Litigation Support for Indian Rights
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.052
- Agency
-
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 3 $238,375 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Block 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 funds litigation support for federally recognized tribes pursuing tribal trust resources and tribal rights protections through litigation, negotiation, or administrative proceedings, excluding water rights (CFDA 15.052), with the most recent grant award issued in October 2014.
Program activity has been minimal over the past two decades. Three awards were disbursed across a nineteen-year span (2005, 2011, 2014), with no documented grant opportunities or awards in the past twelve years. The portfolio reflects sporadic funding cycles rather than predictable annual competition. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education is the sole funding source under this listing, obligating $238 thousand across all three recent awards.
Eligible applicants are federally recognized Indian tribal governments and Native American organizations authorized by these tribes. Funding covers costs associated with developing evidence, research services, and expert witness procurement to support a tribe's position in litigation beyond tribal courts—specifically in local, county, state, or federal forums. Approved funding is capped at $200 per hour. Applications must be submitted annually, and awards are approved at headquarters level.
The assistance-type mix skews toward Block Grants (67 percent of awards) with a smaller share of Project Grants (33 percent). Recent representative awards include a $188,375 Project Grant (October 2014) designated for attorney fees and litigation support, and a $50,000 Block Grant (November 2011) for litigation support. The program requires tribal resolution, regional director memorandum endorsement, historical background documentation, and detailed cost breakdowns as part of the application package. Informal preapplication conferences are recommended, and technical assistance is available upon request.
No current grant opportunities are documented in the source. The twelve-year gap since the last award and absence of recent solicitations signal either dormancy or restricted availability of program funds. Prospective applicants should contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office to confirm current funding status and application processes before investing in proposal development.
Objective and description
- Objective
Litigation Support funds are available for tribes who are involved in litigation, negotiation or administrative proceedings to protect tribal trust resources or tribal rights (except for tribal water rights) and need funds to cover costs associated w
- Description
Litigation Support funds are available for tribes who are involved in litigation, negotiation or administrative proceedings to protect tribal trust resources or tribal rights (except for tribal water rights) and need funds to cover costs associated with developing evidence, for research services, or to procure the services of expert witnesses to support the tribe's position. Approved funding for this program has been set at a rate not to exceed $200.00 per hour. (Funds for water rights issues are available from the BIA Water Rights Negotiation/Litigation Program.)
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments and Native American Organizations authorized by these Tribes.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and their members.
- Uses of assistance
This program supports requests from tribes for expert witnesses, research, data collection, technical support, and other evidence-gathering activities required for the United States to defend the government's position in litigation cases involving Indian rights issues such as hunting, fishing and gathering rights issues; trespass; title issues, such as property line disputes; rights- of-way disputes; allotment claims; mineral entry; pollution and other activities which have harmed or could harm the health and safety of the reservation population. Funds may be used for the payment of Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) settlements or other payments ordered by the Courts, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior Office of the Solicitor.
- Use restrictions
This program supports requests from tribes for expert witnesses, research, data collection, technical support, and other evidence-gathering activities required for the United States to defend the government's position in litigation cases involving Indian rights issues such as hunting, fishing and gathering rights issues; trespass; title issues, such as property line disputes; rights- of-way disputes; allotment claims; mineral entry; pollution and other activities which have harmed or could harm the health and safety of the reservation population. Funds may be used for the payment of Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) settlements or other payments ordered by the Courts, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior Office of the Solicitor.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Awards are made on an annual basis and the funds remain available until expended by the contractor/grantee for the purposes specified in the application.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Informal preapplication conference is recommended. Technical assistance in preparing the application is available upon request.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Selection of proposals is dependent on the type of assistance being requested and the availability of funds. Cases for which assistance is requested must have progressed beyond Tribal courts to local, county, State, or Federal courts.
- Award procedure
Awards are approved at the Headquarters level.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Litigation Support funds are available for tribes who are involved in litigation, negotiation or administrative proceedings to protect tribal trust resources or tribal rights (except for tribal water rights) and need funds to cover costs associated with developing evidence, for research services, or to procure the services of expert witnesses to support the tribe's position. Approved funding for this program has been set at a rate not to exceed $200.00 per hour. (Funds for water rights issues are available from the BIA Water Rights Negotiation/Litigation Program.) Requests will include the following: (1) Historical or general background information that describe the events leading to the current situation for which funds are requested. (2) A detailed breakdown of the services, costs of the services, number of hours and hourly rates. (3) A tribal resolution. (4) A memorandum from the Regional Director endorsing the Tribes request for Attorney Fees/ Litigation Support funding. Agency and Regional office program staff will review the litigation support requests and provide relevant information and recommendations for use in the decision-making process. The Field Solicitor should be consulted if there is doubt whether litigation support funds should be used to support a specific matter.
- Renewals
Applications must be submitted each year.
- Appeals
An unsuccessful applicant may request an informal conference with the deciding official.
Grant awards
| Award | Recipient | Federal obligations | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2014/attorney fees/litigation support | Spokane Tribe Of The Spokane Reservation | $188,375 | |
| Attorney fees/litigation | Penobscot Indian Nation | $50,000 | |
| Litigation support | The Klamath Tribes | $0 |
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane Tribe Of The Spokane Reservation | $188,375 | 79% |
| 2 | Penobscot Indian Nation | $50,000 | 21% |
2 of 3 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2015 | $188,375 |
| FY2013 | $50,000 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.052?
Assistance Listing 15.052 is Litigation Support for Indian Rights, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Litigation Support for Indian Rights?
Its CFDA number is 15.052: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.052 awarded?
3 grant awards under 15.052 have obligated $238,375 in federal funds to 3 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.052?
The recipients obligated the most under Litigation Support for Indian Rights are Spokane Tribe Of The Spokane Reservation ($188,375) and Penobscot Indian Nation ($50,000).
On GovTribe
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