In addition to higher education programs, tribal colleges offer welfare-to-work programs, adult education, vocational and agricultural training, and childcare, which makes their costs higher than those of conventional colleges. Most tribal colleges are small, resulting in higher than average per student costs. Tribal colleges charge an average of 52 percent more for tuition than the average 2-year college. Since tribal colleges are located on reservations, they are not eligible for state and local funds. The bulk of their funding comes from federal appropriations and grants. Tribally controlled community colleges receive core funding through the Department of Interior under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978. The American Indian Higher Education Consortium wrote and lobbied for passage of this act and lobbied to have tribal colleges added to the list of land-grant colleges, allowing them to share projects, resources, funding, and information with other land-grant institutions. Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 allots funds to some tribal colleges to help raise their academic quality and their institutional, management, and fiscal stability. Only five tribal colleges receive funds from gaming, and these amounts are small and irregular. Tribal colleges are eligible for a variety of state and federal grants; several of those are also available to any institution of higher education that teaches Native American students. Tribal college presidents started the American Indian College Fund to provide scholarships for Indian students. (TD)