National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Department of Agriculture
Tribal Colleges Extension Program Special Emphasis
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Nov 2, 2026 · 26 days left
- Award size
- $50K – $200K
- Total available
- $1.5M · about 5 awards
- Match ?
- Not required · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- Set by the official notice: see Who can apply below
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Only tribes or Native American / Native Hawaiian organizations can apply
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/9a259ba7-a7dd-4404-895a-5ae0b9eb79f0 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/2e1d5e84-d1c8-498a-ab88-4392072f9b09
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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.
Who can apply, from the official 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.
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct7
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Oct12
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct26
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct31
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Nov2
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Tipton County facts with citations.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice FY26-TCEP-SE-NOFO-P.pdf (25 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.
Registrations you need first (1)
Grants.gov · p. 12
“The electronic application for this NOFO and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101.” Open page 12
The deadline is in 26 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Get-ready checklist
What to submit
Form SF-424 · p. 13
“Part IV Provide an accurate email address, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R.” Open page 13
Project abstract or summary · p. 13
“The Project Summary must include: a.” Open page 13
Timeline or schedule of completion · p. 15
“If key or other personnel must be hired to advance the project, address the timeline for hiring and how the project will progress in the event of delayed hiring.” Open page 15
Letters of support or commitment · p. 15
“Do not include general letters of support (i.e., from those who are not committing to a specific role in the project).” Open page 15
Budget narrative / justification · p. 16
“All subawards must include a budget and budget narrative for each year they are part of the grant. 5.” Open page 16
Length limits
Word limit (see quote): 250 words max · p. 13
“A concise description of the project (not to exceed 250 words); c.” Open page 13
DMP: 2 pages max · p. 15
“The DMP must not exceed 2 pages (1.5-spaced).” Open page 15
Formatting rules
12-point font, 1-inch margins, 1.5-spaced · p. 13
“The PN must not exceed 10 1.5 spaced pages of written text and up to [2] 1.5 spaced additional pages for figures and tables T The PN must be formatted using 1-inch margins and 12-point, Times New Roman font.” Open page 13
1.5-spaced · p. 15
“The response to previous review must not exceed [2] 1.5 spaced pages.” Open page 15
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 11
“Cost Sharing or Matching No Match Required - The Tribal Colleges Extension Program-Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE) has no matching requirement.” Open page 11
Cost share / match · p. 11
“While not required, cost share is encouraged.” Open page 11
Dates in the notice
November 2, 2026 · p. 8
“Standard Grants Workshop Grants Application Deadline November 2, 2026 Grant Duration:” Open page 8
Mistakes that get applications rejected (1)
Duplicate application: NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions. · p. 11
“NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions.” Open page 11
About the federal program
Tribal Colleges Extension Programs, also called “TCEP; TCEP-SE; FRTEP (formerly Extension Indian Reservation Program)”
Program number 10.517 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Project grant
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.
Match
None required (federal program listing).
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: 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.