Demonstration Grants for Indian Children (DEMO)

Office of Indian Education

84.299A

Discretionary/Competitive Grants

Demonstration Grants for Indian Children

The notice inviting applications (NIA) for the fiscal year 2023 Demonstration Grants for Indian Children and Youth Program – Native American Teacher Retention Initiative (NATRI) discretionary grant program competition is now available. Read the NIA!

Program Overview

This program is designed to improve the education opportunities and achievement of preschool, elementary, and secondary school Indian children by developing, testing, and demonstrating effective services and programs.

Types of Projects

Demonstration Grants

Demonstration Grants for Indian Children is a competitive discretionary grant program that supports projects to develop, test and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve educational opportunities and achievement of Indian children.

Native Youth Community Projects (NYCP)

For FY16-18, the absolute priority was a Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) that focused on a define local geographic area, centered on the goal of ensuring that Indian students were prepared for college and careers, was informed by evidence, focused on one or more barriers or opportunities with a community-based strategy or strategies and measurable objectives, was designed and implemented through a partnership of various entities, and demonstrated the capacity to improve outcomes that are relevant to the project focus through experience with programs funded through other sources.

Accessing Choices in Education (ACE)

For FY20, the absolute priority was Accessing Choices in Education (ACE) where projects must expand educational choice by enabling a Tribe, or the grantee and its Tribal partner, to select a project focus that meets the needs of their students, and enabling parents of Indian students, or the students, to choose education services by selecting the specific service and provider desired.

Native American Teacher Retention Initiative (NATRI)

For FY23 the absolute priority is the Native American Teacher Retention Initiative (NATRI) where projects must be designed to ensure that (a) Teachers, principals, other school leaders, and other staff who serve Indian students have the ability to provide culturally appropriate and effective instruction and supports to such students and (b) Indian students gain knowledge and understanding of Native communities, languages, tribal histories, traditions, and cultures.  Proposed projects must focus on one or more of the following priority areas:

1) Activities that recognize and support the unique cultural and educational needs of Indian children and youth and incorporate traditional leaders.

2) Educational services that are not available to such children and youth in sufficient quantity or quality, including remedial instruction, to raise the achievement of Indian children in one or more of the subjects of English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, art, history, and geography.

3) Comprehensive guidance, counseling, and testing services.

4) High-quality professional development of teaching professionals and paraprofessionals.

Contact Information

  • Donna Bussell, M.Ed.
    ACE, NYCP and NATRI Program Officer
    U.S. Department of Education, OESE
    Office of Indian Education
    400 Maryland Avenue SW, Suit 3W209
    LBJ Bldg. Washington, DC 20202-633
    (202) 987-0204
    donna.bussell@ed.gov

    Donna Sabis-Burns, Ph.D.
    Group Leader-Discretionary Grants
    U.S. Department of Education, OESE
    Office of Indian Education
    400 Maryland Avenue SW
    LBJ Bldg. Washington, DC 20202-633
    (202) 453-7077
    donna.sabis-burns@ed.gov