Congress recently approved over 13.5 million in federal funding for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). This comes after the Trump Administration proposed eliminating the school’s appropriation.
The funding is included in H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026.
The funds were included in a bipartisan appropriations bill which ensures continued operations for the Santa Fe-based tribal college that started in 1962.
IAIA President Shelly Lowe said she was delighted to see federal support.
“It gives us a lot of hope that Congress is aware of the work that we do here, the outputs, the success of our students, and they understand the importance of the institution,” she said.
Lowe said the money will be used to maintain current operations and makes up about 73% of the school’s budget.
“The congressional funding that we get doesn't even cover all of our costs,” she said.
Lowe said the proof of the school’s value is its talented graduates.
“We have artists that are renowned and known worldwide,” she said. “It's an important part of how we as Indigenous people tell our stories. It's how we inform others about who we are, and our alumni and our students are the ones that are really doing that.”
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez applauded the bi-partisan support for the funding bill in a statement. She said art is vital to understanding culture, identity, and language.
Lowe said she will continue to showcase the value of IAIA and says the school has additional needs to provide student housing and scholarship funds.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
