§606 Grants to Directly Eligible Tribes

Summary

The Administrator may give grants directly to tribes that are eligible under the State Homeland Security Grant Program. Eligible tribes must apply and include the same basic information a State would. Before sending the application to the Department, the tribe must give a copy to each State where the tribe is located so the State can review it. A Governor has 30 days to tell the Administrator in writing if the State thinks the application conflicts with its homeland security plan and must explain why. The Administrator has the final say and will tell the States when a tribal application is approved. Grant money awarded to a directly eligible tribe will be sent straight to the tribe, not passed through a State. The Administrator will divide funds to tribes using the same factors used for States. Each year, tribes together must get at least 0.1 percent of the total money set aside for the State Homeland Security Grant Program (from grants under sections 604 and 605), unless fewer than 5 tribes apply or fewer than 2 are approved. A applying tribe must name a tribal liaison to work with Federal, State, local, and regional officials on preventing and responding to terrorism. Tribes that get direct grants can also receive State or high‑risk urban area funds that fit the applicable plans. States must help fund tribes to reach needed capabilities, may give funds directly to tribes (without routing through local governments), and must not make the paperwork or rules unreasonably hard for tribes. Nothing here reduces a tribe’s existing authority when it gets these funds.