Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73not60

§1059f Native American-serving, Nontribal Institutions

Title 20 › Chapter 28— HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter III— INSTITUTIONAL AID › Part A— Strengthening Institutions › § 1059f

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Education gives grants and other help to certain colleges so they can better serve Native Americans and low-income students. A "Native American" means a person from a tribe, people, or culture indigenous to the United States. A "Native American-serving, nontribal institution" means a college that meets federal higher-education rules, has at least 10% Native American undergraduates, and is not a Tribal College or University. Grants can pay for things like lab and classroom equipment, building repairs, faculty development, new courses, library materials, money-management systems, shared facilities, tutoring and counseling, and programs that teach financial skills. Colleges must give enrollment data and other required information to apply and must include a five-year plan to improve services for Native Americans and low-income students. The Secretary should use a simple application when possible and try to spread awards fairly among eligible schools. Schools that get these grants cannot receive other funds at the same time under any other part of this law (part B or part A of subchapter V), and section 1059(d) does not apply to them. The smallest grant award is $200,000.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1059f

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall provide grants and related assistance to Native American-serving, nontribal institutions to enable such institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

(b)In this section:

(1)The term “Native American” means an individual who is of a tribe, people, or culture that is indigenous to the United States.

(2)The term “Native American-serving, nontribal institution” means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 1001(a) of this title, that, at the time of application—

(A)is an eligible institution under section 1058(b) of this title;

(B)has an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 percent Native American students; and

(C)is not a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 1059c of this title).

(c)(1)Grants awarded under this section shall be used by Native American-serving, nontribal institutions to assist such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand such institutions’ capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals.

(2)Such programs may include—

(A)the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes;

(B)renovation and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory, and other instructional facilities;

(C)support of faculty exchanges, and faculty development and faculty fellowships to assist faculty in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty’s field of instruction;

(D)curriculum development and academic instruction;

(E)the purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials;

(F)funds and administrative management, and acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management;

(G)the joint use of facilities such as laboratories and libraries;

(H)academic tutoring and counseling programs and student support services; and

(I)education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or the students’ families.

(d)(1)A Native American-serving, nontribal institution desiring to receive assistance under this section shall submit to the Secretary such enrollment data as may be necessary to demonstrate that the institution is a Native American-serving, nontribal institution, along with such other information and data as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(2)(A)Any institution that is determined by the Secretary to be a Native American-serving, nontribal institution may submit an application for assistance under this section to the Secretary.

(B)The Secretary shall, to the extent possible, continue to prescribe a simplified and streamlined format for applications under this section that takes into account the limited number of institutions that are eligible for assistance under this section.

(C)An application submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i)a five-year plan for improving the assistance provided by the Native American-serving, nontribal institution to Native Americans and low-income individuals; and

(ii)such other information and assurances as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(3)(A)No Native American-serving, nontribal institution that receives funds under this section shall concurrently receive funds under any other provision of this part, part B, or part A of subchapter V.

(B)section 1059(d) of this title shall not apply to institutions that are eligible to receive funds under this section.

(C)In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent possible and consistent with the competitive process under which such grants are awarded, ensure maximum and equitable distribution among all eligible institutions.

(D)The minimum amount of a grant under this section shall be $200,000.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1059f

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60