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 descending Grant Deadline Description Funding Amount Geography Website
Southwest Border Resource Program National Park Service

Deadline passed on January 26, 2018. Deadline for 2019 Unknown. The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP), located within the National Park Service (NPS) Intermountain Regional Office in Denver, provides financial assistance to NPS units, as well as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and local and state agencies to improve resource stewardship, achieve international cooperation, provide meaningful interpretation and conduct scientific research, which will lead to increased appreciation and understanding of our shared natural and cultural heritage along our international border with Mexico. Several National Parks located along the U.S. border with Mexico have recently experienced serious resource damage due to illegal cross border activities including drug traffickers and undocumented persons traversing the parks. Other national park units within the desert southwest have also experienced impacts to their natural and cultural resources. Thousands of miles of unauthorized roads and trails have been created, major ecological processes and the migration patterns of wildlife have been disrupted, important historic sites have been vandalized, and archaeological sites have been looted. Program funding is available for conducting scientific research and monitoring of species, as well as conservation, interpretation and preservation projects designed to help protect and preserve natural and cultural resources located near or along our international border. Applicants are strongly encouraged to work closely with at least one of ten NPS units located near the international border in the formulation of the project. These parks include Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Big Bend National Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Palo Alto National Historic Site, Padre Island National Seashore, Saguaro National Park, Tumacacori National Historical Park, Chamizal National Memorial, Coronado National Memorial, and Chiricahua National Monument. The projects and activities will be individually authorized by separate awards, with each project or activity having a separate work plan and budget developed cooperatively between the NPS and the cooperator.

Categories: resource stewardship, research, natural resources, cultural resources, monitoring, conservation, preservation, wildlife, habitat

$10,000-$50,000 American Southwest Link
Preservation Technology and Training Grants National Parks Service, National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Deadline passed as of November 3, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. 2017 Preservation Technology and Training Grants (PTT Grants) are intended to create better tools, better materials, and better approaches to conserving buildings, landscapes, sites, and collections. PTT Grants will support the following activities: Innovative research that develops new technologies or adapts existing technologies to preserve cultural resources (typically $25,000 to $40,000). Specialized workshops or symposia that identify and address national preservation needs (typically $15,000 to $25,000). How-to videos, mobile applications, podcasts, best practices publications, or webinars that disseminate practical preservation methods or provide better tools for preservation practice (typically $5,000 to $15,000).

Categories: historic preservation, cultural preservation, curator, conservation

$40,000 National Link
Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems National Science Foundation

Deadline Passsed 09/26/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. Humanity is reliant upon the physical resources and natural systems of the Earth for the provision of food, energy, and water (FEW). It is becoming imperative that we determine how society can best integrate across the natural and built environments to provide for a growing demand for food, water and energy while maintaining appropriate ecosystem services. The overarching goal of INFEWS is to catalyze the well-integrated interdisciplinary research efforts to transform scientific understanding of the FEW nexus in order to improve system function and management, address system stress, increase resilience, and ensure sustainability. This interagency cooperation allows the partner agencies - National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) - to combine resources to identify and fund the most meritorious and highest-impact projects that support their respective missions.

Categories: food, energy, water, natural resources, environmental health, resilience, sustainability

up to $2,500,000 National Link
NSF Funding Opportunity: Racial Equity in STEM Education. National Science Foundation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: 10/12/2021. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) seeks to support bold, ground-breaking, and potentially transformative projects addressing systemic racism in STEM. Proposals should advance racial equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development through research (both fundamental and applied) and practice. Core to this funding opportunity is that proposals are led by, or developed and led in authentic partnership with, individuals and communities most impacted by the inequities caused by systemic racism. https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/racial-equity-stem-education…

Categories: Equity, STEM

National Link
Decision, Risk and Management Sciences (DRMS) National Science Foundation

Deadline Passed 08/19/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Decision, Risk and Management Sciences program supports scientific research directed at increasing the understanding and effectiveness of decision making by individuals, groups, organizations, and society. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, doctoral dissertation research improvement grants (DDRIGs), and workshops are funded in the areas of judgment and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids; risk analysis, perception, and communication; societal and public policy decision making; management science and organizational design. The program also supports small grants that are time-critical (Rapid Response Research - RAPID) and small grants that are high-risk and of a potentially transformative nature (EArly-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research - EAGER).

Categories: research, decision making, public policy, science

Varies National Link
Cultivating Cultures for Ethical STEM (CCE STEM) National Science Foundation

Deadline Passed 4/17/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. Cultivating Cultures for Ethical STEM (CCE STEM) funds research projects that identify (1) factors that are effective in the formation of ethical STEM researchers and (2) approaches to developing those factors in all the fields of science and engineering that NSF supports. CCE STEM solicits proposals for research that explores the following: ‘What constitutes responsible conduct for research (RCR), and which cultural and institutional contexts promote ethical STEM research and practice and why?' Factors one might consider include: honor codes, professional ethics codes and licensing requirements, an ethic of service and/or service learning, life-long learning requirements, curricula or memberships in organizations (e.g. Engineers without Borders) that stress responsible conduct for research, institutions that serve under-represented groups, institutions where academic and research integrity are cultivated at multiple levels, institutions that cultivate ethics across the curriculum, or programs that promote group work, or do not grade. Do certain labs have a ‘culture of academic integrity'? What practices contribute to the establishment and maintenance of ethical cultures and how can these practices be transferred, extended to, and integrated into other research and learning settings? Proposals for awards from minority-serving institutions (e.g. Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions), women's colleges, and institutions primarily serving persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged.

Categories: STEM, culture, research, development, underrepresented groups, integration

Up to $275,000 National Link
Build and Broaden 2.0: Enhancing Social, Behavioral and Economic Science Research and Capacity at Minority-Serving Institutions National Science Foundation, Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)

Recent Deadline: 03/05/2021. Build and Broaden 2.0 is designed to support fundamental research in the SBE sciences by scholars at minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Proposals are invited from single Principal Investigators based at MSIs and from multiple co-investigators from a group of MSIs. Principal Investigators who are not affiliated with MSIs may submit proposals, but must collaborate with PIs, co-PIs, or Senior Personnel from MSIs and describe how their project will foster research partnerships or capacity-building with at least one MSI as a primary goal of the proposed work. Proposals may address any of the scientific areas supported by SBE.

Categories: scholars, science, STEM,

$5,000,000 National Link
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Deadline Passed. Most recent deadline: January 23, 2024. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) is a $3 billion program, from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, to support Tribal governments bringing high-speed Internet to Tribal lands, including telehealth, distance learning, affordability, and digital inclusion initiatives. The program seeks to improve quality of life, spur economic development, and create opportunities for remote employment, online entrepreneurship, remote learning, and telehealth by expanding broadband access and by providing digital training and inclusion programs to Native American communities. This second round of funding from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program will make approximately $980 million available on Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian lands for deployment of Internet infrastructure, affordability programs, telehealth and distance learning initiatives.

Link
Volkswagen (VW) Clean Air Act Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund National Tribal Air Association

Deadline Passed 09/01/2018. On October 2, 2017 (The Trust Effective Date, or TED), the United States District Court approved the final Mitigation Trust Agreements, completing the settlement with automaker Volkswagen AG (VW), to resolve allegations that VW violated the Clean Air Act (CAA) by selling diesel-engine cars that produced excess emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The Mitigation Trust Agreements are designed to reduce NOx emissions from other diesel engine vehicles, thereby mitigating the effects of the VW violations. All 567 federally-recognized Tribes can apply for beneficiary status.

Categories: NOx emission reduction, mitigation

National Link
Native Voices Rising Native Americans in Philanthropy, Common Counsel Foundation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: July 7, 2023. Native Voices Rising (NVR) is a project of Common Counsel Foundation and Native Americans in Philanthropy. NVR provides general operating support grants that are intended to strengthen Native-led organizations that are building community leadership and power to improve the wellbeing of their communities. Eligible organizations are rooted in a Native community, led by Native people, hold a vision for change that improves the lives of Native community members, engage large numbers of community members to take action together and seek to improve the policies and rules that impact the community.

Categories: community building, development, community health, community engagement

$20,000-$40,000 National Link
Public Health Disaster Research in U.S. Territories, Tribal Areas, and Rural Communities Natural Hazards Center, CDC, National Science Foundation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: October 7, 2022. The Natural Hazards Center, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Science Foundation, is calling for proposals focused on studying public health preparedness, response, and resilience to disasters in inhabited U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, tribal areas, and rural communities across the United States. Proposals can focus on one location or offer comparisons across regions. Learn more including the steps to apply here.

Categories: public health, resilience, disaster preparedness, research

$15,000 to $50,000 National, International (US Territories) Link
Food Sovereignty Fund Na’ah Illahee Fund

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 17, 2022. Na’ah Illahee Fund works in relationship with Mother Earth to strengthen her living systems in acts of support, reciprocity, and respect. This Food Sovereignty Grant seeks to support our hunter, gather, grower way of life by funding Native organizations and individuals who preserve and practice these ways. NIF is looking to provide grants to Native people who are leading community-based food sovereignty and sustainability efforts in their communities. We will award financial support to projects, or organized activities led by Indigenous people that aim to revitalize or increase the practice of Indigenous lifeways and create access to traditional foods and medicines through community programming, workshops, and skill sharing. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Food sovereignty, Indigenous lifeways, traditional foods, community programming, sustainability

Awards up to $25,000 Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia Link
Rights of Nature Cohort Na’ah Illahee Fund

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 12, 2022. Na’ah Illahee Fund supports the development of strong Rights of Nature work led by Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest region who are the protectors of this land. The NIF grantmaking committee will select 5 individuals or groups to receive funding and participate in a series of online workshops to facilitate the advancement of community-led projects that advance Rights of Nature strategies. Awards are up to $20,000 (up to 5 awardees). Please contact joni@naahillahee.org with any questions. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Rights of nature, environmental stewardship, cultural teaching, community-led, innovation

Up to $20,000 Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia Link
Availability of Disaster Relief Microgrants NCAI

Deadline Passed 10/31/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. Natural disasters have become more frequent in Indian Country over the past several years. Tribal nations and their citizens have endured tremendous loss of life, livelihood, and property. However, the federal government has restricted the avenues for tribal nations to access disaster relief funds. Even when tribal nations access disaster relief funds often they are not flexible enough to meet all of the tribal nation’s needs on the ground. The NCAI Disaster Relief Microgrants are shaped to flexibly cover the needs of tribal nations and/or tribal citizens (who live near their nations) that have been impacted by recent natural disasters such as, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes, severe storms, severe winds, blizzards, etc. 

Categories: natural disasters, impacts, refleif funds

$70,000 total
Individual grants capped at $10,000
National Link
Colorado Conservation Innovation Grant NCRS

Deadline passed as of June 2, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS technical manuals and guides or to the private sector. CIG is used to apply or demonstrate previously proven technology in order to increase adoption with an emphasis on opportunities to scale proven, emerging conservation strategies. CIG promotes sharing of skills, knowledge, technologies, and facilities among communities, governments, and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users. CIG funds projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations.

Categories: climate change, sustainability, conservation, management, prevention, restoration

Up to $75,000. Colorado Link
Community Self Determination Grant NDN Collective

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 28, 2023. Community Self-Determination Grants are intended to support community-based and community- driven sustainable solutions in all three of NDN Collective’s core strategies to Defend, Develop and Decolonize. Grants are intended to  support and invest in the long-term visions, sustainability, and power building of Indigenous Nations, communities and Indigenous-led organizations, fortifying the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples to create a just, equitable, and sustainable world for all people and the planet. Significant, flexible, multi-year funding will include the infusion of general operating support, power building, capital and holistic support for comprehensive initiatives and specific programs.

Categories: decolonization, resilience, sustainability, community, culture

$100,000 per year, commitment of two years National, US territories, Canada, Mexico Link
Community Action Fund NDN Collective 10/31/2024

Application Deadline: October 31, 2024. The Community Action Fund Grant supports efforts that include community organizing, amplification of community voices, and utilize a wide variety of tactics imperative to shifting the political and financial systems that are impacting our communities. The Grant is available on an ongoing basis as funds are available.Areas of emphasis may include: climate justice and racial equity efforts, challenging the extractive industry, accelerating the just energy transition in Indigenous communities, healing justice work within the movement, and training the next generation of community organizers.  Direct expenses may include funding for travel, supplies, equipment, consultants, contractual services and staff that support various forms of NVDA (non-violent direct action), i.e.;  marches, camps, boycotts, prayer vigils as a form of resistance, organizing or protest to affect change.  Action may also include community-based response to climate events such as flooding, fires, earthquakes.

Categories: climate justice, tribal sovereignty, community action

$15,000 to $40,000 North America Link
Cultural and Community Resilience NEH

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 16, 2023. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Preservation and Access is accepting applications for the Cultural and Community Resilience program. This program supports community-based efforts to mitigate climate change and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, safeguard cultural resources, and foster cultural resilience through identifying, documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experience. The program prioritizes projects from disadvantaged communities in the United States or its jurisdictions, and NEH encourages applications that employ inclusive methodologies. The deadline has been extended. Apply here.

Categories: cultural heritage, community, resilience

Maximum $150,000 National Link
Climate Smart Humanities Organizations NEH

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: September 14, 2023. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Office of Challenge Programs is accepting applications for the Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program. This program supports comprehensive assessment and strategic planning efforts by humanities organizations to mitigate physical and operational environmental impacts and adapt to a changing climate. Projects will result in climate action and adaptation planning documents or similar detailed assessments including prioritized, measurable actions and their expected outcomes. Proposals must address how strategic planning for climate change will increase the organization’s resilience and support its work in the humanities over the long term. Projects are financed through a combination of federal matching funds and gifts raised from third-party non-federal sources.

Categories: humanities, hazard mitigation, energy audits, risk assessment, infrastructure

Up to $300,000 National Link
Network for Landscape Conservation Catalyst Fund Network for Landscape Conservation

Deadline: April 26, 2024. The Network for Landscape Conservation is pleased to share the 2024 Request for Proposals for the Catalyst Fund, which is made possible through the generous support of the Doris Duke Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Catalyst Fund strives to accelerate the pace and practice of collaborative landscape conservation and stewardship across the United States by investing in Landscape Partnerships. The Fund couples financial support (through a competitive grant program) with capacity building support (through in-depth Peer Learning) to catalyze Partnership efforts to achieve long-term conservation and stewardship goals. A portion of the Fund is reserved specifically to advance Tribal-led Partnerships. For more information, visit:

Categories: Landscape conservation, collaboration, capacity-building

Partnerships may request a one or two-year grant of up to $25,000 National Link
Wildfire Risk Reduction Program for Rural Communities New Mexico Counties

Deadline for 2018 past. Deadline for 2019 unknown. The 2018-2019 Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program grant cycle will give priority to applicants who request funding for outreach and education projects (i.e. Fire Adaptive Communities, Firewise, Ready, Set, Go) that encourage reducing wildfire risk on private lands and can show a direct benefit to BLM lands. The program is also encouraging CWPP updates for plans that are more than five years old. Requirements for CWPP updates are included with the program information. A limited number of hazardous fuel reduction projects will be considered and should focus on treatments to private lands with a direct benefit to BLM lands.

Categories: wildfire, risk reduction, BLM lands, education, hazards

up to $50,000 New Mexico Link
Nutrition Security for Indigenous Youth Newman's Own Foundation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: August 26, 2022. In collaboration with Tahoma Peak Solutions, a Native woman-owned firm focused on empowering and building up communities in Indian Country, Newman’s Own Foundation has issued a request for proposals built on the strengths of Native communities to enhance nutrition security for Native youth. Examples of projects include but are not limited to: coalition building and goal setting; advocacy, education, and relationship building with key stakeholders and policy makers; gardens at youth centers and schools; youth culture camps focusing on traditional foods and/or gardening; educational sessions on traditional food cultures, harvesting, processing, and foodways; internship programs that develop Native youth leadership; support for Native youth attendance at relevant conferences or convenings; development of related programming at meetings or conferences; and films, storytelling, and art related to Native youth and food. The deadline to submit the eligibility quiz is August 26, 2022, with applications due September 15, 2022. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Agriculture, food security, traditional foods, youth

$20,000 to $50,000 National Link
Environmental Solutions for Communities Grants Program NGO

RFP closed. Expect Announcement before Winter 2016. Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation seek to promote sustainable communities through Environmental Solutions for Communities by supporting highly-visible projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. Funding priorities include 'greening' traditional infrastructure and public projects such as storm water management and flood control, urban forestry, and education and training of community leaders on sustainable practices.

Categories: Economic development, Sustainable Development

Varies National, Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, Alaska, Midwest, Please see website for more details as within regions priority is given to projects from certain areas Link
Honor the Earth Grant Programs NGO

Honor the Earth programs focus on nurturing resilience in indigenous communities who are faced with daunting environmental and social realities. Resilience theory is a discussion in academic and environmenal arenas about how communities and societies will adapt to climate change. Our Building Resilience in Indigenous Communities Initiative focuses on two areas: Food Sovereignty and Energy Justice. In specific, Honor the Earth will fund restoration of indigenous food systems in Native communities, and Energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Native communities. We work to support and forward the development of culturally-based, indigenous solutions to climate change and peak oil based on re-localizing food and energy economies. We also hope to foster restoration of traditional knowledge as a key adaptation and mitigation strategy to ensure a safe and healthy future for our children and the next seven generations. Honor the Earth is currently accepting applications on an ongoing basis.  Please check their site to ensure you the have the most up-to-date information. 

Categories: Environmental Justice, Energy, Adaptation, Agriculture, Mitigation, Health

$1,000-$5,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, International (Canada) Link
Mary A. Crocker Trust NGO

The Mary A Crocker Trust is a charitable foundation located in San Francisco, CA. The Trust’s Environment program area focuses support on the areas of waste management and recycling, water quality, land use management, and sustainable agriculture and forestry. The Trust is primarily interested in Bay Area programs, with an annual award budget of approximately $500K. Typical award amounts range between $10K and $25K.

Categories: Conservation, Waste management

$10,000-$25,000 Northwest, San Francisco area Link
Alaska Community Foundation: Strengthening Organizations NGO

Deadline Passed. Most Recent Deadline: November 14, 2023. Grant is on a rolling deadline. Grant awards will support professional staff and board of directors in their efforts to access tools, develop practical skills, and cultivate support systems needed to effectively achieve the organization’s mission in the areas of leadership development, organizational development, program development, collaboration and community engagement, and evaluation of effectiveness. The guidelines state applicants can request up to $10,000, but awards typically range from $4,000 to $6,000. Call anytime to talk with an ACF Program Officer about your project.

Categories: Non-profit Infrastructure, Administrative Support

Varies Alaska Link
Native American Food Security Grant NGO

The purpose of the Native American Food Security project is to support Native organizations working to eliminate food insecurity among tribal elders in rural and/or reservation-based Native American communities in Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma. There is a particular focus on locally-grown, healthy foods, and assist in the development or expansion of locally-controlled and locally-based food systems that provide healthy foods to senior community members while also supporting local food producers and the local economy.

Categories: Health, Natural Resources

Individual awards between $20,000 and $25,000 Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Southeast, Southwest Link
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation NGO

This foundation supports environmental action according to a four part main strategy (see weblink for more).The foundation’s Environmental Program strives to meet its main strategies through grant awards. The Environment Program awards grants through invited proposals and the occasional funding competition. Funding opportunities may also be available through organizations administering re-granting programs supported by the foundation.

Categories: Conservation, Clean Energy

Varies Tri-State Area, Northeast Link
Grants for Gardens NGO

Annie's offers Grants for Gardens donations to schools and other educational programs that help build school gardens. Since 2008, we've helped fund to more than 270 gardens.

Categories: Development, Food Security, Gardens

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Rockefeller Family Fund NGO

Applications accepted continuously. This foundation focuses on public education of the risks of global warming, conservation of natural resources, protection of health as affected by the environment, meaning implementation of environmental laws, and public participation in national environmental policy debates. Grant applicants must submit a letter of inquiry online. If accepted, the applicant will be invited to submit a full proposal for evaluation.

Categories: Climate Change Impacts, Conservation, public health

$25,000-30,000 National Link