Native American Affairs Program

Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program

Providing Technical Assistance to Federally Recognized Indian Tribes

Featured Resources:
Technical Assistance Program
Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)
     Current Year NOFOs
     Prior Year NOFOs and Successful Proposals Approved for Funding
     How to Apply to NOFOs and Background Information


Reclamation has various programs which provide technical assistance to a broad range of entities, such as the Drought Assistance, Wetlands, and Water Recycling Programs.  Indian Tribes are eligible for most of these programs and, through them, much assistance has been provided to Tribes.  One program is available only to federally recognized Indian Tribes—the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program (TAP).

Reclamation's Native American Affairs TAP provides technical assistance to assist Indian Tribes to develop, manage, and protect their water and related resources.  The program has supported a broad range of activities in each year since its inception in the early 1990s.  Such activities have included water needs assessments, improved water management studies, water quality data collection and assessments, and water measurement studies.

Work under the Native American Affairs TAP may be carried out in different ways.  Sometimes the work is performed by Reclamation under cooperative working relationships with Indian Tribes, which provide the Tribes with opportunities to benefit from Reclamation's technical expertise and resources.  Alternatively, assistance may be provided in the form of training to enhance Tribal members’ knowledge and expertise in the use, protection, and development of water resources.  Work may also be carried out in partnership with other governmental or non-governmental entities, thereby enabling assistance provided to Tribes with greater efficiency.

While program direction and leadership for the Native American Affairs TAP is provided by Reclamation's Native American and International Affairs Office (NAIAO) within the Commissioner’s Office, the program is implemented through Regional and Area Offices.  Area Office Program Coordinators work with their Regional Program Managers and Indian Tribes to develop project proposals, which are submitted for consideration for funding.  Budgetary constraints limit the number of projects which can be funded each year.



Note:  Each technical assistance activity considered for the Native American Affairs TAP must satisfy "Program Criteria." Those criteria can be found and are listed in each Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

2025 NOFO Announcements

Fiscal Year 2025 Colorado River Basin Tribal Drought Resiliency → OPEN June 2, 2026 [PDF, 441 KB]

• Funding: Up to $1,000,000 per project; $1,000,000 per Tribe 

• Eligibility: Designated Federally Recognized Tribes located in the Colorado River Basin (Ak-Chin Indian Community; Chemehuevi Indian Tribe; Cocopah Indian Tribe; Colorado River Indian Tribes; Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe; Fort Yuma - Quechan Tribe; Gila River Indian Community; Havasupai Tribe; Hopi Tribe; Hualapai Tribe; Jicarilla Apache Nation; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians; Las Vegas Paiute Tribe; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians; Navajo Nation; Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; Pascua Yaqui Tribe; Pueblo of Zuni; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community; San Carlos Apache Tribe; San Juan Southern Paiute; Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Tohono O'odham Nation; Tonto Apache Tribe; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; White Mountain Apache Tribe; Yavapai-Apache Nation; and Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe).

• Application: Tribes can apply for this funding opportunity through www.grants.gov, under funding announcement R26AS00021, and can submit email applications to dronofo@usbr.gov or paper copy applications, see NOFO for details.

Additional Application Materials:

  1. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance [PDF, 152KB]
  2. SF-424A: Budget Information [PDF, 132KB]
  3. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities [PDF, 213 KB]
  4. OMB 4040-0019: Project Abstract Summary [PDF, 92KB]
  5. SF-424B: Assurances – Non-Construction Programs [PDF, 49KB]
  6. SF-424D: Assurances – Construction Programs [PDF, 48KB]
  7. Budget Detail and Narrative Template 01/2022 [XLSX, 87KB]

Note:  Each technical assistance activity considered for the Native American Affairs TAP must satisfy "Program Criteria." Those criteria can be found and are listed in each Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Prior Year NOFOs and Successful Proposals Approved for Funding

Note:  Each technical assistance activity considered for the Native American Affairs TAP must satisfy "Program Criteria." Those criteria can be found and are listed in each Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

How to Apply to NOFOs and Background Information

Applying for Bureau of Reclamation Funding Opportunities (Video and PDF Slides):

                                                                   Webinar Slides (Adobe PDF; 9.2 MB)

Last Updated: 6/10/26