National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Department of Agriculture
Tribal Colleges Extension Program Special Emphasis
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Nov 2, 2026 · 27 days left
- Award size
- $50K – $200K
- Total available
- $1.5M · about 5 awards
- Cost share / match
- Not required
- Who can apply
- Other (see eligibility)
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
- No cost share required
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Read the official notice View on Grants.gov
About this grant
The TCEP-SE under assistance listing 10.517, provides informal, community-focused extension pilot projects at 1994 Institutions. Pilot projects may focus on community needs that address emerging issues such as agricultural productivity, improving food systems, community vitality, workforce and economic development, public health and well-being, engaging Tribal youths, and preparing the next generation of Tribal agriculture leaders.
Eligibility (from the notice)
Applicants for the TCEP-SE 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.
Applications may only be submitted by colleges and universities designated as 1994 Institutions by legislation.
The following colleges and universities are eligible for this program: 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, Diné College, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Fort Peck Community College, Haskell Indian Nations University, Iḷisaġvik College, Institute of American Indian Arts, Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa University, 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.
An eligible institution may submit a maximum of two applications per eligible institution. There is generally a limit of two awards to any one eligible institution in response to this NOFO (Refer to Part II, C of this NOFO for Project and Grant Types).
USDA will not accept competitive applications for grant 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.
About the program (10.517)
Tribal Colleges Extension Programs — TCEP; TCEP-SE; FRTEP (formerly Extension Indian Reservation Program)
How applications are judged
NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. First, each application is reviewed to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements set forth in the NOFO. Second, a peer-review process (https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications) will be used to evaluate the scientific and technical merit of applications that have met the administrative requirements.
After each peer review panel has completed deliberations, the responsible NIFA program staff will either recommend an application for support from available funds or decline an application due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: TCEP-CA: A total of $10,560,000 was awarded to thirty-five 1994 Land-grant Institutions (1994s). Each institution received $273,000 in the fourth year of a 4-year continuation award. TCEP-SE: Information not available. FRTEP: A total of $3,840,000 was awarded to thirty-five 1862 and two 1994 Land-grant Institutions in the fourth year of a 4-year continuation award. Awards ranged from $100,162 to $108,145.