Small Farm Fund Finder
FederalRolling / continuousDirect grantNationwide

Tribal College Extension & Equity Grants (1994 Institutions)

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Formula and competitive funding for the 1994 land-grant tribal colleges to run extension, teaching, and applied research — the practical route to on-reservation grower education and demonstration plots.

Typical award
Extension awards commonly $50,000–$300,000 per project
Deadline
Annual RFA, typically posted winter/spring
Type of support
Funding / grants · Tribal & Native-led capital
Who can apply
Tribal, Non-profit
Fits these operations
Vegetables & produce, Mixed / diversified, Value-added & food business

Am I eligible?

  • 1994 land-grant tribal college or university
  • Project serves tribal producers or tribal food systems
  • Partnerships with 1862/1890 institutions encouraged

How to apply

  1. 1Find the current RFA on Grants.gov and NIFA's tribal programs page
  2. 2Confirm SAM.gov registration is active for the institution
  3. 3Build the project team and budget with your sponsored programs office
  4. 4Submit through Grants.gov before the RFA deadline

What you'll need

  • SAM.gov UEI and institutional forms
  • Project narrative, logic model, and budget justification
  • Letters of collaboration from tribal producers or departments

Timeline & contact

4–6 months from deadline to award
Get help: NIFA Tribal Programs national program leaders

Ready to apply?

Applications go through USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, not through this site. Open the official page below for eligibility rules, forms, and contacts. For federal programs it's worth calling your local USDA Service Center or Cooperative Extension office first — they help with paperwork for free and know what your county actually funds.

This listing was last hand-checked August 2026.

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