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FY 2026 NATIVE Act Grant Request for Proposals

Tribal Projects and Initiatives on or Adjacent to U.S. Forest Service Managed Lands

The American Indigenous Tourism Association, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, is issuing the FY 2026 NATIVE Act Request for Proposals to support tourism development initiatives led by Tribal Nations, Tribal enterprises, and Indigenous nonprofits.

Through this program, the association and the U.S. Forest Service work collaboratively to implement the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act (NATIVE Act) by providing technical assistance, grant opportunities, and tourism collaboration at the destination and community level.

Eligible applicants include organizations that border or have historic ties to U.S. Forest Service-managed lands and are working to strengthen cultural tourism and recreation initiatives.

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000
Proposal Deadline: May 1, 2026
Eligible Applicants: Tribes, Tribal organizations, Indigenous nonprofits
Project Completion Deadline: May 1, 2027

Apply for the Grant

Timeline

Proposal Deadline
Award Notification
Project Completion
Final Report Deadline

Dates

May 1, 2026
June 1, 2026
May 1, 2027
May 31, 2027

Note: No extensions will be approved for projects awarded under this Request for Proposals.

Grant Details

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000

Eligible project types include:

  • Cultural tourism development
  • Heritage interpretation projects
  • Recreation initiatives connected to tourism
  • Infrastructure or capacity-building projects supporting tourism
  • Community-driven initiatives that strengthen tourism economies in Native Nations and communities

Eligibility

U.S. Forest Service/AIT NATIVE Act grants eligibility:

  • Indian Tribe (has the meaning given in the terms of Section 4 of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b), Tribal Organizations (has the meaning given in the terms of Section 4 of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b) and Native Nonprofits that border and/or have historic ties to US Forest Service managed lands.
  • Grants must be used for cultural tourism, interpretation and/or recreation initiatives that support the purposes of the NATIVE Act as follows:

25 USC 4351 - SEC. 2. PURPOSES. The purposes of this Act are

  1. to enhance and integrate Native American tourism—
    (A) to empower Native American communities; and
    (B) to advance the National Travel and Tourism Strategy;
  2. to increase coordination and collaboration between Federal tourism assets to support Native American tourism and bolster recreational travel and tourism;
  3. to expand heritage and cultural tourism opportunities in the United States to spur economic development, create jobs, and increase tourism revenues;
  4. to enhance and improve self-determination and self governance capabilities in the Native American community and to promote greater self-sufficiency;
  5. to encourage Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations to engage more fully in Native American tourism activities to increase visitation to rural and remote areas in the United States that are too difficult to access or are unknown to domestic travelers and international tourists;
  6. to provide grants, loans, and technical assistance to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations that will—
    (A) spur important infrastructure development;
    (B) increase tourism capacity; and
    (C) elevate living standards in Native American communities; and
  7. to support the development of technologically innovative projects that will incorporate recreational travel and tourism information and data from Federal assets to improve the visitor experience.

Selection Criteria

The U.S. Forest Service/AIT NATIVE Act grant program is designed to advance the intent and purpose of the NATIVE Act through supporting and investing in efforts to enhance and integrate cultural tourism/cultural recreation to empower Native American communities and to advance the National Travel and Tourism Strategy.

NATIVE Act grant proposals will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

Note: If proposals are incomplete or do not have the required letters of support, the proposal will not be considered.

  1. Does the project/program spur important infrastructure development and/or increase technical capacity? We are looking for tribally led initiatives with the potential to grow and expand impact over time, or initiatives that are more mature and are ready to advance to the next stages of implementation. (Up to 10 points)
  2. Does the project and program proposal develop a clear case for implementation? We are looking for a clear understanding of the timeline, what the program intends to achieve, how it will be achieved. This must be reflected in both the narrative and the project budget and the specific tribe(s) engaged in/benefitting from the project along with a reasonable estimate of the number of people that will be positively impacted. (Up to 10 points)
  3. Is the project/program broadly supported? We are looking for projects/programs that are tribally driven with broad support for implementation. To be considered, the proposal should include the following:
    (A) Evidence of tribal support, including a document that reflects approval for the project by tribal council or tribal government (Mandatory, up to 5 points)
    (B) A letter of cooperation from the local U.S. Forest Service unit(s) (Mandatory, up to 3 points)
    (C) A minimum of two (2) Letters of support or cooperation from other organizations that will collaborate on or be impacted by the project (Optional, up to 2 points)
  4. Does the organization(s) have the capacity to implement the proposal? We are looking for proposals and project budgets that clearly demonstrate the ability and capacity to implement through staff expertise and overall capacity. The budget must include documented cost estimates to support project readiness, timeline and deliverables. The allowable indirect rate is 15% of the total budget request. (20 points)

Examples of NATIVE Act Grant Projects

Metlakatla Indian Community Tourism Department — Alaska

Project: Gyiik Galdzox (Camp Hemlock) and Nature Trails Renovation
Funding: $50,000

Renovation of Camp Hemlock on Annette Island Reserve, including improvements to the cultural tour site and nature trails highlighting plants historically used by the Tsimshian people for food, medicine, and everyday uses.

Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository — Alaska

Project: Keneq—Fire Gallery: Sharing Our Living Traditions
Funding: $143,460

Design and installation of interpretive displays celebrating the contemporary traditions of the Kodiak Alutiiq people within the museum’s new gallery, accompanied by community outreach and public art.

Bay Mills Indian Community — Michigan

Project: Shingabawassin “Spirit Stone Trail” Initiative
Funding: $129,000

Completion of the final section of a nine-mile pedestrian and bicycling trail connecting Brimley State Park, Bay Mills Indian Community Reservation, and Point Iroquois Lighthouse and Museum, with interpretive signage and a teaching lodge highlighting Bay Mills culture.

Apply for the Grant