In 1994, twenty-nine Native American post-secondary institutions were recognized by the U.S. Congress with land grant status under the authorization of the Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act (Section 354 of P.L. 103-382).

This legislation was significant in that these institutions represented Indian Tribes with land bases not receiving primary land grant support prior to 1994. United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) was one of the Tribal colleges and universities (TCU's) identified in the legislation as a '1994 Tribal Land Grant College'.

Acquiring this land grant status was instrumental in creating opportunities and obtaining resources for TCUs to carry out the three traditional tenets of land grant institutional missions - teaching, extension, and research. The TCUs are now charged with organizing and delivering land grant programs for Indian Nations and Tribal communities that have historically been neglected by mainstream institutions.

1994 Tribal Land Grant Colleges and Universities are supported in the following areas:

1. An endowment fund (in lieu of a land grant).
2. Tribal land grant equity grants to be used for specific institutional projects related to the Tribal land and natural resource needs.
3. Extension programs for addressing Tribal community needs.
4. Research.

Since the acquisition of land grant status is a relatively new development, UTTC has chosen to implement an 'institute' approach in developing and offering the teaching, extension, and research thrusts of Tribal land grant programs.

The United States Department of Agriculture provides funding for all land grant programs at United Tribes Technical College.

Because limited resources prevent the development of whole new and separate land grant departments, the design of the institute is focused on using existing college program resources and staff, and integrating land grant services with current program activities.