Grants amounting to $5.73 million have been awarded to tribes across various states. The grantees are set to receive between $200,000 and $300,000 annually for a span of three years in support of their projects.

The 2024 grant program will primarily focus on immersion projects centered around Native languages. According to the news release from December 21 announcing the grant awards, this funding aims to enable tribes to document and revitalize endangered languages that are at risk of extinction due to suppression or a decline in native speakers.

Bryan Newland, assistant secretary for Indian Affairs, said: "Living Languages Grant Program funding supports Tribal communities in restoring and revitalizing their traditional languages, thereby preserving the essence of their cultural identities and sovereignty. Investing in Native language revitalization is just one part of our all-of-government approach to addressing the harms caused by federal policies of the past, such as Federal Indian Boarding School which actively worked to suppress Native languages and cultures."

According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) website on the Living Languages Grant Program, eligible applicants include Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Grant winners may select or utilize nonprofit or for-profit tribal organizations to establish the scope of work for grant funding. However, schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education or programs from the bureau are not eligible for this financial support.

The award recipients hail from 13 states. They include:
The Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma: $300,000; the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma in McLoud, Oklahoma: $300,000; the Sac & Fox Nation in Stroud, Oklahoma: $300,000; among others.