The Tribal Climate Change Guide is part of the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project. For more information, visit: https://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/. If you would like to add to or amend information included in this guide, please complete this Google Form. If you have additions or suggestions for this website, please email kathy@uoregon.edu.

 

Funding

The Tribal Climate Change Funding Guide is intended to provide up-to-date information on grants, programs and plans that may assist tribes in addressing climate change through a broad range of sectors. We will update this guide regularly, so please check back often. If you have questions or updates for this guide, email: kathy@uoregon.edu. Please note that for entries that are accepting applications continuously, the grant deadline column will list "12/31/2024" as the grant deadline. This ensures that those grants will appear immediately after those grants with a set deadline.

Title Sort descending Organization Grant Deadline Description Funding Amount Geography Website
Rural Housing Site Loans USDA 12/31/2024

Applications accepted year round. Rural Housing site loans provide two types of loans to purchase and develop housing sites for low- and moderate-income families:Section 523 loans are used to acquire and develop sites only for housing to be constructed by the Self-Help method. Refer to RD Instruction 1944-I for more information about the Self-Help programSection 524 loans are made to acquire and develop sites for low- or moderate-income families, with no restriction as to the method of construction. Low-income is defined as between 50-80% of the area median income (AMI); the upper limit for moderate income is $5,500 above the low-income limit

Categories: housing, rural communities, development

Varies Rural Areas Link
Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 19, 2022. The USDA has opened up grant applications to the RISE program, which seeks to increase equity in rural America by offering grants of up to $2 million to consortiums of local governments, investors, industry, institutions of higher education, and other public and private entities that create projects in distressed communities. Communities that have traditionally had high concentrations of employment in fossil fueled energy production and are transitioning away from this are encouraged to apply. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Job creation, business development, rural areas, worker training, local economies

Grant amounts are awarded competitively with a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum grant amount of $2,000,000. National Link
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program USDA 12/31/2024

Applications are accepted year round. Provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:Provide microloans to help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving FundProvide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs

Categories: business development, rural areas, microenterprise

Up to $50,000 Rural Areas Link
Russell Family Foundation NGO

The Russell Family Foundation aims to protect and restore Puget Sound by supporting an environmental education program. They support organizations that provide opportunities for outdoor environmental education experiences throughout Puget Sound. These organizations deliver outdoor experiential learning to students in 5th through 12th grade who live in urbanized areas.

Categories: Restoration, Conservation

Previous round of awards were ~$43,000 Puget Sound, Washington, Northwest Link
Safe Streets and Roads for All Funding Opportunity Department of Transportation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: July 10, 2023. Funds for the fiscal year 2023 SS4A grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators.

Categories: BIL, infrastructure, transportation

$100,000 - $25,000,000 National Link
Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program FEMA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 28, 2023. The Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act became law on Jan. 1, 2021 and authorizes FEMA to provide capitalization grants to states, eligible federally recognized tribes, territories and the District of Columbia to establish revolving loan funds that provide hazard mitigation assistance for local governments to reduce risks from natural hazards and disasters. These low interest loans will allow jurisdictions to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters, foster greater community resilience and reduce disaster suffering. Federally recognized tribes that received a major disaster declaration are eligible to apply. Currently, this includes 20 tribal nations.

Categories: hazard mitigation, technical assistance, drought, extreme heat, storms, wildfire, flood, earthquake, community resilience

Varies National, US territories Link
Saginaw Bay to Western Lake Erie Coastal Wetland Initiative DOI, FWS

Deadline Passed 06/04/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. Funding Opportunity #: F18AS00109. The Saginaw Bay to Western Lake Erie Coastal Wetland Initiative (Initiative) is a voluntary-based, collaborative program that provides financial assistance to coastal communities and landowners to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands. Funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), the Saginaw Bay to Western Lake Erie Coastal Wetland Initiative is focused on promoting on-the-ground restoration, enhancement, and protection of priority coastal wetlands. Funding is available for proposed on-the-ground projects within the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes basin in the Saginaw Bay to Western Lake Erie coastal corridor. The specific geography includes the coastal areas associated with Saginaw Bay (Michigan) in Lake Huron south and east to Old Woman Creek (Ohio) in Western Lake Erie. This Initiative is part of a regional federal, state, and local partnership effort called the Coastal Conservation Working Group (CCWG) which is focused on coastal wetland conservation across the Great Lakes

Categories: collaboration, coastal communities, landowners, restoration, fish and wildlife, habitat, enhancement, coastal wetlands

$50,000-$150,000 Great Lakes Basin, Saginaw Bay, Western Lake Erie, Michigan, Ohio Link
Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant NOAA Fisheries

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: October 31, 2022. NOAA Fisheries is accepting applications for the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Competition. This funding will support the promotion, development and marketing of U.S. fisheries. Awards maximum is $300,000. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Fisheries development, aquaculture, community participation, sustainability

Up to $300,000 National Link
Science for Sustainable and Healthy Tribes EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing research on science for sustainable and healthy tribes. This solicitation is focused on research to develop sustainable solutions to environmental problems that affect tribes. The objectives of the awards to be made under this solicitation are to improve understanding of: 1) the health impacts of climate change on tribal populations; and 2) the health impacts of indoor air pollution exposures that derive from or are directly affecting traditional tribal life-ways and cultural practices. In both cases, projects should focus on impacts to vulnerable sub-populations of the Tribal communities. Proposals should also consider sustainable, culturally appropriate and acceptable pollution prevention, and adaptation/mitigation strategies.

Categories: Tribal Health, Adaptation, Mitigation

The total funding available is $6 million; individual projects may be funded for up to $920,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Sea Grant FY 2024 National Aquaculture Initiative: Enhancing Production of Coastal, Marine, and Great Lakes Aquaculture Species. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Most recent deadline: May 4, 2024. Sea Grant FY 2024 National Aquaculture Initiative: Enhancing Production of Coastal, Marine, and Great Lakes Aquaculture Species. Deadline: April 3, 2024. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Sea Grant FY 2024 National Aquaculture Initiative: Enhancing Production of Coastal, Marine, and Great Lakes Aquaculture Species is now live. Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates $5,000,000 to $6,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will develop and refine methods, protocols, techniques, and/or strategies to enhance the production of one or more life stages of aquaculture species (described below) with the overall goal of improving the efficiency, output, and profitability of commercial coastal, marine, or Great Lakes region aquaculture businesses. Proposals are sought that will support broad, non-proprietary research to address issues and/or barriers to aquaculture production; make that information available to aquaculture businesses; and preferably include participation and involvement of Sea Grant extension personnel and industry stakeholders. This opportunity is open to: any individual; any public or private corporation, partnership, or other association or entity (including any Sea Grant College, Sea Grant Institute or other institution); or any State, political subdivision of a State, Tribal government or agency or officer thereof. Applications require the standard 50% non-federal match for Sea Grant projects. Please carefully review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions on how to apply for the competition via grants.gov.

Categories: aquaculture, coastal, marine, great lakes, sea grant

Award Ceiling: $1,200,000
Award Floor: $250,000
National Link
SeaDoc Society 2024 Call for Grant Proposals Washington Sea Grant

SeaDoc Society 2024 Call for Grant Proposals. Most Recent Deadline: May 15, 2024. Open Call for Tribal and First Nations Grants (SeaDoc Society) The SeaDoc Society anticipates funding $100,000 for Tribal and First Nations projects. This application is only for Tribal- and First Nation- and Indigenous-led projects. Funding for individual projects will be limited to $50,000. The SeaDoc Society is pleased to launch our annual competitive grants program with the goal of supporting science where more information is needed and expected to directly improve the health of the Salish Sea. Thanks to private donors, we plan to fund a minimum of $250,000 in projects for 2024 with funding for individual projects limited to $50,000. We anticipate awarding two Tribal, First Nations, or indigenous-led projects and three or more through our Open Call for proposals.

Our goal is to support science that results in positive conservation outcomes for pressing environmental issues facing the Salish Sea. Analysis of past SeaDoc-funded work showed that successful projects that (1) defined the conservation need a priori, (2) collaborated with personnel from government agencies, and (3) where researchers built and maintained relationships with natural resource managers and policy makers before, during and after the research. Accordingly, we plan to fund projects where more science will benefit conservation and where investigators can demonstrate plans for including these three components.

Categories: Salish Sea, conservation, environmental issues

Pacific Northwest Link
SEARCH - Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households Grant USDA 12/31/2024

Rolling deadline. This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.

Categories: water, waste disposal, rural

Varies Rural areas with a population of 2500 or less Link
Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development NGO

RFP closed for 2016. The Seventh Generation Fund is an Indigenous non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining the uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas. It offers an integrated program of advocacy, small grants, training and technical assistance, media experience and fiscal management, lending its support and extensive expertise to Indigenous grassroots communities. Its Sustainable Communities Program Area provides seed money, organizational support and technical training to Native grassroots community-based projects striving for holistic community health and renewal. It supports traditional agricultural methods, renewable forms of energy and sustainable strategies for development that preserve or restore traditional life-ways for future generations.

Categories: Education, Energy, Environmental Justice, Health, Research

Individual awards of up to $5,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Midwest, Alaska Link
Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peopes - Flicker - Wildfire Response Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples

The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples is offering emergency funding to Native families impacted by the wildfires in the West. These one-time disbursements will be coordinated through our Flicker Fund to provide help during evacuations, loss of homes, escape from heavy smoke events, and other emergencies. Taking applications from September 10 - 25, 2020. Visit: https://7genfund.submittable.com/submit/174434/flicker-wildfire-response.

National Link
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program: Environmental Technology Developers EPA, SBIR

Deadline passed as of October 20, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) mission is to protect human health and the environment. EPA’s SBIR Program supports small businesses (500 or fewer employees) to develop and commercialize novel environmental technologies that support this mission.

Categories: small business, economy, technology, development, information,

Approximately 18 Phase I firm-fixed price contract awards for $100,000 for "proof of concept" United States Link
Small Grants Competition GLISA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 30, 2023. The Great Lakes Integrated Sciences + Assessments (GLISA) is accepting letters of intent for projects to advance equitable climate adaptation in the Great Lakes region. Access the Call for SOI here.

Categories: climate adaptation, equity, DEI

Up to $30,000 per year, 2 years Great Lakes Region Link
Small Innovative Projects in Solar 2022- Concentrating Solar Thermal Power and Photovoltaics DOE

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: March 21, 2022. The DOE will invest up to $400,000 in the large-scale development and deployment of solar technologies for a decarbonized electricity system by 2035 and decarbonized energy sector by 2050. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Solar technologies, renewable development, decarbonized energy, emission reductions

$250,000 - 400,000 National Link
Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects (Small Storage Program) Bureau of Reclamation - Department of Interior 12/14/2024

The U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, administers the Small Surface and Groundwater Storage Program (Small Storage Program) to promote Federal assistance to enhance water storage opportunities for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water.Congress enacted the BIL on November 15, 2021, with Title IX—Western Water Infrastructure to address water storage infrastructure critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 40903 authorizes Reclamation to provide funding for small surface water storage and groundwater storage projects.Water storage projects are an important part of Reclamation and the Department’s priorities. Surface water and groundwater storage are essential tools in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Water storage projects enhance and increase the reliability of municipal and irrigation water supplies, provide opportunities to enhance groundwater management and provide water quality improvements and ecosystem benefits.

Categories: surface water storage

National Link
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) Program EPA

Communities receive direct technical assistance from team of national experts in one of two areas: policy analysis (e.g., reviewing state and local codes, school siting guidelines,transportation policies, etc.) or public participatory processes (e.g., visioning, design workshops, alternative analysis, build-out analysis, etc.). The assistance is tailored to the community's unique situation and priorities. EPA provides the assistance through a contractor team –not a grant. Through a multiple-day site visit and a detailed final report, the multi-disciplinary teams provide information to help the community achieve its goal of encouraging growth that fosters economic progress and environmental protection.

Categories: Infrastructure, Smart Growth

Competitive program in which awardees receive technical assistance from experts; no funds dispersed Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse Grants EPA

Under this solicitation, EPA intends to fund further development and ongoing maintenance of a web-based national information clearinghouse focused on smart growth. This clearinghouse will be designed to support communities by providing timely information that supports local decision-making that delivers better environmental and public health outcomes from growth and development

Categories: Development, Database, Smart Growth

varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska ANA

Deadline passed as of June 22, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The Administration for Native Americans (ANA), within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announces the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 funds for new community-based projects under the ANA Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska-SEDS-AK. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is focused on community-driven projects designed to grow local economies, strengthen Alaskan Native families, including the preservation of Alaskan Native American cultures, and decrease the high rate of current challenges caused by the lack of community-based businesses, and social and economic infrastructure in Alaskan Native communities.

Categories: adaptation, infrastructure, economic, planning, policy, management, social justice, community development

Varies. Alaska Link
Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Americans ANA, DHS

Deadline passed as of June 22, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. ANA promotes social and economic self-sufficiency in communities through SEDS grants. These competitive financial assistance grants support locally determined projects designed to reduce or eliminate community problems and achieve community goals. This approach to promoting self-sufficiency encourages communities to shift away from programs that result in dependency on services and move toward projects that increase community and individual productivity through community development. SEDS grants fund social and economic development projects in on- and off-reservation native communities and provide federal support for self-determination and self-governance among Native American people. ANA also provides technical assistance through contractors who will help potential applicants with the planning and program development needed for a successful proposal. See the ANA website for a listing of technical assistance providers in your region.

Categories: Adaptation, Research, social justice, economic, infrastructure, management, sovereignty, self-determination

Individuals awards between $50,000 and $375,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Pacific Islands/Hawaii Link
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant Department of Agriculture, Business and Cooperative Programs

Deadline Passed. Latest Deadline: June 13, 2022. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the availability of $3,000,000 in competitive grant funds for the FY 2019 Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) program. The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups in rural areas.  Eligible applicants include Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives, and Cooperative Development Centers.  This program supports Rural Development’s (RD) mission of improving the quality of life for rural Americans and commitment to directing resources to those who most need them.

Categories: socially disadvantaged groups, rural, development, technical assistance

up to $175,000 National Link
Solar for All EPA

Most Recent Deadline: September 26, 2023. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), a historic $27 billion investment to combat the climate crisis by mobilizing financing and private capital for greenhouse gas- and air pollution-reducing projects in communities across the country. As part of this program, EPA is launching a $7 billion Solar for All competition — designed to spur the deployment of residential distributed solar energy to lower energy bills for millions of Americans and catalyze transformation in markets serving low-income and disadvantaged communities. Solar for All will tackle the financial and non-financial barriers that limit the ability of low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country to benefit from the rapid growth in distributed solar capacity, thus advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate and environmental justice goals. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is for the $7 billion Solar for All competition. This competition will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment—enabling millions of low-income households to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. Grantees will use funds to expand existing low-income solar programs or design and deploy new Solar for All programs nationwide. EPA will not fund individual projects under this competition. EPA’s $7 billion Solar for All competition will help deliver on the climate and environmental justice goals of the United States. To achieve these goals, Solar for All grantees will provide subsidies and other financial assistance to residential rooftop and residential-serving community solar projects in and benefiting low-income and disadvantaged communities in addition to project-deployment technical assistance such as workforce development, community outreach, and other project-deployment support (e.g., interconnection technical assistance, siting and permitting support) to help overcome barriers to solar deployment.

Categories: IRA, Inflation Reduction Act, Solar, Environmental Justice

$25 million - $400 million National Link
Solar Grant Program Washington Department of Commerce

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 25, 2022. Solar Energy grants provide competitive funding to install solar at public buildings and facilities, such as schools, hospitals, civic buildings and wastewater treatment plants, maximum award $250,000 per applicant. Projects must provide 50% of the total project cost, or 33% if developed by federally recognized Tribal Governments or located in highly impacted communities, lower income communities, rural communities. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Renewable energy, solar, Tribally-owned facilities, highly impacted communities, rural communities

Up to $250,000 ‎Washington Link
Solicitation of Project Proposals for the Low or No Emission (Low-No) Program Department of Transportation

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Solicitation of Project Proposals for the Low or No Emission Program (Low-No) Program. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of $85 million of Fiscal Year 2019 funds for the purchase or lease of low or no emission vehicles as well as related equipment or facilities. The main purpose of the Low-No Program is to support the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. The Low-No Program provides funding to State and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.

Categories: transportation, efficient, low emissions, pollution, facilities, construction, acquisition

Total Program Funding: $85,000,000
Expected number of awards: 45
National Link
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia EPA

Deadline passed. Latest deadline: April 4, 2023. SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia will provide funds for tribes and intertribal consortia to develop or update plans focused on encouraging environmentally sound post-consumer materials management; establish, increase, or expand materials management infrastructure, utilize funds for equipment and construction related costs as part of their implementation plans, and identify, establish, or improve end-markets for the use of recycled materials.  Materials and waste streams within scope of this funding opportunity include: municipal solid waste, including plastics, organics, paper, metal, glass, etc. and construction and demolition debris. In addition, materials and waste streams considered include the management pathways of source reduction, reuse, sending materials to material recovery facilities, composting, industrial uses (e.g., rendering, anaerobic digestion), and feeding animals. Apply here.

Categories: waste management, food waste, waste diversion, recycling, composting, public health, BIL

Up to $1,500,000 National Link
South Central CSC funding Opportunity USGS

Recent Deadline was 1/18/2017. Next Deadline Unknown. SOIs are invited for projects that support regional CSC science priorities. CSC funded projects cover a variety of topics that address the impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, ecosystems, & the communities they support.

Categories: climate science, vulnerability assessment, climate change

Approximately $1,600,000 to $1,800,000 may be available.
South Central, United States Link
Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Opportunity to Advance Resilience (SOAR) Fund Program EPA

Most Recent Deadline: June 7, 2024 – The Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Opportunity to Advance Resilience (SOAR) Fund is an EPA New England program designed to improve climate resiliency in disadvantaged communities throughout southeast New England. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA program will invest at least $5 million in SNEP disadvantaged communities by 2027. This Request for Proposal (RFP) represents the second round of funding for a total investment of over $2.5 million to date.

Categories: adaptation and resilience (1230)

The EPA program will invest at least $5 million in SNEP disadvantaged communities by 2027. This Request for Proposal (RFP) represents the second round of funding for a total investment of over $2.5 million to date EPA region 4; South; Southeast Link
Southeast Resilient Landscapes Fund Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

2017 deadline: 11/06/2017. Deadline for 2018 Unknown. Capitalized with a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Southeast Resilient Landscapes Fund (Fund) provides capital grants and loans to land protection projects within three selected regions of the southeast. Projects must lie in one of OSI’s resilience focus areas, demonstrate the use of Resilient Landscape concepts and meet the other grant criteria detailed below. OSI awards grants to qualified non-profit organizations through a competitive process with the assistance of an advisory board comprised of experts with knowledge of natural resources, conservation policy and land conservation funding.

Categories: climate change, environmental protection, conservation, sustainability, adaptation, mitigation

$100,000-$400,000. the Southern Cumberlands in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee; the Southern Blue Ridge in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee; and the Greater Pee Dee River in South Carolina and North Carolina Link