Tribal Court Improvement Program

The Tribal Court Improvement Program is administered by the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Children’s Bureau. This federal initiative is designed to strengthen the capacity of tribal courts to effectively manage child welfare cases involving American Indian and Alaska Native children. The program reflects a broader federal commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families by ensuring that court systems operate efficiently, fairly, and in alignment with established child welfare principles. The primary purpose of this program is to support tribal courts in assessing their current handling of child welfare proceedings and implementing improvements based on those assessments. Eligible projects may include evaluating court performance, enhancing legal representation, improving the quality of hearings, and ensuring timely permanency outcomes for children. Activities supported under the grant include needs assessments, development of strategic improvement plans, and implementation of those plans over a multi-year period. The program emphasizes culturally appropriate practices and encourages tribal leadership in identifying priorities and solutions. Funding under this opportunity is structured as a grant with a total expected program funding of 943000 dollars and approximately seven awards anticipated. Individual awards range from a minimum of 50000 dollars to a maximum of 250000 dollars for the first budget period. The project period spans five years, divided into five one-year budget periods, with continued funding contingent upon performance and federal appropriations. Funds may be used for programmatic improvements, assessments, and implementation activities but cannot be used for construction, real property acquisition, or routine staffing such as hiring judges or attorneys for standard duties. Eligibility is limited to Indian tribes or tribal consortia that meet specific statutory requirements, including operating or planning to operate a Title IV-E program or having a court that handles foster care or adoption cases. Individuals, foreign entities, and federal agencies are not eligible. While cost sharing is not required, applicants may voluntarily include it, though it will not influence the review process. Applicants must demonstrate collaboration with tribal child welfare agencies and may also engage additional community stakeholders such as service providers and educators. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 1159 pm Eastern Time on August 7 2026. Applicants are required to complete registrations with SAM.gov and Grants.gov prior to submission, which may take several weeks. The application package includes narrative components, budget documentation, and required federal forms. The review process involves an initial compliance screening followed by a merit-based evaluation using criteria such as need for assistance, project approach, organizational capacity, evaluation plan, budget justification, and alignment with agency priorities. The anticipated project start date is September 30 2026. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award outlining terms and conditions. Post-award requirements include semiannual performance and financial reporting, adherence to federal regulations under 2 CFR Part 200, and ongoing compliance with program goals. For additional support, applicants may contact the Children’s Bureau via phone at 18882036161 or email at cb@grantreview.org.

Ensure strong alignment with ACF priorities demonstrate clear needs assessment use data driven strategies and provide detailed implementation and evaluation plans