The Tribal Climate Change Guide is part of the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project (TCCP). The TCCP is part of the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation (LF), is an independent, Indigenous-led, conservation 501(c)(3) nonprofit established on the Colville Indian Reservation in the traditional territory of the Nespelem Tribe in present-day north central Washington State. LF supports the restoration and cultivation of native Plant and Pollinator Relatives and the culturally respectful conservation of habitats and ecosystems which are climate resilient and adaptive. For more information about LF, visit: https://thepnwlf.org/. For more information about the Tribal Climate Change Project, visit: https://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/. If you would like to add information to this guide, please email kathy.lynn.or@gmail.com.

 

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.lynn.or@gmail.com. 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 Organization Sort ascending Grant Deadline Description Funding Amount Geography Website
FDPIR Program Nutrition Education Grants FDPIR, USDA

Deadline Passed April 30, 2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. Since 2008, FNS awards funding for nutrition education projects through Food Distribution Program Nutrition Education (FDPNE) grants each fiscal year. Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) and State agencies (SAs) that are current FDPIR allowance holders (have a direct agreement with FNS to administer FDPIR) are eligible to apply for funds to conduct projects that provide nutrition information and services to FDPIR participants. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 SNAP Education Plan Guidance is the basis for FDPNE nutrition, gardening, and physical activities

Categories: food, nutrition, distribution. gardening

Ceiling $220,000
Floor $2,000
National Link
Integrating Human Health and Well-Being with Ecosystem Services EPA, Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program

Unknown for 2017. Specifically, this research examines how communities can integrate ecosystem services with human health and well-being to inform their decision making and management practices. This RFA aims to develop information that allows communities to integrate environmental, societal and economic information and to better manage multiple stressors and their cumulative impacts on humans and ecosystems. The ultimate goal is to help communities achieve their own objectives while taking advantage of more relevant and accessible information about ecosystem services.

Categories: Community Development, Community Resilience, Climate Resilience, Public Health, Management, Ecosystem Services.

Up to a total of $600,000 for regular awards and $400,000 for early-career awards, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of three years. National. Link
Village Safe Water Program/Alaska Native Village and Rural Communities Program EPA, State-funded

The Village Safe Water Program provides technical and financial support to communities to design and construct water and wastewater systems. It is meant to assist Alaska Native Villages and Alaska rural communities with the construction of new or improved drinking water and wastewater systems. This funding can also be used to provide training and technical assistance in the operations and maintenance of these systems.

Categories: Water, Natural Resources, Education

Varies Northwest, Alaska 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
EPA Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program EPA, NGO

Smart Growth America and Global Green USA are soliciting applications for technical assistance, which is available under grants EPA awarded to these two organizations through the Office of Sustainable Communities' Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant program. (Listen to the November 6 webinar about both offerings.) Global Green USA's technical assistance is based on the LEED for Neighborhood Development standard, which provides a nationally recognized method for creating neighborhoods that are walkable, bikeable, resource-efficient, and equitable. At the conclusion of the assistance, the team will provide recommendations for both physical and policy changes that can enhance neighborhood sustainability.

Categories: Sustainable Development, infrastructure, planning, policy, climate change

Grant provides assistance as opposed to cash National, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, Midwest, Alaska Link
Tribal Training and Outreach Support for the American Indian Air Quality Training Program EPA, AIAQTP, R&IEL

Grant deadline unknown for 2016. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to provide tribal training, technical and outreach support for the American Indian Air Quality Training Program. The American Indian Air Quality Training Program (AIAQTP) provides workshop training, internships and technical support to tribal governments seeking to investigate, develop and establish air quality management programs for lands under their jurisdiction and provides opportunity for American Indian students to pursue environmental careers in the field of air quality management. The Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center is a component of the AIAQTP, and is a partnership effort between the selected grant recipient and EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, hosted by the Radiation and Indoor Environments National (R&IEL) laboratory in Las Vegas, to provide a full spectrum of technical support to tribes undertaking air quality monitoring and related activities.

Categories: workshop training, technical support, internships, Air Quality

Up to $1,600,000 National, Las Vegas Link
Environmental Education Local Grants EPA Region 10

Deadline Passed 01/06/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2020.  The purpose of the Environmental Education Local Grants Program in Region 10 is to support locally-focused environmental education projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental and conservation issues and provide the skills that participants in its funded projects need to make informed decisions and take responsible actions toward the environment.

Categories: Environmental Education, stewardship, public awareness, conservation

$50,000-$100,000 National. Link
Tribal Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program FY 2018 EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality

Deadline Passed 04/03/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) is soliciting proposals nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets located in areas designated as having poor air quality. Further, priority for funding will be given to projects which result in outcomes that benefit affected communities, those that engage affected communities with respect to the design and performance of the project, and those which can demonstrate the ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended. 

Categories: emissions, alternative energy, sustainability, climate adaptation, air quality

Awards will range from $0-$800,000. United States Link
Pollution Prevention Information Network Grant Program (PPIN) EPA

RFP Closed for FY 2016. The PPIN grant program funds grants/cooperative agreements that support a national network of P2 information centers that coordinate training and information resources across the nation to minimize any duplication of effort among state programs. The centers offer training and promote new P2 technologies.

Categories: Pollution, Mitigation

$60,000 - $110,000 National Link
Air Climate and Energy (ACE) Centers EPA

Deadline Unknown. Closed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications for Air, Climate and Energy (ACE) Centers. EPA is interested in supporting research on the development of sound science to systematically inform policy makers at the state and local levels regarding the development of innovative approaches to enable effective implementation of air pollution control strategies to achieve the greatest public health benefits by reducing exposure to harmful air pollution

Categories: Research, Air Pollution Control, public health

Up to $10,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
EPA Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program EPA

Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) grants fund innovative source reduction approaches (also known as “pollution prevention” or “P2”). P2 means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. In keeping with the statutory authorities under this program, SRA grant projects must use one or more of the following technical assistance methods to carry out source reduction/P2 activities: a) research, b) investigation, c) experiments, d) education, e) training, f) studies and/or g) demonstration of innovative techniques.

Categories: pollution prevention, waste prevention, research, education, training, hazardous materials

$20,000-$260,000 issued over a two-year funding period National Link
National Clean Diesel Funding Tribal Assistance Program EPA

EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality is soliciting proposals nationwide for Tribal projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas.

Categories: Emissions Reduction, Clean Energy, Transportation Infrastructure, Mitigation

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Building the Capacity of Tribes to Address the Health Impacts of Climate Change EPA

Deadline passed as of July 15, 2016. Deadline for 2016 unkown. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals to enable tribal climate change and health impacts curriculum development and training, web communications, and outreach.

Categories: Curriculum Development, Climate Impacts, Training, Outreach, Climate Education, Capacity Building

$600,000 total funding available National Link
Tribal and Insular Area Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) EPA

Most Recent Deadline: 7/09/2021. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $5 million in DERA funding under this announcement. A total of $4.5 million will be made available to tribal governments (or intertribal consortia) and Alaska Native villages, and $500,000 will be made available to insular area governments. EPA anticipates awarding five to ten cooperative agreements to tribal governments (or intertribal consortia) and Alaska Native villages and two to four cooperative agreements to insular area governments. This year's Request for Applications (RFA) has no mandatory cost share requirement and sets funding limits to $800,000 for tribal applicants and $250,000 for insular area applicants. Each applicant may submit up to two applications. Although funding for both tribes and insular areas is planned under this single RFA, the applications will be competed separately.  Tribal applications will be reviewed, ranked and selected by one review panel, and insular area applications will be reviewed, ranked and selected by a separate review panel. EPA's ten regional offices will manage awards. The number and size of cooperative agreements made under this announcement are subject to the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other considerations. 

Categories: Emissions Reduction, Mitigation, Energy efficiency

up to $800,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Drivers and Environmental Impacts of Energy Transitions in Underserved Communities EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 28, 2022. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing community-engaged research that will address the drivers and environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved communities. For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, including people of color, low income, rural, tribal, indigenous, and other populations that may be disproportionately impacted by environmental harms and risks. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Energy transitions, community-engaged research, underserved communities, environmental justice

Up to a total of $1,125,000 per regular award, and up to a total of $650,000 per early career award, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of four years. National Link
EPA Brownfields Technical Assistance, Training, and Research EPA

Applications Accecpted Year-Round. The Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Communities Program helps communities, states, tribes and others understand risks associated with contaminated or potentially contaminated properties, called brownfields, and learn how to assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse them. EPA funds three organizations—Kansas State University (KSU), the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR)—to serve as independent sources of technical assistance. Each of these TABs has an extensive network of partners, contractors and other contacts that provides services across the country. They help communities tackle a variety of challenges related to identifying, assessing, cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields. The technical assistance comes at no cost to communities. This makes the TAB program a great resource for small, underserved, rural and other communities that might otherwise struggle to address their brownfields.

Categories: Planning, Brownfields, Environmental Pollutants, Human Health, Infrastructure, Cleanup, Assessment, Urban Restoration

up to $200,000 per applicant 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
Hazardous Waste Management Grant Program for Tribes EPA

Deadline Passed 08/01/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from federally-recognized tribes or intertribal consortia for the development and implementation of hazardous waste programs and for building capacity to address hazardous waste management in Indian country.  In accordance with the EPA Indian Policy of 1984, EPA recognizes tribal governments as the primary parties for managing programs for reservations.To maximize the benefits to tribes from the limited funding to support the Hazardous Waste Management Grant Program for Tribes, EPA has reassessed the criteria used to evaluate Applications submitted for funding through this grant program beginning in FY 2015.  The goal of this effort is to provide technical assistance to a greater number of tribes for activities that involve hazardous waste management on tribal lands.

Categories: Hazardous Waste Management

up to $98,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) EPA

Deadline Passed 07/31/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) established the WIFIA program, a federal credit program administered by EPA for eligible water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

Categories: wastewater, infrastructure, energy efficiency, drinking water, drought prevention, mitigation

$5,000,000-$20,000,000 National 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
EPA's Office of Water supports the National Tribal Water Council (NTWC) EPA

Deadline passed as of August 11, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. EPA's Office of Water supports the National Tribal Water Council (NTWC), composed of tribal governmental representatives, to increase communications, promote sharing of technical information and best management practices for Indian country, raise awareness of tribes on priority water issues, and facilitate tribal input on actions to protect water quality and provide safe drinking water in tribal communities. EPA supports the efforts of the National Tribal Water Council through a multi-year cooperative agreement to a recipient who manages and supports the operations of the Council, and assists in developing and completing products in coordination with the NTWC. Eligible recipients interested in managing the NTWC under this cooperative agreement may apply by submitting applications to EPA for this competitive process.

Categories: intertribal, water health, water rights, water management

Total award $1,100,000. National Link
EPA Indoor Air and Climate Change Funding Opportunity EPA

This RFA seeks to understand the health effects from climate change mediated by indoor environments. A specific interest is the evaluation of adaptation guidelines, such as energy-saving building modifications, from a health perspective. Additional optional goals are 1) the understanding of behavioral adaptations, e. g. time spent outdoors, or use of natural ventilation and 2) extension of building ventilation models to newer energy-efficient buildings and evaluation of existing models against independent data sets.

Categories: Health, Infrastructure, Research

$500,000-$1,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
TRIBAL WASTE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING GRANT EPA

2017 deadline: June 15, 2017. Unknown for 2018. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities that will provide training, peer-to-peer technical assistance and travel scholarships to federally-recognized tribes in support of waste management capacity building on tribal lands. The recipient will conduct three training courses that will assist tribes in the development and implementation of sustainable waste management programs. The training will focus on implementing an Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) through waste diversion programs such as recycling, composting, et al. The training courses should include tribal speakers that have developed and implemented successful waste diversion programs. In addition, the recipient will offer travel scholarships to support the trainings as well as provide travel scholarships to financially assist tribes that voluntarily participate in the EPA’s National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program.

Categories: pollution, human hazard, sustainability, conservation, planning, policy, management, waste, sanitation, infrastructure

Up to $200,000. National Link
Region 10 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program EPA

Recent Deadline: 1/29/2021 EPA provides GAP financial and technical assistance to tribal governments and intertribal consortia to assist tribes in planning, developing, and establishing the capacity to implement federal environmental programs administered by the EPA and to assist in implementation of tribal solid and hazardous waste programs in accordance with applicable provisions of law, including the Solid Waste Disposal Act (commonly known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA). As described in the GAP Guiding Principles, this support promotes tribal government efforts to develop core environmental program capacities (administrative, financial management, information management, environmental baseline needs assessment, public education/communication, legal, and technical/analytical) and baseline capacities for media-specific programs (e.g., ambient air quality, water quality, managing waste, and other EPA-administered statutory programs).

Categories: Adaptation, Regulatory, Environmental Justice, Natural Resources, Conservation, Health

$75,000 - $125,000 per year. Tribes with large reservations may request a higher level of funding. Northwest, Alaska Link
RESTORE Estuary Program EPA

Deadline passed as of August 1, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals to develop and stand-up a place-based estuary program encompassing one or more of the following bays in Florida’s northwest panhandle region: Perdido Bay, Pensacola Bay, Escambia Bay, Choctawhatchee Bay, St. Andrews Bay and Apalachicola Bay.

Categories: restoration, conservation, adaptation, mitigation, management, planning, policy, habitat, population, biodiversity,

Varies. Florida 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
Local Governments Reimbursement Program EPA 12/31/2024

Rolling Deadline. In the event of a release (or threatened release) of hazardous substances, EPA may reimburse local governments for expenses related to the release and associated emergency response measures. The Local Governments Reimbursement Program provides a "safety net" of up to $25,000 per incident to local governments that do not have funds available to pay for response actions.

Categories: Emergency Management, Disaster, Adaptation, Health, Natural Resources

Up to $25,000 per incident Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 15, 2023. The EPA is seeking applications proposing projects that inform the public about new or existing residential or community recycling programs; provide information about the recycled materials that are accepted as part of a residential or community recycling program that provides for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material; and increases collection rates and decreases contamination in residential and community recycling programs. Projects will improve consumer recycling education with the goal of achieving separate collection of recycled material across the nation, maximizing the efficient reuse of materials, and identifying strategies that otherwise result in an increase in volume of recyclable materials. The EPA also recognizes and encourages applications that demonstrate evidence-based messaging and strategies associated with effective communication campaigns designed to increase prevention, reuse, repair, remanufacture, recycling, anaerobic digestion, and composting in communities and/or decrease contamination in the recycling stream. This approach to community-informed messaging goes beyond education only by emphasizing researching the audience, building trust, and reducing audience barriers while emphasizing benefits for desired action.In addition, the EPA is seeking applications for recycling education and outreach projects that address environmental justice concerns and focus predominantly on addressing the disproportionate and adverse human health, environmental, climate-related and other cumulative impacts, as well as the accompanying economic challenges of such impacts, resulting from industrial, governmental, commercial and/or other actions that have affected and/or currently affect people/communities of color, low income, tribal, and indigenous populations, and if applicable, other vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Apply here.

Categories: education, public health, social justice, recycling, waste management, BIL

up to $2,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Coastal, Alaska Link
Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 6, 2023. The purpose of the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities is to provide technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction, also known as pollution prevention (P2). Grantees must demonstrate that the project will improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by implementing P2 approaches. This grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Categories: BIL, pollution, community health, technical assistance, Justice40

$100,000 to $800,000 for the individual grant awards, or up to $1.2 million for multi-state or multi-tribal projects National, US territories Link
Region 9 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program EPA

Most recent deadline: 1/14/2021. EPA provides GAP financial and technical assistance to tribal governments and intertribal consortia to assist tribes in planning, developing, and establishing the capacity to implement federal environmental programs administered by the EPA and to assist in implementation of tribal solid and hazardous waste programs in accordance with applicable provisions of law, including the Solid Waste Disposal Act (commonly known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA). As described in the GAP Guiding Principles, this support promotes tribal government efforts to develop core environmental program capacities (administrative, financial management, information management, environmental baseline needs assessment, public education/communication, legal, and technical/analytical) and baseline capacities for media-specific programs (e.g., ambient air quality, water quality, managing waste, and other EPA-administered statutory programs).

Categories: Adaptation, Regulatory, Environmental Justice, Natural Resources, Conservation, Health

$75,000 for first-time applicants. Total Funding will be determined after EPA receives its full budget from Congress. Pacific Southwest Link