The Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program is a discretionary grant initiative administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education within the U.S. Department of Education. This program is authorized under Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. The NASNTI Program supports eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) in strengthening their capacity to serve Native American and low-income students. The program's primary objective is to improve and expand academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability to better serve these student populations.
For fiscal year 2025, the program includes two types of grants: Individual Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants. The estimated funding available is $4,000,000, with up to six awards expected for Individual Development Grants ranging from $250,000 to $600,000 annually, and up to two Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants ranging from $600,000 to $800,000 per year. Projects may span up to five years. Funding must supplement, not supplant, existing resources and cannot be used for indirect costs.
Eligible applicants must be accredited institutions with at least 10 percent Native American undergraduate enrollment. They must also meet the Department’s definition of an “eligible institution,” which includes demonstrating a student body with significant financial need and low per-student expenditures. Eligibility must be verified through a certification and assurance form at the time of application. Institutions that currently hold a Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) grant are ineligible for this opportunity.
Applications are being accepted beginning July 14, 2025, and must be submitted by August 13, 2025. An intergovernmental review period extends through September 12, 2025. Applicants must include a comprehensive development plan and a logic model in their submission. Evaluation criteria include quality of the development plan, activity objectives, implementation strategy, personnel, management plan, evaluation strategy, and budget. A maximum of 100 points may be awarded based on these criteria.
Two invitational priorities are noted: expanding access to distance learning and work-based education, and promoting artificial intelligence integration in education. These priorities are not mandatory but may guide project design. The Department strongly encourages projects that include AI in pedagogy or expand access to AI-related curriculum, particularly in teacher preparation programs.
Questions can be directed to Everardo Gil at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20202–4260. He can be reached by phone at (202) 987–0431 or via email at Everardo.Gil@ed.gov. Individuals with disabilities may request application materials in accessible formats such as braille or large print. Applications and related materials can be accessed at www.federalregister.gov or www.govinfo.gov.
Applicants are encouraged to align with invitational priorities (distance education and AI), ensure clarity in budget justification, and develop a sound logic model.
