Tribal Colleges Research Grants, $150k-$2.5M, Due Dec 31
Summary
NIFA announces the Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program (TCRGP) for fiscal year 2026, with $11,574,000 in total program funding and 15 expected awards ranging from $150,000 to $2,500,000. Applications close December 31, 2026, and are restricted to the 35 designated 1994 land-grant institutions listed in the NOFO. Priority areas include innovative agricultural technologies such as AI, data science, robotics, and digital tools, with emphasis on training undergraduate students in these fields.
“TCRGP focuses on development of research capacity at Tribal colleges, specifically in agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences.”
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What changed
NIFA has posted the FY2026 Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on Grants.gov, with $11,574,000 in available funding and a December 31, 2026 application deadline. The program is limited to the 35 designated 1994 land-grant tribal colleges and universities, and encourages projects in AI, data science, robotics, and digital tools applied to agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences.
Eligible tribal colleges and institutions should prepare applications demonstrating research capacity development and undergraduate training opportunities in innovative agricultural technologies. Prospective applicants without prior federal grants experience are directed to NIFA's About Grants resource for guidance on the application process. Duplicate or multiple submissions will result in disqualification.
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Assistance Listings: 10.227 -- 1994 Institutions Research Grants
Last Updated: April 22, 2026 View version history on Grants.gov
Description
TCRGP focuses on development of research capacity at Tribal colleges, specifically in agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. The program aims to teach leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities that are necessary to prepare students to be competitive with other students for agricultural and related careers in the private sector, government, and academia. Of interest are the projects involving innovative agricultural technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data science, robotics, and other cutting edge digital tools. NIFA encourages incorporation of opportunities for training undergraduate students in these areas to equip them with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society and expose them to educational and career pathways in AI for food and agricultural sciences.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants
Miscellaneous
- Other
Additional information
Applicants for the TCRGP must meet all the requirements discussed in this NOFO. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.The eligible 1994s are listed below:1) Aaniiih Nakoda College2) Bay Mills Community College3) Blackfeet Community College4) Cankdeska Cikana Community College5) Chief Dull Knife College6) College of Menominee Nation7) College of the Muscogee Nation8) Dine College9) Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College10) Fort Peck Community College11) Haskell Indian Nations University12) Ilisagvik College13) Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development.14) Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College15) Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College16) Leech Lake Tribal College17) Little Big Horn College18) Little Priest Tribal College19) Navajo Technical University20) Nebraska Indian Community College21) Northwest Indian College22) Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College23) Oglala Lakota College24) Red Lake Nation College25) Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College26) Salish Kootenai College27) Sinte Gleska University28) Sisseton Wahpeton College29) Sitting Bull College30) Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute31) Stone Child College32) Tohono O'odham Community College33) Turtle Mountain Community College34) United Tribes Technical College35) White Earth Tribal and Community College USDA will not accept competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of E.O. 14292.Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions.
Grantor contact information
Description
NIFA Support Email grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except federal holidays
If you have questions about preparing application content, contact grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
Documents
Download all
| File name | Description | Last updated |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FY26-TCRGP-NOFO.pdf | FY2026-Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program–NOFO | Apr 22, 2026 08:52 PM UTC |
Link to additional information
Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
Closing: December 31, 2026
Application process
This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates. View on Grants.gov
Award
$11,574,000
Program Funding
15
Expected awards
$150,000
Award Minimum
$2,500,000
Award Maximum
Funding opportunity number:
USDA-NIFA-TCRGP-011697
Cost sharing or matching requirement:
No Funding instrument type:
Grant
Opportunity Category:
Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation:
-- Category of Funding Activity:
Agriculture
Category Explanation:
--
History
Version:
1
Posted date:
April 22, 2026
Archive date:
January 30, 2027
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