Indian School Equalization
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.042
- Agency
-
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 23 $65,323,879 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- (ISEP)
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Block Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 14-2100-0-1-501
- 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 administers the Indian School Equalization program (CFDA 15.042) to provide primary and secondary education funding for Bureau of Indian Education-funded elementary and secondary schools, with the most recent grant award dated February 28, 2019.
Program activity has stalled significantly. The portfolio contains 23 awards spanning from 1991 to February 2019, but no awards have been disbursed in the past seven and a half years. Award cadence prior to the halt varied—ranging from two to seven awards per year between 2014 and 2019—but the program shows no recent grant opportunities posted in Grants.gov. The program description states that applications are processed annually with March 1 submission deadlines and July 1 evidence-of-systems deadlines, but these deadlines appear inoperative given the absence of recent awards or posted solicitations.
When active, the program funded school operations, tuition payments, student leadership programs, and dormitory support at tribal schools and school districts serving Indian students. Representative recent awards included $8.2 million to Cherokee Nation-operated Sequoyah High School (July 2018), $8.1 million to Sevier School District for tuition and transportation (July 2018), and $107 thousand for Close Up leadership training at Riverside Indian School (October 2018).
The program is predominantly Project Grants (61 percent of awards) with smaller shares of Cooperative Agreements (30 percent) and Block Grants (9 percent). The Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education dominated funding, accounting for 14 of 23 awards and $29.4 million of $65.3 million total federal dollars obligated. The Bureau's Eastern Region, Albuquerque Acquisition Office, and School Operations divisions accounted for the remainder. Award magnitudes ranged from under $25 thousand for field trips to over $15.9 million for the founding block grant from 1991.
Eligibility is automatic for applicants meeting requirements; awards are determined by the number of eligible Indian students enrolled in BIE K-12 programs. Prospective applicants should contact the BIE Grant Officer for technical assistance. The program does not accept applications through Grants.gov.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide funding for primary and secondary education.
- Description
To serve as the primary funding source for educational programs at BIE-funded elementary and secondary schools.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribes or tribal organizations currently served by a Bureau of Indian Education funded school.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Children between the ages of 5 and 21 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.
- Uses of assistance
Funds may be used for the education of Indian children in Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) funded schools. Funds may not be used for construction.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Funds may be paid in advance, are awarded annually on an indefinite basis based on performance, and remain with the Self Determination contractor or grantee until spent. Funds are added to the recipient school's Public Law 100-297 Grant or Public Law 93-638 Contract on July 1 and December 1.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
An applicant should consult the BIE Grant Officer who will provide technical assistance.
- Application procedure
The amount of the award is determined by the number of eligible Indian Students enrolled in BIE K-12 programs. No NOFO will be posted in Grants.gov
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applicants meeting eligibility requirements are funded.
- Award procedure
The BIE Education Line Officer will ensure the application is complete and forward the application to the Director, Bureau of Indian Education, with a recommendation for approval or disapproval.
- Deadlines
Schools must submit their applications and a copy of the tribe's approval of the application by March 1. Evidence that all administrative systems are in place such as accounting, personnel and property must be submitted by July 1.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Applications for contract schools will be processed within 90 days; applications for grant schools will be processed within 180 days after the date the application is submitted to the Education line Officer.
- Renewals
Awards are made annually and are renewed automatically based on satisfactory performance by the grantee.
- 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 23 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherokee Nation | $16,131,915 | 25% |
| 2 | Miccosukee Corporation | $15,987,059 | 24% |
| 3 | Sevier School District Inc. | $13,067,216 | 20% |
| 4 | Lukachukai Community School | $6,444,605 | 10% |
| 5 | Kickapoo Nation School | $3,239,313 | 5% |
| 6 | Greasewood Springs Community School, Inc. | $3,206,590 | 5% |
| 7 | Rough Rock School Board, Inc. | $1,828,120 | 3% |
| 8 | Chitimacha Tribe Of Louisiana | $1,775,923 | 3% |
| 9 | Chickasaw Nation | $1,462,576 | 2% |
| 10 | Muscogee Creek Nation | $1,453,069 | 2% |
10 of 13 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $417,134 |
| FY2025 | $1,621,321 |
| FY2024 | $3,487,377 |
| FY2023 | $17,708,026 |
| FY2022 | $15,395,757 |
| FY2021 | $18,364,046 |
| FY2020 | $15,706,585 |
| FY2019 | $14,670,720 |
| FY2018 | $13,031,233 |
| FY2017 | $9,131,124 |
| FY2016 | $18,476,100 |
| FY2015 | $39,020,938 |
| FY2014 | $28,206,539 |
| FY2013 | $16,425,614 |
Show all 14
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.042?
Assistance Listing 15.042 is Indian School Equalization, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Indian School Equalization?
Its CFDA number is 15.042: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.042 awarded?
23 grant awards under 15.042 have obligated $65,323,879 in federal funds to 13 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.042?
The recipients obligated the most under Indian School Equalization are Cherokee Nation ($16,131,915), Miccosukee Corporation ($15,987,059) and Sevier School District Inc. ($13,067,216).
How much did 15.042 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.042 obligated $1,621,321 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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