Tribal Colleges Face Uncertain Future Amid Funding Threats

Mon Nov 17 2025 19:21:36 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As federal funding cuts loom, tribal colleges grapple with maintaining Indigenous education and cultural preservation amid shifting government priorities.

Across the U.S., tribal colleges are facing funding challenges due to proposed cuts by the Trump administration, putting the future of Indigenous education in jeopardy. Despite a recent announced increase in federal funding for these institutions, concerns about long-term financial sustainability persist. Key figures in the community emphasize the vital role these colleges play in preserving Indigenous knowledge and culture in a climate of uncertainty about federal commitments.

NEW TOWN, N.D. (AP) — On a recent chilly fall morning, Ruth De La Cruz walked through the Four Sisters Garden, looking for Hidatsa squash. For college students in her food sovereignty program, the crop might be an assignment, but to her, it represents the very fruit of her ancestors’ labor.

As she exclaimed joyfully upon finding the small, pumpkinlike gourds basking in the sun, De La Cruz highlighted the significance of the garden, named after the traditional Hidatsa practice of growing squash, corn, sunflowers, and beans together—commonly referred to as the four sisters. This program is part of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, operated by the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation.

However, this educational bastion is among the many tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) that the Trump administration has proposed cutting funding to. Tribal citizens are battling the repercussions of drastic cuts in federal spending, further exacerbated by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

A funding increase for tribal colleges, announced before the government shutdown, was welcomed, but college leaders continue to express unease about the future of government financial support. The legal obligations underpinning these federal dollars are among the oldest in U.S. history, and TCU presidents worry that they may be further eroded, thereby endangering the intergenerational passage of Indigenous knowledge.

“This is not just a haven for access to higher education, but also a place where you receive culturally- and tribally-specific education,” remarked De La Cruz.

Historically, the U.S. made treaties promising to uphold the health, education, and security of Indigenous peoples, a commitment now referred to as trust responsibilities. Twyla Baker, president of the college, argues that these obligations must be honored, as ancestors had fought for assurance that their languages and cultural systems would be preserved for future generations.

Recently, U.S. education funding for TCUs increased significantly, but alongside that growth came cuts in vital federal grant programs that many TCUs depend on. The obstacles faced by these institutions are multifaceted, including layoffs of tribal liaisons in federal departments essential for compliance with trust responsibilities.

Leander McDonald, president of United Tribes Technical College, expressed the uncertainty felt by TCU presidents: “How long is the storm going to last?” The precariousness of the funding landscape complicates budget planning and critical program establishment.

Despite the challenges, TCUs remain vital to sustaining Indigenous culture and education. Programs like the Native American Studies curriculum at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College focus on passing knowledge from elders to students, with emphasis on language acquisition and tribal sovereignty. Zaysha Grinnell, a student in the program, highlighted that such experiences are irreplaceable.

With a history marked by land displacement and cultural erasure, the push for sustaining traditional knowledge underscores the need for ongoing support of TCUs. As trust responsibilities linger in the air, their importance to the future of Indigenous education cannot be overstated.