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 descending | Grant Deadline | Description | Funding Amount | Geography | Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |
Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audit & Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants | USDA | Rolling deadline. Provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. This program helps increase American energy independence by increasing the private sector supply of renewable energy and decreasing the demand for energy through energy efficiency improvements. Over time, these investments can also help lower the cost of energy for small businesses and agricultural producers. Categories: rural development, infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainable |
Unrestricted Grants (up to $500,000) | National | Link | |
Water & Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted year round. This program assists low-income communities with initial planning and development of applications for USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs. The area must also have a median household income below the poverty line or less than 80 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan median household income Categories: water, waste disposal, planning, development, infrastructure, rural communities |
Maximum of $30,000 or 75 percent of the predevelopment planning costs. | Rural Areas, Tribal Lands | Link |
Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Rolling Deadline. This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Categories: housing, infrastructure, facilities, rural |
Grants and Loans available. Award amount varies. | United States | Link |
Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted continuously. This program provides grants to assist rural communities that have had a significant decline in quantity or quality of drinking water. Grant may fund waterline extensions from existing systems, construction of new water lines; repairs to existing systems, construction of new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and other water sources. Priority is given to areas with less than 10,000 people, low-income areas, and communities facing imminent decline and shortage of water. Categories: Water, Natural Resources, Health, Emergency |
Individual awards range from 150,000 to $500,000 depending on the severity of decline in quantity or quality of water. | Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska | Link |
Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted continuously. Provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects. Grant recipients supervise groups of very-low- and low-income individuals and families as they construct their own homes in rural areas. The group members provide most of the construction labor on each other’s homes, with technical assistance from the organization overseeing the project. Funds may be used to:Give technical and supervisory assistance to participating familiesHelp other organizations provide self-help technical and supervisory assistanceRecruit families, help them complete loan applications and carry out other related activities that enable them to participate Categories: housing, rural areas, low-income communities, technical assistance |
varies | Rural Areas | Link |
Rural Business Development Grants | USDA | Deadline Passed. Most Recent Deadline February 28, 2024. Application deadlines vary by state. Check with your local program staff. RBDG is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. Programmatic activities are separated into enterprise or opportunity type grant activities. Categories: small business, rural business, family-owned, private business, rural communities |
Grants range from $10,000 up to $500,000. | United States | Link | |
Intermediary Relending Program | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted year round. This program provides 1 percent low-interest loans to local intermediaries that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities. Categories: rural communities, local economy, jobs, development |
$250,000; or 75 % of the total cost of the ultimate recipient's project for which the loan is being made, whichever is less. | Rural Areas | Link |
Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program | USDA | Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 3, 2023. This program assists in the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies for the development of Advanced Biofuels, Renewable Chemicals, and Biobased Product Manufacturing by providing loan guarantees for up to $250 million. Categories: biofuels, renewable chemicals, biobased products, renewable energy, manufacturing, development |
Varies | National | Link | |
Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) FY 2019 | USDA | Deadline Passed 06/10/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Rural Housing Service (Agency), an Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program. Applicants must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the Federal grant. These grants will be made to qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development that will support the community. Categories: rural development, tribal housing, facilities, development projects, non-profit housing, economic development, infrastructure, capacity building |
$50,000-$250,000 | United States | Link | |
AgrAbility - Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities | USDA | Last deadline: January 19, 2023. The AgrAbility program increases the likelihood that farmers, ranchers, farm workers and farm family members with disabilities will experience success in agricultural production. The program supports projects between State Cooperative Extension System and private, non-profit disability organizations who work in partnership to provide agricultural education and assistance directed at accommodating disability in farm operations for individuals with disabilities, and their families, who engage in farming and farm-related occupations. Categories: agriculture, equity, inclusion, social justice, disability services |
$150,000 - $180,000 | 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 |
USDA Housing Preservation Grants | USDA | Deadline Passed. Latest Deadline: July 11, 2022. The USDA is seeking applications for grants to preserve and repair housing for very-low- and low-income families living in rural areas. The funds are being made available through USDA Rural Development's Housing Preservation Grant program. USDA does not provide funding directly to homeowners under this program. Categories: Infrastructure, public health, rural housing |
Varies | Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest | 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 |
Business and Industry Loan Guarantees | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Rolling Deadline. This program bolsters the availability of private credit by guaranteeing loans for rural businesses. Categories: Rural areas, business development, credit, local economy |
Up to $25 million | Rural Areas | Link |
Multi-Family Housing Direct Loans | USDA | Applications accepted year round. This program provides competitive financing for affordable multi-family rental housing for low-income, elderly, or disabled individuals and families in eligible rural areas. This program assists qualified applicants that cannot obtain commercial credit on terms that will allow them to charge rents that are affordable to low-income tenants. Categories: housing, rural communities, multi-family housing, improvement, development |
varies | Rural Areas | Link | |
Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) | USDA | The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) encourages private landowners to voluntarily make their land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. States and tribes approved for funding of this Farm Service Agency (FSA) program use the funds as incentives to encourage private landowners of farms, ranches, and forests to make that land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. This may include hunting or fishing. The overall goal of VPA-HIP is to enhance wildlife habitat and management and to boost local economies through activities that attract wildlife enthusiasts. Categories: Conservation, recreation |
varies | Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest | Link | |
Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant (IAG) Program | USDA | Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: July 19, 2023. The Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant (IAG) Program will provide up to $50 million to improve tribal nations’ food and agricultural supply chain resiliency by developing and expanding value-added infrastructure related to meat from indigenous animals like bison, reindeer or salmon. The program will fund projects that focus on expanding local capacity for the harvesting, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling or distribution of indigenous meats. Categories: food sovereignty, capacity building, infrastructure |
Varies | National | Link | |
Multi-Family Housing Loan Guarantees | USDA | 12/31/2024 | This program accepts applications on a continuous basis. The program works with qualified private-sector lenders to provide financing to qualified borrowers to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in eligible rural areas and towns. Construction, improvement and purchase of multi-family rental housing for low to moderate income families and individuals is the primary objective for this program. Funding may also be available for:Buying and improving landProviding necessary infrastructureFor a complete list see Code of Federal Regulations, 7CFR Part 3565.205 Categories: housing, rural communities, development, infrastructure |
varies | Rural Areas | Link |
Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted continuously. Meant to fund water and waste disposal systems in rural Alaskan Villages. Funds must be used for development and construction of water and wastewater systems to correct dire health and sanitation conditions in those villages. Many communities in remote rural Alaska, where villages are accessible by plane or boat only, are essentially inaccessible during the long, hard winters. They lag far behind the lower 48 States in having safe and dependable drinking water and suitable waste disposal systems available. Construction costs are extremely high. This is due in part to the severe weather conditions, which makes laying pipe difficult, if not impossible. These conditions also require the use of insulated pipe, or in areas of permafrost, above ground utilidors, often with heat traced insulated pipe. The vast distances from the transportation hub of Anchorage to a village increases costs substantially as the material must be delivered by barge or air. Categories: Adaptation, Emergency Management, Water, Health, Natural Resources |
The maximum grant is 75 percent of the project cost. | Alaska, Coastal | Link |
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations Nutrition Education (FDPNE) Grant Program | USDA | Recent Deadline: 3/22/2021. Since 2008, FNS has awarded funding each fiscal year for nutrition education projects through Food Distribution Program Nutrition Education (FDPNE) grants. Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) and State agencies (SAs) that 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 overall goal of the FDPNE grant program is to improve the likelihood that persons eligible for FDPIR will make healthy food choices consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA MyPlate Guidance. The project requirements for FDPNE grants are loosely based on the SNAP Education Plan Guidance. FNS selects components of The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for development of FDPNE program goals. Nutrition education services are a combination of educational strategies and learning experiences, accompanied by supporting policy, systems, and environmental interventions, designed to facilitate the voluntary adoption of food choices and other nutrition-related behaviors conducive to the health and well-being of participants. In the context of this grant program, nutrition education should focus on how USDA Foods in the FDPIR food package may be used to contribute to a healthy diet. The Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) or State Agency (SA) shall work with appropriate organizations and partners such as: extension agents, registered dieticians, diabetes coordinators, and public health nutrition professionals to provide food and nutrition information, recipes, or cooking demonstrations, as appropriate for households who participate or are eligible to participate in the FDPIR program. The ITO or SA shall provide nutrition education and information specific to the foods included in the FDPIR food package to improve the health of FDPIR participating households. Categories: health education, food justice, human health, diet, noncommunicable disease, nutrition, exercise, |
$2,000 - $214,000 | National | Link | |
United Fresh Start Foundation Community Grants Program | USDA | Deadline passed as of April 20, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The initiative extends the foundation’s work beyond the school day, to provide children with access to fresh fruit and vegetables afterschool, on the weekends, during summer breaks and in other creative venues. The program provides $25,000 in grants to local community organizations and groups that share the United Fresh Start Foundation’s commitment to increasing kids’ access to fresh produce, helping them develop healthy habits to last a lifetime. Grants will support programs, events and/or activities that increase children’s access to fresh produce. Categories: food justice, distribution, nutrition, education, diet, health, noncommunicable disease,accessibility, local, fresh, economy, school, youth |
Grants are available up to a maximum of $2,500. | National | Link | |
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 |
Individual Water & Wastewater Grants | USDA | Applications accepted continuously. The purpose of this grant is to provide water and waste disposal facilities and services to low income rural communities whose residents face significant health risks. Every effort is made to identify and fund the neediest projects. This program is only eligible in states with Colonias, and those are Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. Categories: Adaptation, Water, Health, Natural Resources |
Generally, applicants are expected to borrow as much as they can afford to repay, as in the regular loan program. However, water and waste disposal systems can obtain up to 100 percent grants to construct basic drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste disposal and storm drainage to serve the residents. | Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas | Link | |
Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee | USDA | Deadline Passed 09/30/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Broadband Program) furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas. For more information on other programs administered by RUS Telecommunications please visit : http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/telecom-programs. Broadband loans provide funding on a technology-neutral basis for financing:The construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities required to provide service at the broadband lending speed including facilities required for providing other services through the same facilitiesThe cost of leasing facilities required to provide service at the broadband Lending speed if such lease qualifies as a capital lease under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)An acquisition, under certain circumstances and with restrictionsFor additional detail see 7 CFR 1738 Categories: broadband access, internet, implementation, development, rural communities |
varies | Rural Areas | Link | |
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program | USDA | Deadline passed as of June 28, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The Agriculture and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area RFA focuses on the societal challenge to adapt agroecosystems and natural resource systems to climate variability and change and implement mitigation strategies in those systems. In the Agriculture and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area RFA, specific program areas are designed to achieve the long-term outcome of reducing the use of energy, nitrogen, reducing GHG emissions from practices, and water in the production of food, feed, fiber, and fuel; reduce GHG emissions from these agroecosystems; and increase carbon sequestration. Project types supported by AFRI within this RFA include multi-function integrated research, education, and/or extension projects and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants. Categories: Education, Natural Resources, Research, Adaptation, Mitigation, Land, Health, Energy, Water |
Varies | Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest | Link | |
Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans & Loan Guarantees | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted year round. This program provides financing for the construction, maintenance, improvement and expansion of telephone service and broadband in rural areas. For more information on other programs administered by RUS Telecommunications please visit : http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/telecom-programs Categories: telecommunications, infrastructure, development, broadband, construction, rural communities |
varies | Rural Areas | Link |
Conservation Stewardship Program | USDA | 12/31/2024 | Applications accepted continuously. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment. Categories: Stewardship, Conservation, IRA |
Varies | All 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean and Pacific Island areas. | Link |
Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) | USDA | he Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests. The local FSA County Committee implements EFRP for all disasters with the exceptions of drought and insect infestations. In the case of drought or an insect infestation, the national FSA office authorizes EFRP implementation. Categories: forest restoration, forest management, private forests, non-industrial forests, natural disasters, forest health |
National | Link | ||
USDA Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans | USDA | The USDA Rural Business Cooperative-Service Agency is accepting applications for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans 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 |
Unknown | National, agriculture & small rural business | Link |
Copyright © University of Oregon. | Privacy Policy | Developed by Dev Services