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.
Browse similar grants
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: October 14, 2026 (Partnerships, CHAI, Pre-TI) | January 4, 2027 (SGR) | January 11, 2027 (SGR) | April 1, 2027 (TSIP, ICE-TI) | June 1, 2027 (TEA Centers) | September 1, 2027 (TSETS)
Funding Amounts: $100,000–$3,500,000 award range; $10,799,836 total program funding; track durations up to five years
Summary: Supports STEM education, research, infrastructure, and community engagement at Tribal Colleges and Universities and eligible Alaska Native-serving and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.
Key Information: Non-TCUP institutions may participate only as non-lead partners, with support secured from other NSF programs.
Description
The Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) supports transformative capacity-building, community engagement, and faculty research at eligible Native-serving institutions. Administered by NSF’s Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM, it promotes STEM education, research, and outreach across natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, computer science, engineering, and mathematics. Its goals are to increase Native individuals’ participation in STEM careers, improve institutional STEM programs, and strengthen the STEM enterprise in institutions’ service areas.
The program supports expanded degrees and curricula, teaching innovations, faculty research, K–12 teacher development, cyberinfrastructure, strategic planning, and institutional partnerships. Priorities include student transitions between educational levels and into employment, original research experiences, STEM entrepreneurship, and community collaborations. Integration of traditional knowledge and community goals with STEM education and research is emphasized.
