HHS Removes Obsolete Rules for Native American Grant Programs

The Department of Health and Human Services has finalized a rule that removes outdated, duplicative, or overly technical regulations governing grants for Native American programs. The changes affect rules under the Native American Programs Act of 1974, which funds social development and economic self-sufficiency projects in Native communities.

Why it matters: This action is primarily administrative. It simplifies the regulatory code by removing text that was redundant or outdated. For grant applicants, this means the formal rules book is cleaner, though specific program instructions may still be found in other government documents. The agency argues this shift gives Tribal communities more flexibility to influence local guidance without needing to change federal law.

Who it affects

• Grantees and applicants for Administration for Native Americans (ANA) competitive discretionary grants

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This final rule was issued by the Health and Human Services Department’s Administration for Children and Families; readers should check the original Federal Register document for the full list of removed sections.

Agency: Health and Human Services Department, Children and Families Administration
Source: Federal Register — read the official document