Absentee Shawnee Tribe Of Oklahoma

Absentee Shawnee Tribe Of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribal government headquartered in Shawnee, Oklahoma, is a federal grant recipient operating across health, social services, infrastructure, justice, and cultural preservation programs for its 4,645 enrolled members and a broader American Indian population in central Oklahoma's five-county service region. The Tribe acts as a prime grant recipient on 99% of its recent federal awards and operates two named subsidiaries: Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health Authority, Inc. and Housing Authority Of The Absentee Shawnee Tribe Of Indians Of Oklahoma.

The Tribe's federal footprint is concentrated in formula and project grants from the Department of Health and Human Services, which accounts for the majority of its active awards. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families programs dominate the award portfolio—the Tribe receives recurring formula grants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services program (CFDA 93.671), Child Welfare Social Services (CFDA 93.645), and Promoting Safe and Stable Families (CFDA 93.556). The Administration for Community Living funds nutrition services, supportive services, and caregiver support for Native American elders under the Older Americans Act Title VI programs (CFDA 93.047 and 93.048). The Public Health Service funds behavioral health initiatives, including a $200,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Health Management Development Program (CFDA 93.228) for a culturally adapted dementia care model serving the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System, and SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment project grants supporting opioid treatment and recovery services (the "Wi Si Ka To Wi, Be Well" project awarded September 2024 for up to five years).

Beyond HHS, the Tribe receives infrastructure and transportation funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). A $13.79 million Bridge Investment Program block grant (CFDA 20.264) awarded November 2025 supports replacement of the Porter Avenue Bridge in Shawnee through November 2029. The Tribe also holds a $1.273 million Tribal Transportation Program formula grant (CFDA 20.289) awarded February 2026 for road construction, bridge enhancements, and highway maintenance operations through October 2029. The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women funds domestic violence and sexual assault victim services: a $765,000 project grant under the Tribal Governments program (CFDA 16.587) effective October 2025 operates the Rising Warrior Domestic Violence Program in partnership with the Native Alliance Against Violence, and a $550,000 project grant under the Transitional Housing Assistance program (CFDA 16.736) provides 30 scattered-site and clustered transitional housing units and support services through September 2027. The Bureau of Justice Assistance funds a $900,000 Tribal Justice Assistance Program grant (CFDA 16.596) implementing an enhanced Wellbriety program as an alternative to incarceration, and a $500,000 Tribal Youth Program grant (CFDA 16.731) expanding youth engagement and runaway prevention through September 2029.

The Tribe also receives project and formula grants in environmental protection (EPA Region 6 for water quality monitoring and brownfields response under CFDA 66.805), cultural preservation (National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund grants under CFDA 15.904), Native American language preservation (Administration for Native Americans "Ne Mi Ta Si Wi Nwi To Wa" language fluency project, CFDA 93.612), and energy resilience (Department of Energy electric grid resilience formula grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CFDA 81.122). The Tribe received $359,340 in FEMA Disaster Grants for COVID-19 emergency protective measures and reimbursement (CFDA 97.036). Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and related block grants from the Office of Community Services fund energy assistance and infrastructure improvements for low-income households. The Institute of Museum and Library Services supports library services and materials acquisition under Native American Library Services programs (CFDA 45.311). The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration funded Indian Native American youth employment and training services through a project grant completed December 2023.

Activity declined from 16 awards in 2022 to 5 awards in 2026 year-to-date; 15 awards are scheduled for ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months. The Tribe functions as a sub-recipient on one percent of its portfolio, receiving sub-awards from Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation for tobacco control and prevention initiatives (three sub-awards, most recent January 2026). The Tribe's awards span 46 distinct federal customer agencies, indicating a diverse customer base rooted in domestic social services, health, infrastructure, and justice grant programs rather than federal contracting or procurement relationships.