Tribal Colleges and Universities Program
TCUP provides grants to Tribal Colleges, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian institutions for STEM education, research, and outreach, with various tracks for capacity-building, faculty research, and partnerships.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: June 1, 2026 (TEA Centers) | September 1, 2026 (TSETS) | January 4, 2027 (SGR) | January 11, 2027 (SGR) | April 1, 2027 (TSIP & ICE-TI) | October 15, 2026 – October 14, 2027 (annual window: TCUP Partnerships, CHAI, Pre-TI)
Funding Amounts: Awards range from $100,000 to $3,500,000 depending on track; typical durations: 1–5 years; estimated total program funding: $10,799,836.
Summary: Supports capacity-building, research, and STEM education/outreach at Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-serving, and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions through multiple tracks.
Key Information: Multiple funding tracks with distinct eligibility and deadlines; see details below.
Description
This program provides funding to federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Alaska Native-serving institutions, and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions to enhance their capacity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including education, research, and community outreach. It supports transformative projects in STEM instruction, research, teacher professional development, cyberinfrastructure, institutional planning, and collaborations both within and beyond TCUP-eligible institutions. The program aims to increase Native participation in STEM careers, improve STEM program quality at eligible institutions, and foster strong STEM enterprise in their service areas. Multiple tracks are available, including:
- Instructional Capacity Excellence in TCUP Institutions (ICE-TI): Comprehensive institutional improvements in STEM education and research.
- Targeted STEM Infusion Projects (TSIP): Short-term projects to improve a specific aspect of STEM education.
- TCUP for Secondary and Elementary Teachers in STEM (TSETS): Professional development for K-12 STEM teachers.
- TCU Enterprise Advancement Centers (TEA Centers): Institutional STEM teams addressing critical tribal or community needs.
- Cyberinfrastructure Health, Assistance, and Improvements (CHAI): Upgrades to cyberinfrastructure for STEM programs.
- Preparing for TCUP Implementation (Pre-TI): Planning for institutions new to TCUP or embarking on novel STEM strategies.
- TCUP Partnerships: Collaborative capacity-building projects between TCUP and non-TCUP institutions.
- Small Grants for Research (SGR): Research projects by STEM faculty at eligible institutions.
