Eligible institutions are invited to apply for funding through the Department of Agriculture’s Tribal Colleges Extension Program – Capacity Applications initiative. The deadline for proposals is August 14.
Approximately $10.5 million will be made available in FY 2026 for projects related to “agricultural productivity, community resilience, economic growth, and youth development” through the USDA-NIFA Tribal Colleges Extension Program – Capacity Applications (TCEP-CA) initiative.
According to the recently released Notice of Funding Opportunity, TCEP-CA “supports informal, community-based extension projects that address agriculture, youths, economic development, healthy lifestyles, natural resources, or other topics important to Tribal communities.”
Project topics of interest may include “agricultural productivity, improving food systems, community vitality, workforce and economic development, environmental quality, public health and well-being, engaging Tribal youths, and preparing the next generation of Tribal agriculture leaders.” NIFA is additionally encouraging projects “involving innovative agricultural technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).”
Approximately $12 million will be made available in FY 2026. Of this amount, about $10.5 million will be available to fund the first year of new TCEP-CA projects as competitive awards. Individual awards are expected to average $300,000.
Following Trump administration policy, the USDA announcement states that it will no longer support programs or activities that, It asserts, “improperly discriminate on the basis of race or sex, including discrimination in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies.”
Instead, USDA will prioritize what it calls “merit and efficiency.”
Applications are due by 5:00 pm ET on Friday, August 14, 2026. More information can be found at the NIFA Funding Opportunity page: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/tribal-colleges-extension-program-capacity-applications. A synopsis of the funding opportunity, with links to the full announcement and application package, can be found on Grants.gov: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/362780
