New Beginning for Tribal Students Program
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture is offering the New Beginning for Tribal Students program, a federal grant intended to increase retention and graduation rates for Tribal students at 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land-grant Colleges and Universities. The program funds activities such as recruiting, tuition and related fees, experiential learning, tutoring, counseling, academic advising, and other student services that support Tribal student success. Projects are expected to align with USDA research priorities, including agricultural education and leadership development, with emphasis on innovative agricultural technologies, and applications are reviewed for administrative compliance and scientific merit. Applications are due July 2, 2026, with awards of $250,000 to $500,000 and an estimated $5,000,000 available, and questions about application content may be sent to grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov.
Eligible Applicants
Applicants for the NBTS program 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. To be eligible to apply for the New Beginning for Tribal Students (NBTS) program, the applying entity must be an 1862, 1890 or 1994 Land-grant College or University. Unless otherwise specified, only United States citizens, non-citizen nationals of the United States, and lawful permanent residents of the United States are eligible to apply for and receive NIFA awards.