The State Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) Grant Program promotes Tribal self-determination in education and improves the academic achievement of Indian children and youth. Administered by the Bureau of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of the Interior on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, the program fosters coordination and collaboration between Tribal Educational Agencies (TEAs), State Educational Agencies (SEAs), and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to address the unique education and culturally related academic needs of Indian students.
Authorized under section 6132 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA), the STEP program aims to return education to the Tribes and create opportunities for Tribes to exert sovereignty and self-determination. A key component of the program is the requirement for a draft written agreement (DWA) to ensure all relevant partners are included from the outset. Projects may include developing a TEA aimed at creating a Tribal education system that provides policies, structures, and oversight to improve student outcomes such as attendance, graduation rates, academic achievement, workforce development, and career readiness.
The design of this competition incorporates input from Tribal leaders received on August 26, 2025, as well as previous input published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2022. Tribal leaders expressed strong support for the STEP program's role in fostering collaboration between LEAs and Tribes, particularly in areas like college readiness and student advising, and noted the importance of Tribal control over education for preserving culture and language opportunities for Native students.
Total Program Funding: $2,000,000
Expected Number of Awards: 7
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No
Funding Instrument Type: Grant
Assistance Listing Number: 84.415A
Eligible Applicants:
Ineligible Applicants: Indian Tribes that receive funds from the Bureau of Indian Education under section 1140 of the Education Amendments of 1978.
Applicants should refer to the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234), for detailed application requirements. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov.
Applications Available: April 27, 2026
Application Deadline: June 11, 2026
For further information, contact the program contact:
Linda Brake
Telephone: (202) 987-0796
Email: linda.brake@ed.gov
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Submission Deadline
Jun 11, 2026
Review Period
Aug 11, 2026
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