Indian Highway Safety Grant - Lifesavers Conference

The Indian Highway Safety Grant Program is administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Justice Services (OJS), under the U.S. Department of the Interior. It operates through the Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP) with funding authorized by the Highway Safety Act of 1966, Title 23 U.S.C. Section 402. The grant supports federally recognized tribes in implementing and improving traffic safety initiatives within Indian Country. The overarching aim of the IHSP is to reduce traffic-related injuries, fatalities, and property damage among Native American communities by enhancing enforcement and education measures related to highway safety. This funding opportunity provides financial assistance for tribal employees engaged in traffic enforcement and safety to attend grant writing training, the Lifesavers Conference, and other traffic safety conferences. Specifically, the funds are designated to cover registration fees and travel expenses. The grant is performance-based and data-driven, meaning tribes must identify and justify a traffic safety issue using relevant data. The funds are intended to supplement, not replace, existing traffic safety programs on the reservation. IHSP awards funding on a reimbursement basis. Tribes must initially expend their own funds and then submit monthly documentation, including financial records and trip reports, for reimbursement consideration. A Tribal Resolution and the most recent Indirect Cost Rate Agreement letter are mandatory attachments for application submission. Incomplete applications—those missing initials, signatures, or required documents—will not be considered for funding. The funder places emphasis on accountability and regulatory compliance, including adherence to the Single Audit Act of 1984 and applicable federal travel regulations. Eligibility is restricted to employees of federally recognized tribes who work directly in the field of traffic safety. Applicants must complete a detailed application form which includes tribal and applicant information, traffic data reporting status, relevant tribal statutes (e.g., impaired driving or seatbelt laws), a data-supported problem statement, and travel/training plans. The application must also specify the training session being applied for, the goal of attending, and estimated travel costs via a completed Travel & Training Authorization form. Supervisory and applicant signatures are required, as well as approval by the BIA IHSP. The application window varies by training type. For the Lifesavers Conference Grant, the deadline is March 10, 2026. For other training and traffic safety conference grants, applications are due by May 1, 2026. Applications open on January 6, 2026, and can be submitted either by email to [email protected] or by mailing to the IHSP office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The IHSP staff are available during regular business hours to answer questions and provide further guidance. Recurring annually, the grant program is updated each fiscal year with new opportunities identified by funding codes on Grants.gov: BIA-IHSP-2026-001 for the Lifesavers Conference, BIA-IHSP-2026-002 for Law Enforcement, and BIA-IHSP-2026-003 for Occupant Protection. The next cycle is anticipated in March 2027. Support sessions, such as the grant orientation scheduled for April 18, 2026, help tribes prepare competitive applications. These sessions emphasize completing applications correctly, identifying problems with data, crafting effective safety strategies, and understanding submission requirements and deadlines.

Applications must be complete with all signatures, initials, and required attachments or they will not be considered.