Tribal Self-Governance Program: Planning and Negotiation Cooperative Agreement
Active
- Assistance listing
- 93.444
- Agency
-
Indian Health Service
Department of Health and Human Services
- Grant awards
- 78 $8,214,037 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- (Tribal Self Governance)
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 75-0390-0-1-551
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service funds planning and negotiation cooperative agreements enabling federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations to prepare for or enter the Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP), with the most recent award dated September 1, 2025, under CFDA 93.444.
The program funds two complementary phases: planning activities and negotiation activities. Planning grants support tribes in conducting legal and budgetary research, assessing organizational readiness, evaluating which programs, services, functions, and activities (PSFAs) they can feasibly assume under Title V of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and developing transition plans to shift from direct IHS delivery or Title I contracting to Title V self-governance compacting. Negotiation grants fund tribes that have completed planning and are preparing for formal negotiations with IHS to establish compacts and funding agreements specifying which PSFAs they will assume and under what terms. Recent awards show tribes analyzing IHS funding structures, assessing staffing and legal systems readiness, engaging community stakeholders, and preparing documentation for Title V compact negotiation—activities funded at magnitudes ranging from $84 thousand to $360 thousand per award.
The program is nearly all cooperative agreements: 59 of 78 awards (76 percent) are cooperative agreements, with the remaining 24 percent structured as project grants. Since the program's inception in 2010, it has distributed 78 awards totaling $8.2 million in federal dollars obligated ($8.4 million combined with non-federal share). Recent award frequency shows volatility, ranging from 3 to 7 awards per year from 2019 through 2025, with 5 awards in 2025 and 7 in 2024. All funding is channeled through the Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service.
Recent awards include the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority's planning cooperative agreement ($180 thousand; September 2025) to assess capacity for Title V transition from Title I contracting, the Tonkawa Tribe's planning grant ($360 thousand; September 2025) to evaluate feasibility of program assumption, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes' negotiation cooperative agreement ($168 thousand; September 2025) supporting formal negotiations for phased Title V assumption, and the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe's planning grant ($360 thousand; September 2025) to conduct readiness assessment and organizational gap analysis.
Two grant opportunities remain open: HHS-2026-IHS-TSGP-0001 (Tribal Self-Governance Planning Cooperative Agreement Program) with an application due date of August 3, 2026, and HHS-2027-IHS-TSGP-0001 (Tribal Self-Governance – Planning) posted August 6, 2026, for which the due date has not yet been specified. Eligibility is limited to federally recognized tribal governments and federally recognized or non-federally recognized tribal organizations that demonstrate three years of financial stability with no uncorrected significant audit exceptions and submit formal tribal governing body authorization. Planning agreements are not a prerequisite for TSGP entry but significantly improve timeliness and readiness for negotiations.
Objective and description
- Objective
To enable Federally recognized Indian tribes to enter into agreements that would allow them to assume programs, services, functions, and activities (PSFA) (or portions thereof) that the IHS would otherwise provide for Indians because of their status
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
For Planning Cooperative Agreements, any Federally recognized tribe that (1) formally requests, through a governing body action, a Planning Cooperative Agreement for the purpose of preparing to enter the IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program and (2) has furnished organization-wide single audit reports as prescribed by Pub. L. 96-502, the Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, for the previous three years that contain no uncorrected significant and material audit exceptions. See OMB Circular No. A-133 (June 27, 2003 and June 26, 2007). For Negotiation Cooperative Agreements, in addition to the two criteria listed above, applicants must have successfully completed the planning phase as described at 42 CFR § 137.20.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations (as defined in 25 U.S.C. § 458aaa-(b)) may benefit.
- Credentials and documentation
For planning, costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and Local Governments and Indian tribes and applicable grant administration regulations 45 CFR Part 92.
- Uses of assistance
Funding transferred through a Planning or Negotiation Cooperative Agreement must be used to either: (1) establish and operate programs to provide planning and negotiation resources to Tribes interested in participating in the IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program, or (2) expand current Self-Governance activity.
How to apply
- Application procedure
The application package may be found in Grants.gov. An electronic copy of a grant application submitted by electronic mail to the IHS will not be accepted.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Introduction and Need for Assistance; Project Objective(s), Work Plan and Approach; Program Evaluation; Organizational Capabilities, Key Personnel and Qualifications; Categorical Budget and Budget Justification.
- Award procedure
Cooperative agreements are made directly by the IHS to the Indian tribal applicants, based on results of an Objective Review process.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Within 45 days of IHS deadline.
- Appeals
Per 42 CFR § 137.416, decisions relating to the award of Cooperative Agreements may be appealed under 45 CFR Part 5.
Grant opportunities
Show all 25
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 78 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherokee Nation | $496,000 | 6% |
| 2 | Tonkawa Tribe | $483,000 | 6% |
| 3 | Snoqualmie Indian Tribe | $360,000 | 4% |
| 4 | Coyote Valley Tribal Council | $360,000 | 4% |
| 5 | Eastern Shoshone Tribe | $358,355 | 4% |
| 6 | Northern Arapaho Tribe | $283,740 | 3% |
| 7 | Shoshone Bannock Tribes | $262,214 | 3% |
| 8 | Tunica-Biloxi Tribe Of Louisiana Tribal Office | $180,000 | 2% |
| 9 | Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe | $180,000 | 2% |
| 10 | Miccosukee Corporation | $180,000 | 2% |
10 of 59 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$153,487 |
| FY2025 | $1,106,355 |
| FY2024 | $1,296,020 |
| FY2023 | -$653,606 |
| FY2022 | $1,193,742 |
| FY2021 | $74,485 |
| FY2020 | $802,242 |
| FY2018 | $840,000 |
| FY2017 | $216,000 |
| FY2016 | $887,328 |
| FY2015 | $695,423 |
| FY2014 | $450,564 |
| FY2013 | $503,999 |
| FY2012 | $622,275 |
| FY2011 | $180,000 |
| FY2010 | $284,717 |
Show all 16
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 93.444?
Assistance Listing 93.444 is Tribal Self-Governance Program: Planning and Negotiation Cooperative Agreement, a federal grant program run by Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services).
What is the CFDA number for Tribal Self-Governance Program: Planning and Negotiation Cooperative Agreement?
Its CFDA number is 93.444: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 93.444 awarded?
78 grant awards under 93.444 have obligated $8,214,037 in federal funds to 59 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 93.444?
The recipients obligated the most under Tribal Self-Governance Program: Planning and Negotiation Cooperative Agreement are Cherokee Nation ($496,000), Tonkawa Tribe ($483,000) and Snoqualmie Indian Tribe ($360,000).
How much did 93.444 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 93.444 obligated $1,106,355 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 93.444?
1 listed opportunity under 93.444 is open or forecasted. The latest, Tribal Self-Governance - Planning, was posted on August 6, 2026.
On GovTribe
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