OIA Technical Assistance Program 2026

The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), a bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior, administers the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to support the unique needs of U.S. insular areas and freely associated states. These jurisdictions include American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. The program is authorized under 48 U.S. Code 1469d and is designed to provide targeted, discretionary funding for short-term projects that address urgent and unmet needs. The funding opportunity reflects federal priorities to strengthen governance, economic resilience, and infrastructure capacity in these regions. The primary purpose of the Technical Assistance Program is to fund projects that address immediate economic, financial, and governmental service challenges. The program prioritizes initiatives that improve financial accountability, enhance public sector capacity, and support economic growth. Eligible activities span a wide range of sectors, including audits and accountability systems, financial management improvements, workforce training, education initiatives, energy development, disaster preparedness, and public safety enhancements. The program is flexible in scope but emphasizes projects that demonstrate clear urgency, measurable outcomes, and alignment with federal and insular priorities. Funding under this opportunity is provided through grants, with an estimated total program funding of 22500000 dollars and approximately 40 awards expected. Applicants may request funding in any amount; however, larger funding requests may face increased competition due to limited resources. There is no cost-sharing requirement, which lowers the barrier to entry for eligible applicants. However, the program imposes strict limitations on allowable uses of funds. Grants cannot be used for routine operating expenses, standard equipment purchases, or ongoing salaries of existing staff. Instead, funds are intended for specialized, short-term interventions such as consulting services, system modernization, or targeted capacity-building efforts. Construction projects and vehicle purchases are generally restricted unless they are highly specialized and justified. Eligibility for the program is broad but geographically focused. Applicants may include non-federal local government entities, hospitals, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations located in the United States or internationally, provided their proposed projects directly benefit the eligible insular areas. Judicial and legislative branches of local governments are excluded from eligibility. Additionally, applicants must comply with federal regulations under 2 CFR 200 and may be subject to further restrictions if operating in sanctioned regions or engaging in activities requiring special approvals. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and involves multiple components. Applicants must complete standard federal forms such as the SF-424 and relevant budget forms, along with a detailed project narrative not exceeding 10 pages. The narrative must clearly articulate the project need, objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, and performance metrics. Additional required elements include a project abstract, budget justification, audit documentation or financial capacity responses, and statements addressing conflicts of interest and duplication of effort. Optional components such as letters of support can strengthen an application. Applicants must also maintain active registration in SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier prior to submission. Applications are due by June 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Following submission, applications undergo a multi-stage review process including eligibility screening, merit evaluation, and risk assessment. Evaluation criteria include clarity of project design, budget reasonableness, alignment with program goals, reporting history, and stakeholder support. Final funding decisions are expected by September 30, 2026. Successful applicants will receive formal award notifications and must comply with post-award requirements, including semi-annual performance and financial reporting. Projects are anticipated to begin on October 1, 2026, and may extend through September 30, 2030, depending on scope and approval. The program is expected to recur annually, reflecting ongoing federal commitment to supporting insular area development. Applicants are encouraged to align proposals with federal priorities such as audit timeliness, economic development, and infrastructure resilience. Questions regarding the program may be directed to the designated contact at Jonathan_Dunn@ios.doi.gov. Additional guidance and updates are available through the OIA website, ensuring applicants have access to current information and application resources.

Strong applications clearly define urgent needs, include measurable performance metrics, align with federal priorities, and provide detailed and justified budgets; audit readiness and stakeholder support improve scoring