 24% |
| 2 | Chitimacha Tribe Of Louisiana | $5,625,158 | 12% |
| 3 | Penobscot Indian Nation | $5,009,399 | 11% |
| 4 | Alaska Native Justice Center, Inc. | $4,000,000 | 8% |
| 5 | Mississippi Band Of Choctaw Indians | $3,239,027 | 7% |
| 6 | Ute Mountain Ute Tribe | $1,527,939 | 3% |
| 7 | Northern Cheyenne Tribe | $1,437,564 | 3% |
| 8 | Colorado River Indian Tribes | $1,208,442 | 3% |
| 9 | County Of Navajo | $1,179,174 | 2% |
| 10 | Bay Mills Indian Community | $986,331 | 2% |
10 of 69 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $659,683 |
| FY2025 | $3,178,795 |
| FY2024 | $7,496,939 |
| FY2023 | $2,789,522 |
| FY2022 | $4,114,934 |
| FY2021 | $3,025,224 |
| FY2020 | $4,416,001 |
| FY2019 | $4,601,136 |
| FY2018 | $2,109,353 |
| FY2017 | $2,109,496 |
| FY2016 | $2,414,580 |
| FY2015 | $4,216,639 |
| FY2014 | $5,114,534 |
| FY2013 | $3,801,677 |
Show all 14
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.029?
Assistance Listing 15.029 is Tribal Courts, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Tribal Courts?
Its CFDA number is 15.029: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.029 awarded?
120 grant awards under 15.029 have obligated $47,530,723 in federal funds to 69 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.029?
The recipients obligated the most under Tribal Courts are Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians ($11,301,606), Chitimacha Tribe Of Louisiana ($5,625,158) and Penobscot Indian Nation ($5,009,399).
How much did 15.029 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.029 obligated $3,178,795 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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