Faculty Development
Supporting College Faculty & Staff
We support tribal college and university (TCU) faculty and staff through fellowships, professional development grants, and scholarly research opportunities.
Faculty and staff play a critical role in creating a thriving academic environment at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). They teach, develop culturally relevant curricula and programs, support students, serve on committees, conduct place-based research, participate in community service, and serve as leaders at their institutions.
The College Fund, in partnership with TCUs, recognizes that faculty and staff development are essential to the success of students and the future growth and sustainability of TCUs. To that end, we have offered faculty development programming since 2004.
We currently support faculty and staff in numerous ways: fellowships to earn a graduate degree, professional development grants, support for conducting and disseminating research, and networking opportunities.
Through these activities, we help them earn advanced degrees and add to the intellectual capital of tribal colleges and Native communities.
Fellowship Opportunities
The College Fund offers two fellowships for master’s degree completion and three fellowships for those completing a doctoral degree. In addition to funding, fellowship recipients receive mentorship from scholars and College Fund staff, as well as the opportunity to network with other fellows.
Professional Development Opportunities
The College Fund supports professional development activities that enhance teaching, integration of cultural resources into the classroom and programs, leadership skills, and scholarly research activities.
Faculty and adjunct instructors can apply for grants to attend or present at a conference, or participate in a workshop or training.
Scholarly Research Support
The College Fund provides support and mentorship to help faculty conduct and disseminate research, thereby expanding the culture of academic scholarship within TCUs.
We publish the Tribal College and University Research Journal, a peer-reviewed publication dedicated exclusively to TCU faculty-led research.
Each summer, we host the TCU Faculty Research Convening, which features presentations by 20 TCU faculty researchers.
We host Intensive Writing Retreats for TCU faculty to develop manuscripts for publication.
Social Media
News and Events
Tribal Colleges Build Storytelling Capacity to Increase Visibility
In response to the need for greater communications outreach at TCUs, the American Indian College Fund (the College Fund) initiated a one-year pilot project to build communications capacity and visibility for TCUs. In November 2021, the College Fund moved forward with the project and selected a limited number of TCUs to participate.
Sovereign Nation Series: Native Votes Matter
I am asking my Indigenous relatives to vote despite, and because of, our knowledge about our history and contemporary experiences. Without our voices at the polls, we cannot rectify the ongoing harm to our people and to others that is a reflection of the political climate and how resources are distributed.