Tribal Self-Governance Negotiation Cooperative Agreement Program

The Indian Health Service (IHS), through its Division of Grants Management, has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Tribal Self-Governance Negotiation Cooperative Agreement Program under the opportunity number HHS-2025-IHS-TSGN-0002. This grant aims to support federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations in covering the costs of preparing for and engaging in negotiations with IHS to assume control over certain health care programs. The Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP) is authorized under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) and promotes tribal autonomy by enabling eligible Tribes to self-manage federal health programs and services. This cooperative agreement is designed to fund the necessary planning and negotiation stages required for a Tribe to enter the TSGP. Tribes participating in this program can opt to receive services directly from IHS, contract specific services through Title I Self-Determination Contracting, or fully manage services under Title V Self-Governance Compacting. These pathways are not mutually exclusive and can be tailored to the specific needs and capacities of each Tribe. The Negotiation Cooperative Agreement does not require cost sharing and is not a prerequisite to enter the TSGP; however, it helps offset the legal, budgetary, and logistical expenses involved in the negotiation process. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations as defined in the ISDEAA. These organizations must demonstrate financial stability over the past three fiscal years and must submit a Tribal Resolution or official equivalent from all represented Tribes. Organizations under the Alaska Moratorium are prohibited from applying. The award ceiling and floor are both set at $84,000, with a total program funding of $252,000 expected to be awarded across three grants. The cooperative agreements are for a one-year budget period and are subject to IHS's substantial involvement throughout the performance period. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 1, 2025. The expected award date is September 1, 2025. Required application components include a project abstract, project narrative, budget narrative, work plan chart, letters of support, biographical sketches for key personnel, audit documentation, and applicable standard forms such as SF-424 and SF-424A. The application narrative is limited to 10 pages, while the budget narrative may not exceed five pages. SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations are mandatory and must be maintained throughout the award period. Evaluation of applications will be based on five criteria totaling 100 points: introduction and need for assistance (25 points), project objectives and work plan (25 points), program evaluation (25 points), organizational capabilities and key personnel (15 points), and budget justification (10 points). Only applications that meet completeness and responsiveness criteria will proceed to merit review. Risk assessments will be conducted for potential awards over $250,000. For questions regarding program content and eligibility, applicants may contact Jessaka Nakai at 301-526-6624 or via email at Jessaka.Nakai@ihs.gov. For grants management or financial inquiries, DGM@ihs.gov serves as the primary contact. All awarded applicants will be notified through a Notice of Award (NoA), which must be retrieved from GrantSolutions. Applicants are reminded that beginning work before receipt of the NoA is not permitted and may affect funding disbursement.

Ensure SAM and Grants.gov registrations are active. Page limits strictly enforced. Missing required documents will result in disqualification.