Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance | HHS 2025 ACF ANA NL 0112

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2025 ACF ANA NL 0112

The Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Administration for Native Americans (ANA). Its core purpose is to help Native communities protect, strengthen, and pass on their languages by funding practical, community-driven efforts. Projects supported under this program can include assessing the current status and vitality of a Native language within an established community, as well as planning, designing, restoring, and implementing language curriculum and education initiatives that align with a community's language preservation goals. The opportunity is intended to serve Native American communities broadly defined, including American Indian tribes (both federally recognized and non-federally recognized), Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native American Pacific Islanders.

The program is structured to fund language work across the full pipeline, from early-stage assessment and planning to hands-on implementation. That can mean conducting language status surveys, documenting speaker populations and proficiency levels, identifying gaps in teaching resources, and developing a strategic plan for revitalization. It also explicitly supports curriculum and education-focused activities, such as creating or modernizing lesson materials, building language instruction programs, developing teacher training approaches, and putting community-based language learning models into practice. Overall, the focus is not simply on documentation, but on building usable systems and resources that help communities maintain and increase everyday language use over time.

Eligibility is limited to certain types of Native entities and organizations, consistent with the authorizing statutes and regulations (including 42 U.S.C. 2991b-3 and 45 CFR 1336.33). Eligible applicants include federally recognized tribes listed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, incorporated non-federally recognized tribes, incorporated state-recognized tribes, and consortia of tribes. It also includes incorporated non-profit, multipurpose, community-based Indian organizations (including Urban Indian Organizations as defined at 25 U.S.C. 1603(29)), Urban Indian Centers, and Native Community Development Financial Institutions (Native CDFIs). For Alaska, eligible applicants include Alaska Native villages as defined under ANCSA and/or non-profit village consortia, non-profit Native organizations in Alaska proposing village-specific projects, incorporated non-profit Alaska Native multipurpose community-based organizations, non-profit Alaska Native regional corporations or associations with village-specific projects, and Alaska Native community entities or tribal governing bodies (such as IRA or Traditional Councils) recognized by BIA. For Native Hawaiian communities, eligible applicants include public and non-profit private agencies serving Native Hawaiians. National or regional incorporated nonprofit Native American organizations may also apply when they have Native American, community-specific objectives. The source eligibility categories also indicate that Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) may be eligible, along with certain other qualifying entities.

Applications from individuals, including sole proprietorships, are not allowed, and foreign entities are not eligible; such applications will be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration. Faith-based and community organizations can apply if they meet the same eligibility requirements as other applicants. The notice also states that ACF will not discriminate in selecting recipients based on an organization's religious character or affiliation, and that faith-based applicants are covered by relevant protections and requirements (including 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.).

Key administrative details included in the listing are as follows: the funding opportunity title is Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance, with opportunity number HHS-2025-ACF-ANA-NL-0112. The funding instrument is a grant, and the funding activity category is Income Security and Social Services, under CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 93.587. The application deadline shown is April 14, 2025. The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $900,000, and ANA expects to make about 9 awards. The opportunity was created (posted) on January 14, 2025.

• The Administration for Children and Families - ANA in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.587.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-01-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-04-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $900,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for HHS 2025 ACF ANA NL 0112

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