Indian Child Welfare Act Title II Grants - Public Safety

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), operating under the U.S. Department of the Interior, is soliciting proposals for its Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Grants to Indian Organizations for Off-Reservation Indian Child and Family Service Programs. These grants are administered by the Office of Indian Services, and their purpose is to strengthen Indian families by providing culturally relevant services designed to stabilize family structures and prevent the permanent removal of Indian children from their families. This funding supports off-reservation Indian Organizations in creating or enhancing Indian child and family service programs that align with Title II of the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. § 1932). The program offers $2,000,000 in total estimated funding and anticipates awarding between 6 and 10 grants, with award ceilings set at $300,000 and floors at $150,000 per budget period. The performance period spans two years, starting January 9, 2026, and ending December 31, 2027. Funding is not recurring and there is no mandatory cost-sharing requirement, though applicants are encouraged to seek funds from other sources to expand the quality and reach of their proposed services. The funds may be used for various services, including but not limited to, operating and maintaining Indian foster/adoptive homes, counseling and treatment services, family assistance programs (e.g., day care, respite care), and providing legal representation in child custody proceedings. Eligible applicants include legally established Indian Organizations, either independently or as part of a consortium. These organizations must be majority-owned or controlled by Indians and must submit only one application per grant cycle. All applications must be submitted digitally through Grants.gov, and hard copy submissions are accepted only under exceptional, pre-approved circumstances. Applicants must have an active registration in SAM.gov, including a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and must be enrolled in the Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP) system to receive disbursements. Required application components include several federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A, Key Contacts, Project Abstract Summary) and seven core attachments: a detailed Project Narrative (including Executive and Technical Summaries with Scope of Work), documentation of authority to apply, resumes of key personnel, a comprehensive budget narrative, a critical information page, UEI confirmation, and ASAP enrollment verification. The Executive Summary should describe existing ICWA services, identify service gaps, and outline the applicant’s understanding of the law. The Technical Summary must provide measurable goals, activities, and culturally aligned methods. Applications must not exceed 20 pages, excluding attachments. Applications will be evaluated using a competitive scoring rubric totaling 100 points. Criteria include the Executive Summary (30 points), Technical Description and Scope of Work (25 points), Deliverable Products and Budget Narrative (25 points), and Key Personnel and Administrative Capacity (20 points). Proposals must show how they will address gaps in services, support Indian children and families, and measure success using clear performance metrics. Applicants are also expected to comply with current Executive Orders and DOI Secretary's Orders, including those concerning diversity, equity, inclusion, and truthful historical representation. Award notifications will be issued following BIA review, and selected grantees must deliver semi-annual technical progress reports, annual financial and performance reports, and a final report with all project outputs via GrantSolutions.gov. These reports must follow specific digital formatting guidelines. All final products are due within 120 days of project completion, and applicants should be aware that submitted documents may be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), with certain Tribal data eligible for redaction at the Tribe’s discretion.

Outline culturally defined goals; ensure tribal support docs; use performance metrics with baseline data; link all activities to ICWA service gaps; follow digital format upload rules via GrantSolutions