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
Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable Products EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 20, 2023. The purpose of the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and more Sustainable Products is to provide pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) in order to improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by increasing the supply, demand and use of safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by EPA’s Safer Choice program, or those that conform to EPA’s Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations).

Categories: BIL, pollution, air quality, technical assistance, health

$100,000 to $800,000 for individual projects; up to $1.2 million for multi-state or multi-tribal projects National, US territories Link
EPA Region 3 Wetlands Program Development Grants EPA

Deadline unknown for 2017. Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) provide eligible applicants an opportunity to conduct and promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. All proposals submitted under this RFP must be for projects that build or refine state/tribal/local government wetland programs. Implementation of wetland protection programs is not an eligible project under this announcement

Categories: Conservation, Wetlands

$200,000-900,000 Northeast, Southeast Link
EPA Pollution Prevention Grant Program EPA

Pollution Prevention (P2) Grants provide technical assistance to businesses in order to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices (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 Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, EPA is encouraging P2 because implementing these approaches can result in reductions in toxic pollutants, the use of water, energy and other raw materials, while also lowering business costs. P2 grants are awarded to States, colleges and universities (recognized as instrumentalities of the state), and federally-recognized tribes and intertribal consortia.

Categories: Pollution Prevention, Conservation, Efficiency, Greenhouse Gas Reduction

$40,000-$500,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Urban Waters Small Grants EPA

EPA’s Urban Waters Program helps local residents and their organizations, particularly those in underserved communities, restore their urban waters in ways that also benefit community and economic revitalization. One of the ways the Urban Waters Program is accomplishing this mission is through the Urban Waters Small Grants Program. This program recognizes that healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, recreational, social, and employment opportunities in nearby communities.

Categories: Water, urban communities, community revitalization

Up to $60,000 per award Unknown Link
EPA 2022 Tribal EJ Small Grants Opportunity EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 19, 2022. EPA has announced the availability of up to $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to support Tribal government efforts to establish or modify programs on environmental justice, water and air quality issues. Congress made up to $1.6 million in ARP funding available to Tribes, recognizing the importance of supporting Tribal public engagement programs and related priorities that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. EPA anticipates awarding 16 to 20 grants nationwide in amounts of up to $100,000 per award. Applicants should plan for projects to begin on 1 October 2022. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Environmental justice, water quality, air quality, public engagement, COVID-19

Applicants may request up to $100,000. 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
Clean Diesel Tribal Grants EPA

Deadline Passed 04/03/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality is soliciting applications nationwide for Tribal projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets located in areas designated as having poor air quality. EPA anticipates $2 million will be awarded to eligible Tribal applicants.

Categories: air quality, fuel, diesel, reductions,

$2 million dispersed among applicants National Link
Systems-Based Research for Evaluating Ecological Impacts of Manufactured Chemicals EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR), and Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) research programs is funding grants with the goal of applying systems-based approaches for identifying, addressing, and reducing uncertainties from limited exposure data and stressor-response relationships.EPA is seeking applications focusing on integrated, transdisciplinary research that would advance scientific understanding of potential for impacts to ecosystem wellbeing associated with the use of manufactured chemicals.Specifically, the RFA solicits proposals for systems-based research to develop and apply innovative metrics and modeling approaches to improve evaluation of ecological resilience and impact analyses, and to support environmental sustainability. Successful proposals will translate emerging and advanced methods, data, and computational tools to address complexity of these systems and distill drivers of adverse outcomes to ecological organisms and populations.

Categories: Research, Chemical Pollution

Up to $800,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Alaska, National 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
Environmental Justice Small Grants Program EPA

Deadline extended: 6/1/2021. The EJSG program awards grants that support community-driven projects designed to engage, educate, and empower communities to better understand local environmental and public health issues and develop strategies for addressing those issues, building consensus in the community, and setting community priorities.  The EJSG program will award approximately $2.8 million nationwide for this competitive opportunity. EPA anticipates awarding approximately 56 grants ( about 5 per EPA region) of up to $50,000 each.  These grants are for one-year projects. This opportunity places special emphasis on projects focusing on COVID-19 impacts, as well as climate and disaster resiliency.  Additionally, EPA is emphasizing projects addressing diesel pollution in underserved communities living near ports and railyards as part of EPA’s Ports Initiative.  Finally, to promote equitable accessibility to EPA grant funding and to assist small entities, approximately half of the total available funding under this announcement is intended to be reserved for small non-profit organizations as defined in the announcement.

Categories: community-based organizations, underserved communities, environmental issues, health issues, environmental justice

up to $50,000 United States Link
Local Foods, Local Places EPA

Past Deadline: November 13, 2020. The Local Foods, Local Places program will provide selected communities planning assistance that centers around a two-day community workshop. At the workshop, a team of experts will help community members develop an implementable action plan that promotes local food and neighborhood revitalization. Eligible applicants include local governments, Indian tribes, and nonprofit institutions and organizations proposing to work in a neighborhood, town, or city of any size anywhere in the United States. We expect that many of the communities we select will be economically challenged and in the early phases of their efforts to promote local foods and community revitalization.

Categories: Economic development, accessibility, farmers, infrastructure development

Unknown National Link
National Center for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Modeling Research (USEPA) EPA

The US Environmental Protection Agency, as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking initial applications proposing the creation of a National Center for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Modeling Research that facilitates technology transfer of open source water infrastructure models and shares green infrastructure tools and research advancements with local communities and stakeholders.

Categories: Research, Water, Infrastructure

Up to $4 million Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southesat, National, Alaska 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
EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Grant EPA

RFP closed for 2016. The EPA is seeking applications for a noncompetitive $50 million grant program to establish and enhance state and tribal response programs. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) 128(a) response program grants are funded with State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) appropriations. Generally, these response programs address the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfields sites with actual or perceived contamination.

Categories: Response program, assessment, redevelopment, cleanup

EPA will consider funding requests up to a maximum of $1.0 million per state or tribe for FY2015. National Link
Fiscal Year 2014 Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program (USEPA) EPA

The EPA is funding SRA grants and/or cooperative agreements to fund projects supporting pollution prevention/source reduction and resource conservation. The five goals of the grant program are: 1. Reduce the generation of GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions to mitigate climate change; 2. Reduce the manufacture and use of hazardous substances to improve human and ecological health; 3. Reduce the use of water and conserve other natural resources to protect ecosystems; 4. Create business efficiencies that derive economic benefits and improve environmental performance while addressing goals 1, 2, or 3; and 5. Institutionalize and integrate pollution prevention practices by way of technical services, policies, and initiatives while addressing goals 1, 2 or 3.

Categories: GHG Emissions Reduction, Hazardous Waste Reduction, Water Conservation, Business Efficiency, Sustainble Business, Pollution Prevention

$10,000-$147,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southesat, National, Alaska 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
Tribal Support for Participation in the National Environmental Information Exchange Network EPA

Deadline Passed 02/22/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible organizations to provide the outreach and technical assistance necessary to increase tribal participation in the National Environmental Exchange Network (EN), which is an element of E-Enterprise for the Environment (EE). The EN is an Internet-based system used by state, tribal and territorial partners to securely share environmental and health information with one another and EPA. The objective of the cooperative agreement is to strengthen the data and information technology (IT) management skills of tribes so they can fully participate in innovative technology efforts of the EN, and incorporate data schema, software, and services developed by EN partnerships into their environmental management programs.

Categories: technical assistance, information exchange, environment, health, information technology, management

up to $1,500,000 National Link
EPA Workforce Development and Job Training Grants EPA

Deadline passed on September 22, 2020. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, to deliver Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents with the skills needed to secure full-time employment in the environmental field. While Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants require training in brownfield assessment and/or cleanup activities, these grants also require that Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training be provided to all individuals being trained. EPA encourages applicants to develop their curricula based on local labor market assessments and employers’ hiring needs, while also delivering comprehensive training that results in graduates securing multiple certifications.

Categories: Job program, training and development

up to $200,000 National Link
Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 14, 2023. The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working on or planning to work on projects to address local environmental and/or public health issues in their communities, using EPA's "Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model." The CPS Program assists recipients in building collaborative partnerships to help them understand and address environmental and public health concerns in their communities. Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity must address one of the following five broad categories:  community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants; mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events; climate resiliency and adaptation;  reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or  facilitating engagement of marginalized communities in Local, State and Federal public processes, such as advisory groups, workshops, and rulemakings      

Categories: Environmental Justice, Environmental Health, public health, collaboration, non-profit organizations, air pollution, climate resiliency, adaptation,

up to $500,000 National, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, Midwest, Alaska Link
Environmental Justice Governemnt to Government (EJG2G) Program EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 14, 2023. The Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) program provides funding at the state, local, territorial, and Tribal level to support  government activities that lead to measurable environmental or public health impacts in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms. Model EJG2G programs should leverage existing resources to develop processes or tools that integrate environmental justice considerations into governmental decision-making at all levels. Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity that will receive must address one of the following five broad categories:   community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants;  mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events;  climate resiliency and adaptation;   reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or   facilitating engagement of marginalized communities in Local, State and Federal public processes, such as advisory groups, workshops, and rulemakings. Apply here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=345311 

Categories: public health, air pollution, climate mitigation, adaptation, toxins, community

up to $1,000,000 National, US territories 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
Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices (USEPA) EPA

The US Environmental Protection Agency, as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications to conduct research on and demonstration of human and ecological impacts of treated wastewater applications (reclaimed water and wastewater reuse), and water conservation practices including the use of non-traditional water sources as well as more comprehensive long-term management and availability of water resources.

Categories: Resesarch, Wastewater, water quality, Water Conservation

Up to $750,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Climate Pollution Reduction Grants EPA 5/1/2024

Phase II Deadline for General Competition: April 1, 2024. Deadline for Tribes and Territories Only Competition: May 1, 2024. EPA has announced two competitions for CPRG implementation grants – a general competition for applications from states, municipalities, tribes, tribal consortia, and territories, and a competition only for tribes, tribal consortia, and territories. These competitions are open to entities that received planning grants to develop Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) under phase 1 of the CPRG program, as well as entities that did not directly receive a planning grant that are applying for funds to implement measures included in an applicable PCAP. Eligible applicants may only apply for funding to implement measures contained in an applicable PCAP. For the general competition, EPA anticipates awarding individual grants between $2 million and $500 million, with funding tiers allowing comparably sized projects to compete against one another. For the competition for tribes and territories, EPA anticipates awarding individual grants ranging between $1 million to $25 million.

Categories: pollution, IRA, greenhouse gas, air quality, health

Varies National, US territories, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico 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 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
FY20 Guidelines for Brownfield Assessment Grants EPA

Deadline Passed 12/03/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (P.L. 115-141), requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish guidance for grants to assess and clean up brownfield sites. EPA’s Brownfields Program provides funds to empower states, communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites. This guidance provides information on applying for Assessment Grants.

Categories: Health

up to $600,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National 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
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
Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program FY 2019 EPA

Deadline Passed March 26, 2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions, particularly from fleets operating at or servicing goods movement facilities 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: Energy, Diesel

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Environmental Education Grants EPA

Deadline Passed. Most Recent Deadline: November 8, 2023. Under the Environmental Education Grants Program, EPA seeks grant applications from eligible applicants to support environmental education projects that promote environmental awareness and stewardship and help provide people with the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques. Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 and $3.5 million in grant funding per year, supporting more than 3,920 grants.

Categories: Environmental education, stewardship, awareness

The Region expects to award three or four grants for no less than $50,000, and no more than $100,000 each. Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Link