Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA TCEG 011837
The Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants (TCEG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.221. Its core purpose is to strengthen Tribal education capacity in the food and agricultural sciences, specifically in ways that better serve Native Alaskan and American Indian students. This particular Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) launches a new four-year continuation funding cycle, meaning NIFA is supporting multi-year efforts that build and sustain academic programs, teaching capability, and student success pathways connected to agriculture and related sciences.
The program is built around six legislatively mandated priority areas that applicants are expected to address through their proposed activities. First, curricula design and materials development supports the creation or improvement of courses, lesson materials, labs, and learning resources that align with food and agricultural science workforce and community needs. Second, faculty development and teacher preparation focuses on strengthening the instructional workforce through training, professional development, certifications, and preparation of educators who can teach agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, environmental science, and related topics. Third, student experiential learning emphasizes hands-on learning such as internships, fieldwork, research experiences, practicums, and applied projects that connect classroom learning to real agricultural and food systems work. Fourth, equipment and instrumentation for teaching science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) supports the purchase or upgrade of teaching tools and lab or field equipment that make high-quality instruction possible (for example, lab instrumentation, instructional technology, or specialized equipment used in agricultural science teaching). Fifth, student recruitment and retention targets practical strategies to bring students into these programs and keep them progressing to completion, such as outreach, student supports, mentoring, and structured pathways. Sixth, instruction delivery systems and strategic partnerships covers improvements to how instruction is delivered (including systems and methods that expand access and quality) and partnerships that strengthen programming, such as collaborations with other institutions, community organizations, industry, or agencies.
Eligibility is tightly defined. Only Tribal Colleges and Universities that are designated as 1994 Land-grant Institutions under the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note) may apply as lead applicants. In other words, this is not an open competition for all colleges, nonprofits, or Tribal entities; it is reserved for the federally recognized list of 1994 institutions. At the same time, award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project. The NOFO also stresses that applicants must meet all requirements described in the announcement, and that failing to meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline can lead to the application being excluded from review or prevent NIFA from making an award.
Key details from the opportunity listing include: Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA TCEG 011837; agency USDA-NIFA; funding instrument type is a grant; funding activity category is Agriculture; expected number of awards is 35; and the award ceiling is $228,571. The original closing date for applications is 2026-10-07. The opportunity was created on 2026-08-24. The NOFO also points new applicants to NIFA's "About Grants" resources, which are intended to help organizations understand federal financial assistance requirements and the overall grants process.
The eligible applicants are the 1994 Land-grant Tribal Colleges and Universities listed in the NOFO, including (as provided): Aaniiih Nakoda College; Bay Mills Community College; Blackfeet Community College; Cankdeska Cikana Community College; Chief Dull Knife College; College of the Menominee Nation; College of the Muscogee Nation; Dine College; Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College; Fort Peck Community College; Haskell Indian Nations University; Ilisagvik College; Institute of American Indian Arts; Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College; Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College; Leech Lake Tribal College; Little Big Horn College; Little Priest Tribal College; Navajo Technical University; Nebraska Indian Community College; Northwest Indian College; Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College; Oglala Lakota College; Red Lake Nation College; Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College; Salish Kootenai College; Sinte Gleska University; Sisseton Wahpeton College; Sitting Bull College; Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute; Stone Child College; Tohono O'odham Community College; Turtle Mountain Community College; United Tribes Technical College; and White Earth Tribal and Community College.Apply for USDA NIFA TCEG 011837
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.221.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $228,571.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 35 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants (TCEG) Program - FAQs
1) What is the Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants (TCEG) Program?
The Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants (TCEG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.221. The program is designed to strengthen Tribal education capacity in the food and agricultural sciences in ways that better serve Native Alaskan and American Indian students.
2) What is the main purpose of this specific Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)?
This NOFO launches a new four-year continuation funding cycle. The focus is on supporting multi-year efforts that build and sustain academic programs, strengthen teaching capability, and improve student success pathways connected to agriculture and related sciences.
3) Which federal agency runs this opportunity?
The opportunity is run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA).
4) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 10.221.
5) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA TCEG 011837.
6) What type of funding instrument is this?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
7) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Agriculture.
8) How many awards are expected to be made?
The expected number of awards is 35.
9) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $228,571.
10) What is the application deadline?
The original closing date for applications is 2026-10-07.
11) When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2026-08-24.
12) Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Only Tribal Colleges and Universities designated as 1994 Land-grant Institutions under the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note) may apply as lead applicants. This is not an open competition for all colleges, nonprofits, or Tribal entities.
13) Can organizations that are not eligible apply anyway?
No. The NOFO states that eligibility is tightly defined and reserved for the federally recognized list of 1994 Land-grant Tribal Colleges and Universities. Entities that are not 1994 institutions are not eligible to apply as the lead applicant.
14) Can an eligible Tribal College or University partner with other organizations?
Yes. Award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
15) What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
The NOFO indicates that failing to meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline can result in the application being excluded from review or can prevent NIFA from making an award.
16) What are the priority areas applicants are expected to address?
The program is built around six legislatively mandated priority areas that applicants are expected to address through proposed activities.
17) What does the "curricula design and materials development" priority area cover?
This priority supports creating or improving courses, lesson materials, labs, and learning resources that align with food and agricultural science workforce needs and community needs.
18) What does the "faculty development and teacher preparation" priority area cover?
This priority focuses on strengthening the instructional workforce through training, professional development, certifications, and preparation of educators who can teach agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, environmental science, and related topics.
19) What does the "student experiential learning" priority area cover?
This priority emphasizes hands-on learning such as internships, fieldwork, research experiences, practicums, and applied projects that connect classroom learning to real agricultural and food systems work.
20) What does the "equipment and instrumentation for teaching STEAM" priority area support?
This priority supports purchasing or upgrading teaching tools and lab or field equipment that enable high-quality instruction. Examples described include lab instrumentation, instructional technology, and specialized equipment used in agricultural science teaching.
21) What does the "student recruitment and retention" priority area focus on?
This priority targets strategies to bring students into these programs and keep them progressing to completion, such as outreach, student supports, mentoring, and structured pathways.
22) What does the "instruction delivery systems and strategic partnerships" priority area cover?
This priority includes improvements to how instruction is delivered (including systems and methods that expand access and quality) and partnerships that strengthen programming, such as collaborations with other institutions, community organizations, industry, or agencies.
23) Where can new applicants learn about the federal grants process for NIFA?
The NOFO points new applicants to NIFA's "About Grants" resources, which are intended to help organizations understand federal financial assistance requirements and the overall grants process.
24) Which institutions are listed as eligible 1994 Land-grant Tribal Colleges and Universities in the NOFO?
The NOFO lists the following eligible applicants: Aaniiih Nakoda College; Bay Mills Community College; Blackfeet Community College; Cankdeska Cikana Community College; Chief Dull Knife College; College of the Menominee Nation; College of the Muscogee Nation; Dine College; Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College; Fort Peck Community College; Haskell Indian Nations University; Ilisagvik College; Institute of American Indian Arts; Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College; Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College; Leech Lake Tribal College; Little Big Horn College; Little Priest Tribal College; Navajo Technical University; Nebraska Indian Community College; Northwest Indian College; Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College; Oglala Lakota College; Red Lake Nation College; Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College; Salish Kootenai College; Sinte Gleska University; Sisseton Wahpeton College; Sitting Bull College; Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute; Stone Child College; Tohono O'odham Community College; Turtle Mountain Community College; United Tribes Technical College; White Earth Tribal and Community College.
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| Outreach and Assistance for Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 012261 Funding Number: USDA NIFA ICGP 012261 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
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