Tribal Self-Governance Planning Cooperative Agreement Program | HHS 2024 IHS TSGP 0001

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2024 IHS TSGP 0001

The Tribal Self-Governance Planning Cooperative Agreement Program is a discretionary funding opportunity from the Indian Health Service (IHS) designed to help Tribes and Tribal organizations prepare to participate in the IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP) or to help current Self-Governance Tribes plan for taking on additional or expanded Programs, Services, Functions, and Activities (PSFAs). The core idea is to fund the upfront planning work that Title V of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) expects a Tribe or Tribal organization to complete before moving into (or expanding within) self-governance. This planning period is meant to be led and defined by the Tribe, with the end goal of making well-informed decisions about what responsibilities to assume from IHS and what internal changes are needed to manage those responsibilities successfully.

The planning phase emphasized by this opportunity focuses heavily on the practical realities of running health care programs. It specifically calls for legal and budgetary research, along with internal government planning and organizational preparation tied to health program administration. In plain terms, applicants are expected to use the cooperative agreement to evaluate which PSFAs make sense to assume, what resources and authorities would be required, how funding and budgets would work, what legal issues might arise, and what internal staffing, governance, policies, systems, or organizational restructuring would be needed to support a smooth transfer. IHS frames this planning as critical for reducing delays and confusion later, because thorough preparation tends to make negotiations more efficient and helps ensure the Tribe is operationally ready to run the transferred PSFAs through its own Tribal health program.

A key feature of the program is that receiving this planning award does not commit a Tribe to enter the TSGP or to expand existing self-governance arrangements. The planning cooperative agreement is also not a prerequisite for entering self-governance; Tribes can meet the ISDEAA planning expectations using other resources if they prefer. Likewise, even if a Tribe accepts planning funds, it can still decide to delay participation or decline to move forward depending on what the planning process reveals. The same flexibility applies to Tribes already in self-governance that are evaluating whether to add new PSFAs or broaden their current scope.

Eligibility is limited to applicants that qualify under federal definitions and that meet specific statutory conditions. Applicants must be an "Indian Tribe" as defined at 25 U.S.C. 5304(e), a "Tribal Organization" as defined at 25 U.S.C. 5304(l), or an "Inter-Tribal Consortium" as defined at 42 CFR 137.10. Tribes that are prohibited from contracting under ISDEAA are not eligible, with the restriction tied to appropriations law provisions referenced in the notice (including restrictions originating in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 and later amendments and extensions). In addition, the applicant must have a formal request to participate in self-governance, shown through a Tribal resolution or other official action by the governing body of each Tribe to be served, consistent with 25 U.S.C. 5383(c)(1)(B). At the same time, the notice makes clear that if an applicant has already completed the required planning phase and has already requested participation in the IHS TSGP by official Tribal action, then that applicant is not eligible for this particular funding opportunity. Finally, applicants must demonstrate financial stability and financial management capability for three fiscal years, consistent with 25 U.S.C. 5383(c)(1)(C).

Administratively, this opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement (not a standard grant), which typically means there is expected to be substantial federal involvement during the project period compared to a traditional grant, although the announcement text here primarily focuses on the planning purpose and requirements. The opportunity number is HHS-2024-IHS-TSGP-0001, and it is listed under CFDA 93.444 in the health funding activity category. Eligible applicant types are federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations. The application closing date listed is February 20, 2024. IHS anticipates making about five awards, with an award ceiling of $180,000 per award.

• The Indian Health Service in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tribal Self-Governance Planning Cooperative Agreement Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.444.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-20. (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 $180,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).

Apply for HHS 2024 IHS TSGP 0001

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