The Collective Spirit and Unifying Voice of our Nation's Tribal Colleges and Universities | | President Baker is among 23 community college presidents selected to participate in the third cohort of the Aspen Presidents Fellowship, a unique year-long professional development experience supported by JPMorganChase. During the program, presidents will develop a reform agenda that helps more of their students graduate into good jobs, either directly after community college or following transfer and bachelor degree attainment. | | Indigenous Tomorrows Fund Call for Youth Grant Reviewers! | | |
Native Americans in Philanthropy's Indigenous Tomorrows Fund (ITF) is excited to open the call for Youth Grant Reviewers for the upcoming 2026 funding cycle!
April - May: Orientation
June–August: Participate in training sessions and begin reviewing grant applications.
September–October: Engage in reflection activities and wrap up the grant cycle.
Selected reviewers will receive training, and ongoing mentorship throughout the review process. You do not need any prior experience, just an interest in uplifting community, grantmaking, and philanthropy. Upon completion of the grant reviewing process, a stipend will be awarded.
Eligibility: Ages 14 -24
Deadline to Submit: April 24th, 2026
| | EVENTS & WEBINARS TO CHECK OUT | | #AWP27 Tribal Colleges & Universities Fellowship Program Open April 1! | | |
Writers from tribal schools can take advantage of the opportunity to travel to the annual conference and bookfair in Chicago, Illinois, on March 17–20, 2027, and share their creative work on a public stage!
Eligibility
To be eligible for these fellowships, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- be an active TCU faculty member (part- or full-time) or a current TCU student (undergraduate or graduate) involved/interested in creative writing
- be available to travel and be at the conference on March 17–20, 2027
- if faculty, be available to serve as a creative writing mentor to two student fellows each for monthly workshop meetings before the conference and for the duration of the conference
- if a student, must be available for monthly workshop meetings with faculty mentor before the conference
Applications will be open April 1–May 31, 2026! Visit the AWP TCU Fellowship Program page on our website for more details. Be sure to spread the word and share this with any potential applicants! For inquiries, please contact opportunities@awpwriter.org.
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Native Resilience to hold 2026 Spring Webinar Series on Snow Drought and Tribal Agriculture
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The Native Resilience Working Group will hold a four-part webinar series in spring 2026 focused on snow drought, water stress, and their impacts on tribal agriculture.
Speakers will cover: Snow-drought outlooks and what they mean for agricultural operations; Guidance on USDA, FEMA, and Native-led assistance programs; Tribal experiences navigating drought and disaster declarations; and, direct connections to experts and producer support organizations.
All webinars will be held on Zoom on the third Tuesday of each month at 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time/10:00 a.m. Pacific.
- February 17, 2026 – Snow-Drought Outlook & Early Action Resources – Dr. Kyle Bocinsky, Director of Climate Extension, Montana Climate Office
- March 17, 2026 – Farm Service Agency Resources – Jennifer Perez, National Outreach Specialist and Tribal Liaison for the USDA Farm Service Agency
- April 21, 2026 – Tribal Drought Responses: Programs and Perspectives
- May 19, 2026 – Tribal Disaster Declarations and Federal Recognition
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JOB/INTERNSHIP
ANNOUNCEMENTS
| | | | Preparing for the Next Era of Sovereignty | The president of the College of Menominee Nation reminds us to heed Wilma Mankiller’s perennial words of wisdom: “Whoever controls the education of our children, controls our future.” | | | | The Education of Clarence Three Stars: A Lakota American Life | The Education of Clarence Three Stars (2024) explores not one man’s life, but the harsh reality suffered by Native American boarding school attendees in the late 19th century. | | Department of Energy Announces $50 million Investment to Advance Affordable, Reliable, and Secure Energy for Tribes | | |
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy (IE) today announced a $50 million notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) aimed at fostering affordable, reliable, and secure energy solutions in Indian Country. This investment will support Tribal-led community-scale energy project planning and development and large-scale energy project planning.
Through the Unleashing Tribal Energy Development NOFO, the Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native regional corporations and Village corporations, Tribal and intertribal organizations, Tribal Energy Development Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities—or any consortium of these eligible groups–to focus on:
- Construction and installation of Tribal community-scale energy projects to meet the needs of the community
- Predevelopment activities required to identify community-scale energy opportunities and bring projects from concept to implementation-ready
- Planning, assessment, and feasibility activities to de-risk and advance development for large-scale Tribal energy projects that provide opportunities for revenue generation and economic development
A webinar with additional information on this funding opportunity and how to apply will be held on April 9, 2026.
Applications are due July 24, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET.
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AIHEC, in partnership with the AIM-AHEAD program, is pleased to announce the BUILD-NET-AI Program, a new opportunity to support AI Innovation Teams at Tribal Colleges and Universities.
Up to five institutions will be selected. Each team will include one faculty mentor and up to five students exploring how artificial intelligence and data science can address health and community priorities.
Faculty mentors will receive $5,000, and students will receive $1,000 each (up to five students). Travel for required program activities will be reimbursed separately.
Key Dates:
- Application deadline: April 7, 2026
- Program start: May 14, 2026
Faculty interested in developing AI/ML capacity, engaging students in applied research, or expanding AI-enabled health education at their TCU are encouraged to apply. Prior experience in AI/ML is not required.
Full Call for Proposals and application information can be found here
| | AIHEC Welcomes Office Manager and HR Assistant Bella Panciocco | Bella Panciocco joins AIHEC as the Office Manager and HR Assistant at AIHEC, where she plays a key role in supporting daily operations and fostering a positive workplace environment. She first joined the organization as a temporary employee and quickly found a strong connection to its mission leading her to become a full-time member of the team. | | | Bella holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from George Mason University and recently earned her Master’s degree in Playwriting from the University of Edinburgh. Her background in the arts informs her collaborative approach, creativity, and attention to detail in her administrative and HR work. Before joining AIHEC, Bella worked as a Substitute Teacher with Fairfax County Public Schools and as an Improv Teacher with "Acting for Young People". These roles reflect her passion for communication, mentorship, and creating engaging, supportive environments. | | | | U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Announce First Grant Competition Under Postsecondary Education Partnership | | |
The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) issued the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 competition for the Talent Search Program, a grant aimed at helping students pursue high-quality postsecondary education or training, including Registered Apprenticeships. The awards will be issued on DOL’s GrantSolutions, a grants management platform. These actions further align the postsecondary and workforce education programs of ED and DOL and will position DOL as the central hub for America’s postsecondary education and workforce development programs.
This announcement kicks off ED’s FY 2026 grant competition for the Federal TRIO Programs, with additional competitions to follow later this spring and summer. This step follows ED’s staff detail earlier this year, as the agencies work together to better coordinate Federal postsecondary and workforce education programs.
| | Coming Soon! New Funding Opportunities! | | | | | US Department of Labor announces availability of $65M in grants to help community colleges increase access to in-demand, high-quality training | | |
On 2/17/26, the Department of Labor announced a $65 million grant competition for the Strengthening Community College Training program, funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The funding aims to support programs that help community colleges develop high-quality, short-term training programs that meet employers’ and workers’ skill development needs. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act authorized a new Pell Grant program for short-term workforce programs, and DOL noted that grant applications must describe how programs will meet the hiring requirements of employers in in-demand industries.
Applications deadline is May 20, 2026. There is no cost share or matching requirement for this program.
For more information, please refer to the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program.
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