Bureau of Indian Education: Native American Language Immersion | BIE NALI 2020

Opportunity Information: Apply for BIE NALI 2020

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), within the U.S. Department of the Interior (Bureau of Indian Affairs), offered a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Bureau of Indian Education: Native American Language Immersion" (Funding Opportunity Number: BIE NALI 2020; CFDA/Assistance Listing: 15.151). The program was designed to help revitalize and sustain Native American languages by expanding the reach and quality of language immersion efforts in BIE-funded schools. The central goal is to increase students oral proficiency through immersion-based instruction, either by strengthening programs that already exist or by helping schools launch new immersion models where they are not yet in place.

Funding for the opportunity totaled $4,000,000, made available under the FY 2020 Interior Appropriations Bill as a Congressionally Directed Capacity Building Grant for Native Language Immersion Programs (Public Law 115-31). The announcement anticipated making about 20 awards, with an award ceiling of up to $500,000 per grant. Because the initiative is framed as capacity building, the intent is not only to pay for classroom activities in the short term, but also to help schools develop the staffing, instructional approach, and program structure needed to sustain immersion work and produce measurable language outcomes over time.

The opportunity aligns with BIEs broader mission described in 25 CFR Part 32.3, which emphasizes providing quality education from early childhood through adulthood in ways that reflect each tribes cultural, spiritual, mental, physical, and community context. In practice, that means immersion programs supported under this funding are meant to advance academic learning while also strengthening cultural continuity and community wellbeing. The program description highlights respect for the diversity of Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages as distinct cultural and governmental entities, and it situates language learning as part of educating the "whole person" within a family and tribal or village setting.

Eligibility was limited to BIE-funded schools, with the listing noting "Others" and directing applicants to the full announcement for detailed eligibility clarification. Applicants were instructed to retrieve and carefully review the full announcement package in the "Related Documents" section, since it contains the required application instructions and submission requirements. Key administrative details included a posting/creation date of September 14, 2020, and an original application deadline of October 30, 2020.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bureau of Indian Education: Native American Language Immersion" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.151.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 14, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 30, 2020. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BIE NALI 2020

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