Federal grants for tribal governments and tribal organizations
Federal funding for tribes is spread across dozens of agencies and offices, from the Indian Health Service to FEMA. LittleHand checks every new and updated opportunity on Grants.gov each morning and shows the ones open to your tribe or tribal organization, with the eligibility line quoted word for word.
In numbers
700+
federal funding opportunities posted on Grants.gov in the past 12 months were open to tribal governments.
Most frequent agencies: Health and Human Services, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Transportation, Labor. Source: LittleHand analysis of the public Grants.gov data extract, November 2026; NIH research grants and opportunities abroad excluded.
What LittleHand does for you
Federally recognized or not
Grants.gov treats federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations as different applicants. Pick yours and LittleHand keeps only the opportunities that accept it.
Every agency in one list
Health, justice, housing, energy, roads, conservation: one morning list across every agency, with the ones closing soon at the top.
Next round tracking
Many tribal programs come back every year. Save one that closed and, with Pro, LittleHand tells you when the next round is posted.
How Grants.gov names you
Every federal opportunity lists its eligible applicants. These are the ones LittleHand matches for you:
- “Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)”
- “Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)”
Many opportunities also say “Others (see text field)” or “Unrestricted”. LittleHand reads that text too, and quotes the eligibility line word for word.
Programs posted in the past year
Examples of federal programs open to tribes on Grants.gov. Many come back every year.
- Tribal Homeland Security Grant ProgramFEMA
- Coordinated Tribal Assistance SolicitationDepartment of Justice
- Tribal Opioid ResponseSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Energy and Mineral Development ProgramBureau of Indian Affairs
- Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian CommunitiesIndian Health Service
Some agencies also announce tribal programs outside Grants.gov. LittleHand covers what is published on Grants.gov.
Questions
Can state-recognized tribes apply for federal grants?
It depends on the opportunity. Some accept “Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)”, which can include state-recognized tribes and tribal nonprofits; others are only for federally recognized tribes. LittleHand shows each opportunity’s eligibility text word for word so you can check.
Does LittleHand work for tribal housing authorities?
Yes. Choose housing authority when you set up your profile and add the topics you need funding for, such as housing rehabilitation or homelessness.
LittleHand is also for
- Nonprofits501(c)(3)s and other nonprofits, from food banks to arts groups.
- Cities and countiesCities, towns, townships, counties and special districts.
- School districtsIndependent school districts, including small and rural districts.
- Grant writersFreelance grant writers and consultants with several clients.