In 1994, Bay Mills Community College (BMCC) was one of the original 29 Native American colleges provided Land-grant status as a provision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act. The bill also authorized a $23 million endowment for these original tribal Land Grant Colleges, to be built up over five years. The colleges were to receive interest payments from the endowment each year.

In addition, the legislation authorized a $1.7 million challenge grant program for higher education programs in agriculture and natural resources, much like the successful program at the 1890 colleges, and $50,000 per school for higher education in agriculture and natural resources (similar to the original Morrill-Nelson funds).

The legislation also provided $5 million to go to the Cooperative Extension Service of the 1862 land-grant institutions in states that also have tribal colleges. The 1862 institutions were to cooperate with the tribal colleges in setting up joint agricultural extension programs focused on the needs of the Native American institutions, as identified by the tribal colleges.

The 29 1994 colleges named in the bill comprise all of the American Indian tribal colleges in the nation. Of these, 24 are tribally controlled colleges, two are tribally controlled vocational/technical colleges, two are owned and operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and one is federally chartered.

Bay Mills Community College is located in the northeastern area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and provides educational opportunities for both native and non native students. BMCC also provide a variety of community services, such as family counseling, alcohol and drug abuse programs, job training and economic development.
 
 
The Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 authorized land-grant status to 29 tribal colleges. These are known as the “1994 land-grant institutions.”
 
 
Tribal college funding opportunities:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fonum=1133 - Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fonum=1132 - Tribal Colleges Extension Services Program


NRCS - Revised American Indian Programs Web Page Links Tribes & Partners
http://www.mi.nrcs.usda.gov/indian.html


Michigan State University Extension - Anishinaabek Resources
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/native/