WASHINGTON – USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded grants to 32 tribal colleges and universities, providing Native American communities with greater access to agricultural research, education and extension.
“The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching called tribal colleges the most significant development in American Indian communities since World War II,” said Roger Beachy, NIFA director. “We are proud to sponsor these tribal land-grant colleges and to enable them to better serve the more than 13,000 Native American students who attend them.”
For many Native American students, these fully accredited tribal colleges and universities represent the only means to move beyond a high school diploma. In fact, many studies have suggested that graduating from a tribal college USDA’s mission to ensure diversity of the next generation of agricultural scientists is supported by the work of the 1994 land-grant institutions.
Tribal land-grant colleges and universities include in their teaching methods that include infusing components of Native American culture throughout their curriculum. For example, an environmental biology class may be combined with studies of native plant species. Through the tribal research grants, tribal colleges partner with other land-grant universities to address issues of interest to their Native American communities, such as preserving tribal forests or protecting water quality. Tribal college extension services reach out to Native American ranchers and farmers to improve farm profitability. They also provide vital health, safety and economic development information to tribal communities. The Tribal College Endowment supports facilities and other critical needs at these schools.
Fiscal year 2010 funding includes:
Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants: $3.3 million (each institution received $111,400)
Tohono O`odham Community College, Sells, Ariz.
Dine College, Tsaile, Ariz.
Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence, Kan.
Bay Mills Community College, Brimley, Mich.
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College, Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Leech Lake Tribal College, Cass Lake, Minn.
White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen, Minn.
Stone Child College, Box Elder, Mont.
Blackfeet Community College, Browning, Mont.
Little Big Horn College, Crow Agency, Mont.
Fort Belknap College, Harlem, Mont.
Chief Dull Knife College, Lame Deer, Mont.
Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Mont.
Fort Peck Community College, Poplar, Mont.
Nebraska Indian Community College, Macy, Neb.
Little Priest Tribal College, Winnebago, Neb.
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, Albuquerque, N.M.
Navajo Technical College, Crownpoint, N.M.
Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, N.M.
Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, N.D.
United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, N.D.
Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Fort Totten, N.D.
Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, N.D.
Fort Berthold Community College, New Town, N.D.
Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, S.D.
Sinte Gleska University, Mission, S.D.
Sisseton Wahpeton College, Sisseton, S.D.
Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, Wash.
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Hayward, Wisc.
College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, Wisc.
Tribal College Research Grants: $1.6 million
Tohono O`odham Community College, Sells, Ariz., $200,000
Bay Mills Community College, Brimley, Mich., $199,856
Little Big Horn College, Crow Agency, Mont., $199,979
Fort Belknap College, Harlem, Mont., $183,345
Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Mont., $199,732
United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, N.D., $90,000
Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, S.D., $200,000
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College, Hayward, Wisc., $200,000
College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, Wisc., $199,999
Tribal College Extension Services Grants: $4.3 million
Tohono O`odham Community College, Sells, Ariz., $85,000
Dine College, Tsaile, Ariz., $85,000
Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence, Kans., $85,000
Bay Mills Community College, Brimley, Mich., $99,467
Bay Mills Community College, Brimley, Mich., $85,000
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College, Mount Pleasant, Mich., $100,000
Leech Lake Tribal College, Cass Lake, Minn., $85,000
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet, Minn., $100,000
White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen, Minn., $85,000
Little Big Horn College, Crow Agency, Mont., $85,000
Stone Child College, Box Elder, Mont., $100,000
Stone Child College, Box Elder, Mont. $99,999
Stone Child College, Box Elder, Mont., $99,710
Blackfeet Community College, Browning, Mont., $100,000
Blackfeet Community College, Browning, Mont., $96,543
For Peck Community College, Poplar, Mont., $127,338
Nebraska Indian College, Macy, Neb., $69,244
Little Priest Tribal College, Winnebago, Neb., $71,589
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, Albuquerque, N.M., $176,051
Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, N.M., $96,126
Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, N.D., $176,592
United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, N.D., $154,041
Candeska Cikana Community College, Fort Totten, N.D., $89,090
Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, N.D., $111,101
Fort Berthold Community College, New Town, N.D., $98,291
Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, S.D., $259,585
Sinte Gleska University, Mission, S.D., $181,103
Sisseton Wahpeton Community College, Sisseton, S.D., $85,121
Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, Wash., $159,994
Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwa Community College, Hayward, Wisc., $115,431
College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, Wisc., $139,967
Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation's future.
