Tribal Behavioral Health Budget Guide

Award Ranges by Program

SAMHSA tribal behavioral health grants vary significantly in award size depending on the program, the scope of proposed activities, and the size of the target community. Understanding the typical award range for each program helps you develop a realistic budget that aligns with reviewer expectations — requesting too little suggests an underdeveloped plan, while requesting the maximum without justification signals inflated costs.

Award ranges are set by each NOFO and can change between funding cycles. The amounts above reflect recent funding patterns. Always check the current NOFO for the exact maximum and minimum award amounts, as well as any per-year limits or cost caps.

Budget Period Structure

SAMHSA tribal behavioral health grants operate on annual budget periods within a multi-year project period. The first budget period typically begins on September 30, aligning with the start of the federal fiscal year. Continuation awards for subsequent budget periods are not guaranteed — they depend on satisfactory progress, available funding, and compliance with grant terms.

Your budget should reflect a realistic ramp-up in Year 1. New grants typically spend at a lower rate during the first 3 to 6 months while staff are hired, cultural adaptation is finalized, and community partnerships are established. SAMHSA GPOs understand Year 1 underspending but expect the expenditure rate to increase in subsequent years. Build your Year 1 budget with a lower direct service intensity and higher planning and adaptation costs compared to Years 2 through 5.

Allowable Costs

SAMHSA grants follow 2 CFR 200 cost principles for determining allowable costs. For tribal behavioral health grants, the following cost categories warrant specific attention.

Personnel

Personnel costs typically represent 50 to 70 percent of a tribal behavioral health grant budget. Key positions include:

• Project Director/Coordinator: Full-time or significant part-time (typically 0.5 to 1.0 FTE). Must have relevant behavioral health and/or program management experience. SAMHSA expects the PD to have sufficient time devoted to the project to provide meaningful oversight.
• Behavioral health clinicians: Licensed or license-eligible clinical staff for treatment programs. SAMHSA understands that recruitment in tribal communities is challenging — if positions are unfilled, budget for competitive salaries and recruitment incentives.
• Prevention specialists and community health workers: For prevention programs, these staff deliver community-level interventions and often serve as the cultural bridge between clinical approaches and community contexts.
• Data and evaluation staff: Budget for dedicated data staff to manage GPRA collection and SPARS entry. Many tribal programs underestimate the data management burden and end up with poor SPARS submission rates.
• Administrative/fiscal support: Part-time fiscal and administrative staff for grant management, reporting, and compliance documentation.

Cultural Activities and Elder Involvement

Cultural activities are allowable and expected costs in SAMHSA tribal behavioral health grants. These costs reflect the cultural adaptation requirement and demonstrate that your program integrates tribal knowledge and practices. Allowable cultural costs include:

• Elder stipends: Compensation for elders who serve as cultural advisors, participate in adaptation processes, co-facilitate groups, or provide traditional knowledge. Budget these as consultant or stipend costs with clear role descriptions.
• Cultural advisory board: Costs associated with convening and compensating a cultural advisory group — meeting space, meals, travel, and participant stipends.
• Cultural materials and supplies: Items needed for culturally adapted interventions — art supplies for expressive therapy, traditional craft materials, ceremonial items (where appropriate and approved), and culturally relevant educational materials.
• Cultural events: Costs for community cultural events that serve program purposes — healing gatherings, talking circles, cultural immersion activities, and intergenerational events.
• Language resources: Translation services, bilingual materials development, and Native language integration into program delivery.

When budgeting cultural costs, provide clear justification connecting each expense to the program's cultural adaptation plan. Reviewers and auditors need to see how cultural expenses advance the program's evidence-based intervention, not just that cultural activities occurred.

Training

Training costs are allowable and important for building tribal behavioral health capacity. Budget for:

• EBP-specific training for clinical and prevention staff
• Cultural adaptation training (may require bringing in external experts with tribal adaptation experience)
• GPRA/SPARS data collection training for all staff who administer assessments
• 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality training (required for substance use treatment staff)
• SAMHSA grantee conferences (typically 1 to 2 national meetings per year that grantees are expected to attend)

Indirect Cost Rates for Tribal Organizations

Indirect cost rates for tribal organizations are negotiated with the Department of the Interior (DOI), specifically the Office of the Inspector General's Indirect Cost Services division. This is different from other federal grantees who negotiate with their cognizant agency (typically the agency providing the most federal funding). The DOI-negotiated rate applies to all federal awards regardless of the funding agency.

Types of IDC Rates

• Negotiated rate: A rate negotiated with DOI based on your organization's actual indirect costs. This rate is documented in a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). SAMHSA accepts the DOI-negotiated rate without further review.
• De minimis rate: Organizations that have never had a negotiated rate may elect to use the de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC) under 2 CFR 200.414(f). This is lower than most negotiated tribal rates but requires no negotiation.
• Provisional rate: A temporary rate used while a final rate is being negotiated. Tribal organizations in the process of obtaining their first negotiated rate may use a provisional rate approved by DOI.

IDC Rate Timing Considerations

Tribal organizations should be aware that the IDC rate negotiation process with DOI can take 6 to 18 months. If your current NICRA is expiring, begin the renewal process well in advance. Expired IDC rates create complications for both budgeting and financial reporting. If your rate expires mid-grant, discuss with your SAMHSA GPO whether to use the expired rate, the de minimis rate, or a provisional rate while renegotiation is pending. Common tribal IDC rates range from 15% to 35% of MTDC, though some complex tribal organizations have higher negotiated rates.

Travel for Remote and Frontier Service Areas

Many tribal communities are located in remote or frontier areas where travel is a significant operational expense. SAMHSA recognizes this reality and allows reasonable travel costs. Budget travel realistically based on your actual service area geography.

• Local travel for service delivery: Mileage for staff providing services across a geographically dispersed reservation or service area. Use the federal mileage rate (67 cents per mile for 2024) or your tribal organization's approved mileage rate.
• Staff travel to training: Airfare, lodging, per diem, and ground transportation for EBP training, SAMHSA grantee meetings, and professional development events.
• Client transportation: In remote areas where clients lack transportation to services, client transportation costs may be allowable. Justify this as necessary for service access and document that no other transportation options exist.
• SAMHSA-required travel: Budget for 2 to 3 trips per year for SAMHSA grantee conferences, training events, and site visits. SAMHSA typically specifies in the NOFO that grantees must attend annual meetings.

Equipment and Supplies

Equipment and supply needs for tribal behavioral health programs are often shaped by remote service delivery environments. Allowable costs include:

• Telehealth equipment: For programs serving remote communities, telehealth infrastructure (video conferencing equipment, broadband connectivity costs, mobile devices) is increasingly important and generally allowable.
• Data collection devices: Tablets or laptops for field-based GPRA data collection, particularly for outreach staff who administer assessments in community settings.
• Naloxone and harm reduction supplies: For TOR grants, naloxone kits, fentanyl test strips, and other harm reduction supplies are allowable direct costs.
• Program supplies: Educational materials, assessment instruments, curriculum materials, and other supplies needed for service delivery.

Subcontracts and Consultants

SAMHSA NOFOs typically limit the percentage of the budget that can be allocated to subcontracts and consultants. Common limits are 30 to 40 percent of the total direct costs, though this varies by program. Check the specific NOFO for the current limit.

• Evaluators: Many tribal programs subcontract with external evaluators, often through Tribal Epidemiology Centers or university partners with tribal research experience. Include evaluation costs in the subcontract category.
• EBP trainers: Costs for the EBP developer or certified trainer to provide initial training and ongoing consultation.
• Cultural consultants: External experts in cultural adaptation of behavioral health interventions, if your organization needs external expertise for the adaptation process.
• Consortium sub-awards: For consortium applications, sub-awards to member tribes count toward the subcontract limit. Plan the budget distribution carefully to stay within the NOFO's cap.

Budget Modifications During the Grant Period

SAMHSA allows certain budget modifications without prior approval and requires approval for others. Understanding these thresholds prevents compliance issues.

For all budget-related questions, your SAMHSA GPO and grants management specialist are the authoritative sources. When in doubt about whether a modification requires prior approval, ask before making the change. For detailed information on cost principles that apply to all federal grants, see the 2 CFR 200 cost principles guide. For financial reporting via the SF-425, see the Reporting guide.