Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Institutional Service - Alaska Native-Serving Institutions Program (Part A)

The Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH) Program, Part A, is a discretionary grant program administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Its objective is to strengthen institutions of higher education (IHEs) that serve significant populations of Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students. This program provides federal funding to eligible institutions to expand their capacity to serve these underrepresented populations by improving academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability. The ANNH Program is authorized under Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act (HEA). For fiscal year 2025, the Department of Education is offering both Individual Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants. Individual Development Grants are designed to assist a single institution in enhancing its capacity to serve Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian students. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants support collaborative efforts between an eligible institution and one or more partner institutions, pooling resources to achieve the program’s objectives more efficiently. The program emphasizes sustainability beyond the grant period, with institutions required to explain how improvements and practices will be maintained using institutional resources. Institutions applying for this grant must be accredited, authorized to award degrees, and demonstrate enrollment of needy students and low average educational expenditures. Specifically, to qualify for this grant, an Alaska Native-serving institution must have an undergraduate student population that is at least 20% Alaska Native, while a Native Hawaiian-serving institution must have at least 10% Native Hawaiian students. Current recipients of ANNH Part A Individual Development Grants cannot apply again unless their current grant ends on or before September 30, 2025. Importantly, institutions receiving funding under Title V Hispanic-Serving Institutions programs or other Title III, Part A programs cannot receive ANNH funding simultaneously. Approximately $14.8 million in funding is available for this program in FY 2025. The Department expects to issue around 10 Individual Development Grants ranging from $950,000 to $1,000,000 per year, and 3 Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants ranging from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 per year. The project period for both types of grants is up to 60 months. No cost-sharing or matching funds are required, but funds must be used to supplement existing resources and not supplant them. Indirect costs are not allowable, and subgrants are not permitted under this program. Applications open on July 14, 2025, and are due by August 13, 2025. A shortened intergovernmental review deadline is set for September 12, 2025. Applicants must follow the Department’s Common Instructions for Discretionary Grant Programs and include a logic model in their proposal. Applications should address the quality of the development plan, activity objectives, implementation strategy, personnel, project management, evaluation plan, and budget. Reviewers will score each application using criteria outlined in 34 CFR 607.22 and 75.210. Applications will be ranked by average peer review scores, and tie-breakers may include endowment size, library expenditures, and the inclusion of specific activities like faculty development or student services. For further information or assistance, applicants may contact Robyn Wood at the U.S. Department of Education by email at Robyn.Wood@ed.gov or by phone at (202) 987-1577. Individuals with disabilities may request accessible formats of the application materials. More information, including access to the full application package and related resources, is available at www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/23/2024-30488/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

Recommended application length is 55–75 pages. Follow formatting and font guidelines. Address each invitational priority in a separate section.