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 Organization Sort ascending Grant Deadline Description Funding Amount Geography Website
USDA Community Connect Grants USDA

Deadline passed. The next application window expected to open early 2023. The Community Connect program serves rural communities where broadband service is least likely to be available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for citizens. The projects funded by these grants will help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet.

Categories: Development, Internet

varies National, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Alaska Link
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities: First Funding Pool USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 8, 2022. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of climate-smart commodities and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and/or carbon sequestration. Proposals from $5 million to $100 million are in the first funding pool and should include large-scale pilot projects that emphasize the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production and include direct, meaningful benefits to a representative cross-section of production agriculture, including small and/or historically underserved producers. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Rural communities, agriculture, forestry, farmers, ranchers, emissions reduction, climate solutions, resilience

$5 million to $100 million National Link
Crop Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program USDA

Application Deadline April 16, 2019. The purpose of the Crop Protection and Pest Management program is to address high priority issues related to pests and their management using IPM approaches at the state, regional and national levels. The CPPM program supports projects that will ensure food security and respond effectively to other major societal pest management challenges with comprehensive IPM approaches that are economically viable, ecologically prudent, and safe for human health. The CPPM program addresses IPM challenges for emerging issues and existing priority pest concerns that can be addressed more effectively with new and emerging technologies. The outcomes of the CPPM program are effective, affordable, and environmentally sound IPM practices and strategies needed to maintain agricultural productivity and healthy communities.

Categories: pest, food security, human health, agriculture

$200,000- $325,000 U.S Link
Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) USDA 12/31/2024

Applications accepted year-round. To advance projects which support long-term community and economic growth strategies that reflect both multi-jurisdictional stakeholder collaboration and capitalize upon the unique strengths of the rural area. Through this provision, USDA Rural Development is empowered to work further with rural communities to align resources with long-range and multi-jurisdictional challenges and needs by leveraging federal, state, local, or private funding. Applicants to any of several existing Rural Development programs whose projects support the implementation of multi-jurisdictional strategic economic and community development plans may apply for priority consideration through SECD. Consideration will be based on: (1) How well the project supports a multijurisdictional plan and (2) How well the plan addresses collaboration, regionalism, and investments from other federal and philanthropic agencies. Interested participants are encouraged to have their plans reviewed by their State's staff early in the process for feedback and possible modification prior to submitting with the formal application.

Categories: Rural Development

see website National Link
USDA Local Foods, Local Places Program (Obama Admin Archives) USDA

Grant deadline unknown for 2016. Communities are invited to apply for assistance from Local Foods, Local Places, a new program supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) to help create more livable places by promoting local foods. Priorities given to communities within Appalachia and surrounding regions, see application for more details.

Categories: public health, Agriculture, food justice, sustainability, human health, disease, local, economy

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities: Second Funding Pool. USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 10, 2022. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of climate-smart commodities and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and/or carbon sequestration. Proposals from $250,000 to $4,999,999 are in the second funding pool and are limited to particularly innovative pilot projects. These projects should place an emphasis on: enrollment of small and/or underserved producers; and/or monitoring, reporting and verification activities developed at minority-serving institutions. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Rural communities, innovation, underserved communities, agriculture, forestry, farmers, ranchers, emissions reduction, climate solutions, resilience

$250,000 - $4,999,999 National Link
Tribal Colleges Extension Program USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 14, 2022. The purpose of the Tribal Colleges Extension Program (TCEP) is to enable 1994 institutions to deliver science-based, culturally relevant extension education programs designed to address public needs and improve quality of life. The TCEP is intended to be a component of the applicant 1994 institution's land-grant roadmap or strategic planning process. To the extent practicable, priorities should reflect NIFA's national critical needs areas: 1) Development of sustainable energy; 2) Increased global food security; 3) Adaptation of agriculture and natural resources to global climate change; 4) Reduction of childhood and adolescent obesity; and 5) Improved food safety. Learn more and apply here. Download the RFA here.

Categories: Education, agriculture, training, development, research, technology, development, tribal youth, food security, community

$60,000 - $200,000 National Link
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Water for Agriculture Challenge Area USDA

Deadline passed as of August 4, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. This AFRI Challenge Area addresses critical water resources issues such as drought, excess soil moisture, flooding, quality and others in an agricultural context. Funding will be used to develop management practices, technologies, and tools for farmers, ranchers, forest owners and managers, public decision makers, public and private managers, and citizens to improve water resource quantity and quality. The long-term goal of the AFRI Water for Agriculture Challenge Area is to tackle critical water issues by developing both regional systems for the sustainable use and reuse, flow and management of water, and at the watershed and farm scales, water issues focused on production and environmental sustainability efforts. Project types supported within this Challenge area are multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects and Food and Agricultural Enhancement (FASE) Grants.

Categories: Water Resources, Drought, Flooding, Water Quality, Agriculture

varies, total program funding $10,700,000 National Link
Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS) USDA

Deadline Passed 2/24/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2021. The purpose of this program is to support research, education/teaching, and extension projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM. NIFA intends this program to address educational needs within broadly defined areas of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences. WAMS-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of rural communities by developing research and extension initiatives that focus on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupations.

Categories: women, minorities, STEM, rural, food security, sustainability, agriculture, natural resources, education, economic health

Up to $400,000 National Link
FY 2019 Farm to School Grant USDA

Deadline Passed 12/04/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) established aFarm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, (schools, school districts, agricultural producers, Indian tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and local agencies), through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm toschool programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools

Categories: Health, food security, local economy, agriculture, school health, public

$20,000-$100,000 United States Link
REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Program USDA 12/31/2024

Rolling Deadlines. REAP Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Program.Refer to Application Package AND Application Instruction links to obtain all necessary forms for a complete application

Categories: Renewable energy, Infrastructure, Development, IRA

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Alaska Native-Service and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program USDA

Deadline Passed. Latest deadline: March 28, 2023. The purpose of this program is to promote and strengthen the ability of Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs in food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines. Priority will be given to those projects that enhance educational equity for underrepresented students; strengthen institutional educational capacities; prepare students for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States; and maximize the development and use of resources to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs. Learn more here.

Categories: Alaska Native-serving institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, agricultural sciences, career development, equity, youth

$150,000 - 1,000,000 Alaska, Hawaii Link
USDA Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants USDA

The USDA Rural Business Cooperative-Service Agency is accepting applications for Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance grants to establish programs to assist agricultural producers and rural small businesses with evaluating energy efficiency and the potential to incorporate renewable energy technologies into their operations.

Categories: Renewable energy, Agriculture, small businesses

Unspecified National Link
Local Food Purchase Assistance Program USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 5, 2022. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will establish cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments for the purpose of supporting local, regional, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers through food purchasing under the Build Back Better Initiative. These cooperative agreements will allow for entities to procure local, domestic foods that are unique to their geographic area and meet the needs of the populations. In addition to increasing local food consumption, funds are expected to help build and expand economic opportunity for local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Food assistance, economic opportunity, food storage, food distribution

National Link
Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Competitive Grants Program USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 8, 2022. The Farm Business Management and Benchmarking (FBMB) Competitive Grants Program provides funds for improving the farm management knowledge and skills of agricultural producers by maintaining and expanding a national, publicly available farm financial management database to support improved farm management. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Farm business, agriculture, financial management

Up to $500,000 National Link
Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program USDA 12/31/2024

Rolling Deadline. The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. The ultimate recipients repay the lending utility directly. The utility is responsible for repayment to USDA.

Categories: Economic Development, Rural Development, Grants and Loans

See description. National Link
Community Connect Grant USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 20, 2023. The Community Connect provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically-challenged communities where service does not exist.

Categories: development, economy, rural communities,

Unknown National Link
High Energy Cost Grants (USDA) USDA

Deadline passed. Latest deadline: July 6, 2021. The USDA Rural Development High Energy Costs Grant assists energy providers and other eligible entities in lowering energy costs for families and individuals in areas with extremely high per-household energy costs (275 percent of the national average or higher.) The funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of facilities serving eligible communities. NOTE: Program details may change over time. Before you begin an application, please confirm you have the most current information by emailing Rural Electric Program staff or consulting the program instructions listed in the section above titled "What Governs this Program?"

Categories: Energy conservation, Infrastructure, Community development

$100,000-$3,000,000 National Link
Northwest Climate Hub USDA

Deadline passed as of December 5, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown.Contingent upon available funds the Northwest Climate Hub requests proposals to support our mission to serve farms, forests and rangelands in a changing climate. An estimated amount of $350,000 is available for approximately 5-10 projects. There are additional funds available (at least $50,000) to fund one proposal that is designed to assist the NW Climate Hub in serving Alaska, such as efforts focused on Alaska meeting its food security needs under climate change.

Categories: Alaska, agriculture, wilderness, climate change, adaptation, mitigation

Varies. 5-10 intended awards with up to $350,000 total program funding. Alaska, Pacific Northwest, Unties States, West Coast Link
Oregon Environmental Quality Incentives Program USDA

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to plan and implement conservation practices that improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related natural resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. Eligible program participants receive financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices, or activities like conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land. Payments are made to participants after conservation practices and activities identified in an EQIP plan of operations are implemented. Contracts can last up to ten years in duration.

Categories: agriculture, conservation planning, natural resources

Oregon Link
Crop Insurance in Targeted States Program USDA

Deadline Passed 7/30/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The purpose of the Targeted States program is to deliver crop insurance education and information to U.S. agricultural producers in States where there is traditionally, and continues to be a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability, and producers are underserved by the Federal crop insurance program. These states, defined as Targeted States for the purposes of this RFA, are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Any cooperative agreements that may be funded will not exceed the maximum funding amount established for each of the Targeted States. Recipients must agree to the substantial involvement of RMA in the project.

Categories: crop insurance, education, farm management, planning

Alaska- $203,000 Alaska Link
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for FY22 (Alaska) USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 11, 2022. This funding seeks to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are accepted from eligible entities for projects carried out in the state of Alaska. A total of up to $415,000 is available for the Alaska (State) CIG competition in FY 2022. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Conservation, innovation, Alaska, technology

$5,000 - 415,000 Alaska Link
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) USDA 12/31/2024

Deadline: Year round with periodic ranking cycles announced. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values, protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, and protecting and restoring and enhancing wetlands on eligible land. ACEP has two components:Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities such as state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements.Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) help private and tribal landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands which have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses. 

Categories: IRA, farmland, conservation, wetlands

Varies National Link
Washington Environmental Quality Incentives Program USDA

EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat. Eligible program participants receive financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices, or activities like conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land. Payments are made to participants after conservation practices and activities identified in an EQIP plan of operations are implemented. Contracts can last up to ten years in duration.

Categories: natural resources, agriculture, water and air quality, conservation,

Washington Link
Community Facilities Economic Impact Initiative Grants USDA

Application Window Closed. This program provides funding to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression. An essential community facility is one that provides an essential service to the local community, is needed for the orderly development of the community, serves a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

Categories: community facilities, development, economic depression, rural areas, public health

Varies Rural Areas Link
Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants USDA

Past deadline: May 15, 2019. The DLT Program provides financial assistance to enable and improve distance learning and telemedicine services in rural areas. DLT grant funds support the use of telecommunications-enabled information, audio and video equipment, and related advanced technologies by students, teachers, medical professionals, and rural residents. These grants are intended to increase rural access to education, training, and health care resources that are otherwise unavailable or limited in scope.

Categories: telecommunications, rural, telemedicine

$500,000-$50,000 National Link
Alaska Environmental Quality Incentives Program USDA

Deadline Passed as of 11/30/2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. Through EQIP, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to eligible individuals and entities to plan and install conservation practices that benefit soil, water, air, plants, and animals. EQIP addresses national resource concerns including improvement of water quality, water conservation , reducing greenhouse gasses, improving wildlife habitat, controlling invasive plant species, and on-farm energy conservation and efficiency.

Categories: conservation, agriculture, natural resources, water and air quality, greenhouse gases, wildlife habitat, invasive plant species, energy efficiency

varies Alaska Link
Community Facilities Tribal College Initiative Grants USDA 12/31/2024

Deadline is ongoing. This program provides funding to 1994 Land Grant Institutions (Tribal Colleges) to make capital improvements to their educational facilities and to purchase equipment.

Categories: community facilities, development, educational facilities, infrastructure, renovation and improvements, cultural projects

Grants up to $250,000 per land grant institution
Funds can be used to pay up to 95% of the project cost
National Link
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program USDA

Past Deadline: May 16, 2019. Beginning farmer education for adult and young audiences in the United States can generally be traced back to the advent of the 1862 and 1890 Morrill Land-Grant Acts. But, for the first time, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub .L. No. 110-234, Section 7410) appropriated $75 million for FY 2009 to FY 2012 to develop and offer education, training, outreach and mentoring programs to enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. The Agriculture Act of 2014 provided an additional $20 million per year for 2014 through 2018. The reasons for the renewed interest in beginning farmer and rancher programs are as follows: the rising average age of U.S. farmers; the 8% projected decrease in the number of farmers and ranchers between 2008 and 2018; and the growing recognition that new programs are needed to address the needs of the next generation of beginning farmers and ranchers. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka the 2018 Farm Bill) reauthorized the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and provides mandatory funds for which supports education, mentoring, and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers and ranchers.

Categories: ranchers, Farm Bill, outreach, programs food

$600,000- $50,000 National Link
Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (2501 Program) USDA

Deadline passed as of July 29, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. The 2501 Program provides funding to eligible organizations for training and technical assistance projects designed to assist socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and operating viable agricultural enterprises. The 2501 Program extends USDA's capacity to work with members of farming and ranching communities by funding projects that enhance the equitable participation of socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in USDA programs. It is OAO's (Office of Advocacy and Outreach) intention to build lasting relationships between USDA, awardee organizations, and socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.

Categories: agricultural, food security, veterans, ranching, environmental justice, technical assistance, business,

Award amounts vary; total program funds $8.4 million. National, Rural Link