NAGPRA Grants Now Available

Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and corporations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and museums are eligible for Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) grants offered by the National Park Service.

NAGPRA is a Federal law that provides a process for museums and Federal agencies to return certain Native American cultural items -- human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony -- to lineal descendants, culturally affiliated Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

“Since 1990, more than 25 million dollars have been distributed in NAGPRA grants that have facilitated the return of sacred objects to their rightful place,” said Director Bomar. 

Two types of grants are available:

• Consultation/documentation grants are awarded annually and range from $5,000 to $90,000.  Applications are due by March 2nd and draft proposals (optional) must be submitted by December 30th for review and comment. These grants can help fund travel, training, and collaboration associated with researching and identifying significant items.    
• Repatriation grants of up to $15,000 are distributed on an ongoing basis, October through June. Repatriation grants can be used for transportation costs associated with transferring NAGPRA items from a museum or agency to a tribe or for costs associated with the reburial of human remains and cultural items.