Tribal Court Improvement Program

The Tribal Court Improvement Program provides funding to tribal courts to assess the effectiveness of and support improvements to how these courts handle American Indian and Alaska Native child welfare cases. The program aims to strengthen tribal court systems, ensuring that children are safe, families are supported, and court proceedings are timely, fair, and legally sound. Key activities include assessments, implementation of changes, and collaboration with tribal child welfare agencies. The program has a focus on family preservation, family reunification, guardianship, and adoption. • Eligible applicants are Indian tribes or tribal consortia that meet specific conditions. • The program has a cost-sharing requirement of zero, meaning applicants do not need to contribute to the costs of the project. • The program has specific funding policies and limitations, including restrictions on construction, purchase of real property, and hiring attorneys or judges. • The program requires recipients to demonstrate alignment with ACF's vision, mission, values, priorities, and guiding principles.