Tribal Colleges and Universities Program
This funding opportunity supports federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-serving institutions, and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions in enhancing their STEM education and research capabilities to benefit Native students and communities.
The Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is a grant initiative administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), specifically under the Directorate for STEM Education and its Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM. TCUP aims to support federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Alaska Native-serving institutions, and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions in strengthening their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education capacity. This funding opportunity promotes institutional development, enhances instructional infrastructure, and fosters research and community engagement aligned with local and tribal priorities. The overarching goal is to improve STEM pathways for Native students and communities, ultimately increasing representation and participation in STEM fields. The TCUP program encompasses several funding strands, each with distinct objectives and eligibility conditions. These include Instructional Capacity Excellence in TCUP Institutions (ICE-TI), Targeted STEM Infusion Projects (TSIP), TCUP for Secondary and Elementary Teachers in STEM (TSETS), TCU Enterprise Advancement Centers (TEA Centers), Cyberinfrastructure Health, Assistance, and Improvements (CHAI), Preparing for TCUP Implementation (Pre-TI), TCUP Partnerships, and Small Grants for Research (SGR). Each strand supports different facets of institutional development—from faculty research and infrastructure upgrades to professional development for K–12 educators and cross-institutional collaborations. ICE-TI projects fund comprehensive efforts to strengthen STEM education and research capacity, including expanding STEM degrees or enhancing instruction quality. TSIPs target specific, short-term improvements such as course modernization or equipment upgrades. TSETS supports K-12 STEM teacher development through academic-year programs or summer research opportunities. TEA Centers consolidate institutional STEM expertise to address regional needs, while CHAI funding focuses on upgrading technological infrastructure. Pre-TI provides planning support for institutions new to TCUP or developing novel STEM strategies. TCUP Partnerships fund collaborations between TCUP and non-TCUP institutions to improve academic transitions and research opportunities. SGR awards assist individual faculty in launching or enhancing their research initiatives. Proposal requirements vary by strand but generally require submission through Research.gov or Grants.gov, in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Proposals must align with specific goals of the funding strand, include detailed project management structures, evaluation plans, and dissemination strategies. Certain proposals (e.g., ICE-TI, TSIP, TEA Centers, and Partnerships) must also incorporate advisory committees and sustainability plans. Proposals may be submitted without letters of intent or preliminary proposals, though institutions are encouraged to contact TCUP staff during planning. Applications are reviewed based on NSF’s merit review criteria, focusing on intellectual merit and broader impacts. These include the project's potential to advance STEM knowledge and improve educational outcomes in Native communities. Reviewers consider creativity, feasibility, qualifications of personnel, and institutional support. Evaluation and assessment plans are required in most strands to measure project progress and impact, particularly on student access, program development, and instructional quality. Proposal deadlines vary by strand, with recurring annual deadlines for TSETS (January), SGR and TSIP (April), ICE-TI (June), TEA Centers (September), and Partnerships/CHAI/Pre-TI (rolling from October 15–October 14 each year). The current application cycle for SGR closes on April 1, 2026. Awards range from $150,000 for Pre-TI to $5 million for TCUP Partnerships, with project durations of 1–5 years depending on the strand. All proposals should reflect TCUP's goal of building lasting STEM capacity at tribal-serving institutions. General inquiries may be directed to tcup@nsf.gov or 703-292-8640.
Award Range
$150,000 - $5,000,000
Total Program Funding
$10,799,836
Number of Awards
55
Matching Requirement
No
Additional Details
Strand ceilings range from $150K–$5M; durations up to 5 years; SGR equipment cap at 20%; no cost share.
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: - Organizations eligible to submit TCUP proposals are federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-serving institutions and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions. Multiple campuses of one university system are normally encouraged to consider collaborativesubmissions. Executive Order 13021 defines Tribal Colleges and Universities ("tribal colleges") as those institutions cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), and other institutions that qualify for funding under the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as well as Navajo Community College as authorized in the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978, Public Law 95-471, Title II (25 U.S.C. 640a note). The term "Alaska Native-serving institution" means an institution of higher education that is an eligible institution under section 1058(b) of the Higher Education Act; and that, at the time of submission, has an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 20 percent Alaska Native students. The term "Native Hawaiian-serving institution" means an institution of higher education that is an eligible institution under section 1058(b) of the Higher Education Act; has a Carnegie classification of baccalaureate or associate's college; and has, at the time of submission, an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 10 percent Native Hawaiian students. By signing and submitting the proposal, the proposer is certifying that they meet the eligibility criteria specified in this program solicitation. Willful provision of false information in this request and its supporting documents or in reports required under an ensuing award is a criminal offense (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001). Eligibility may be verified by consulting the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) or other certified federal government data sources. Other institutions of higher education are eligible to submit collaborative proposals as non-leads with TCUP-eligible institutions under the TCUP Partnerships strands; limitations apply. *Who May Serve as PI: For the Instructional Capacity Excellence in TCUP Institutions (ICE-TI), TCU Enterprise Advancement (TEA)Centers, and TCUP Partnerships award strands, theprincipal investigator (PI) is expected to be the president, chief academic officer, another senior academic officer responsible for oversight and management of curriculum and instructional policies for the institution, or a senior STEM faculty member.Typically, the PI forTargeted STEM Infusion Projects (TSIP) or TCUP for Secondary and Elementary Teachers in STEM proposals (TSETS) would be a member of the STEM faculty, but STEM education faculty are encouraged to be part of the key leadership team. The PI for Small Grants for Research (SGR) proposals should be the lead researcher and would typically be a member of the STEM or STEM education faculty. For Cyberinfrastructure Health, Assistance, and Improvements (CHAI), the PI should be a senior STEM faculty member, but the chief information officer (CIO) is strongly encouraged to be part of the key leadership team. Prospective PIs are encouraged to consult TCUP program staff.
Geographic Eligibility
All
Involve advisory committees early; plan for sustainability beyond NSF funding; include independent evaluator for larger grants.
Application Opens
June 24, 2021
Application Closes
April 1, 2026
Grantor
National Science Foundation
Subscribe to view contact details