The United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, hosted commencement exercises on May 8, 2015. Photo from Facebook

The Education Department on Friday awarded more than $50.4 million to tribal colleges and universities.

The grants went to nearly every tribal college in the nation. They will help the institutions improve academic quality, management and overall fiscal stability, the Obama administration said.

"Tribal institutions serve a valuable role for American Indian students,” said William Mendoza, the executive director of the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education, said in a press release. “As accredited institutions, tribal colleges are unique. In addition to functioning in a similar fashion to community colleges or small, public four-year schools, they support the preservation and revitalization of Native languages and serve other cultural needs of their students. They deliver instruction in culturally appropriate ways, thereby promoting tribal culture and academic achievement.”

There are 37 tribal colleges and universities in the U.S., according to the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.