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.eduPlease note that for entries that are accepting applications continuously, the grant deadline column will list "12/31/2023" as the grant deadline. This ensures that those grants will appear immediately after those grants with a set deadline.

Title Organization Grant Deadline Description Categorysort descending Funding Amount Geography Website
Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) DOI, BLM, JFSP, NIFC

Deadline Passed 12/04/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) is a partnership of six federal wildland fire management and research agencies that have a shared need to address problems associated with managing wildland fuels, fires, and fire-impacted ecosystems.

land management, wildland fire, wildfire management, research, stakeholders, collaboration up to $504,000 National Link
Bureau of Land Management Headquarters (HQ) Youth and Conservation Corps DOI, BLM 04/03/2023

Deadline: April 3, 2023.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Headquarters (HQ) is seeking applicants for national Master Cooperative agreements for qualifying Youth and Conservation Organizations. This program’s projects provide employment for participants and opportunities to learn about and gain work experience in public lands and natural resources management while promoting long-term interest in public lands stewardship and the BLM. The BLM Youth Program partners with qualified youth and conservation corps to engage individuals between the ages of 16 and 30 (inclusive) and veterans up to age 35 (inclusive) including tribal members.

land management, youth, stewardship, habitat restoration, wildfire mitigation $1,000 - $100,000 National Link
Community Capacity Land Stewardship Program (Southeast Alaska) USFS

Deadline Passed 12/05/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The National Forest Foundation Community Capacity and Land Stewardship Program (CCLS) provides funding to increase the capacity of organizations implementing large scale restoration projects that benefit National Forests and Grasslands. As a whole, CCLS seeks to help community-based and collaborative organizations remove barriers to watershed and/or landscape scale restoration projects, and help facilitate job creation and retention and business development in their region. Each regional program offered has specific, unique desired outcomes.

To view the slides from the 2018 informational webinar, click here. 

land stewardship, watershed, restoration, Varies Southeast Alaska Link
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP) The National Park Service 05/31/2023

Second Round of Applications Due: May 31, 2023. On August 4, 2020 the Great American Outdoors Act was signed into law. The bill provides $900 million in permanent and dedicated annual funding for the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and invests up to $9.5 billion to address priority repairs in our national parks and other public lands. The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program, created in 2014, is an urban park grants program funded through the Land & Water Conservation Fund. The ORLP offers nationally competitive grants to support the creation or significant renovation of state or locally-owned parks and other outdoor recreation spaces located in urban areas. Funded projects help the public access or re-connect with the outdoors, and specifically target economically disadvantaged neighborhoods that lack adequate parks and recreational opportunities. The sixth application round with $192 million available is now open. Grants range from $300,000 to $10 million. Applications are being accepted in Grants.gov through May 31, 2023, with an early submission deadline of January 31, 2023 for those that have application requirements completed. Interested jurisdictions should contact their state lead agency for LWCF.

land water conservation, parks and recreation, outdoors, publicly-owned lands $300,000-$10,000,000 population of at least 30000 people Link
Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership USDA

Deadline passed as of May 24, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The 2014 Farm Bill replaced the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program with the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership as an enrollment option under ACEP – WRE. WREP continues to be a voluntary program through which NRCS signs agreements with eligible partners to leverage resources to carry out high priority wetland protection, restoration and enhancement and to improve wildlife habitat.

land, easement, property, restoration, habitat, management, conservation, climate change, wetland, riparian, estuary, swamp, marsh, pond Varies. National Link
Land Defenders and Water Protectors Seventh Generation for Fund for Indigenous Peoples, Inc.

Deadline Passed 10/11/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples is inviting proposals for the Land Defenders and Water Protectors Program: supporting Indigenous community-based organizations protecting Earth’s natural systems and ability to nurture and sustain life. Upholding Indigenous territorial sovereignty and self-determination, Native land stewardship practices, and the defense of sacred lands, waters and species. Potential projects may include:

  • Peaceful direct actions and frontline organizing
  • Sacred site protection
  • Environmental education and issue advocacy
  • Indigenous appropriate and traditional technologies
land, water, conservation, indigenous, community-based, sovereignty, stewardship, defense $500-$10,000 National Link
GBLCC FY16 Funding Request for Pre-Proposals for Information Synthesis, Knowledge Discovery, and Conservation Planning USFWS

The Great Basin Landscape Conservation Cooperative intends that awards under this announcement will support its mission and goals regarding how climate change and other stressors affect natural and cultural resources within the geographic range of the GBLCC.

Landscape Conservation, Climate Change, Cultural Resource. $25,000-$200,000 per proposal award. National Link
Network for Landscape Conservation Catalyst Fund Network for Landscape Conservation 04/21/2023

Deadline: April 21, 2023. The Catalyst Fund strives to accelerate the pace and practice of collaborative landscape conservation across the United States by investing in Landscape Conservation Partnerships. The Fund couples financial support (through a competitive grant program) with capacity-building support (through in-depth Peer Learning) to catalyze Partnerships to achieve long-term conservation goals. A portion of the Fund is reserved specifically to advance Indigenous landscape conservation priorities. We especially invite Partnerships that are led by Indigenous peoples, organizations, and communities to apply. Learn more and apply here.

Landscape conservation, collaboration, capacity-building Partnerships may request a one or two-year grant of up to $25,000 National Link
Landscape Scale Restoration RFA 2020 USFS

Deadline Passed 10/10/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The purpose of this competitive grant program is to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes and further priorities identified in the State’s Forest Action Plans.

landscape restoration, forest management, coordination $25,000-$600,000 National Link
White House Champions of Change Award Nominations US White House

Funding unknown for 2017. President Obama has challenged us all to help win the future by out-educating, out-innovating, and out-building our competitors in the 21st century. Know someone who is doing extraordinary things to make a difference in your community? Nominate them to be a Champion of Change. We’ll consider your nominations as we feature people who are bringing about change in their communities on the White House website to share their ideas on how to win the future.

Leadership, Award, Climate Initiatives See Description National Link
Water & Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands USDA 12/31/2023

Applications are accepted year-round. This program provides low-income communities, which face significant health risks, access to safe, reliable drinking water and waste disposal facilities and services.

low-income communities, public health, safe drinking water, waste disposal Varies Rural Areas, Tribal Lands Link
Northwest Climate Science Center Funding Opportunity FY 2019 Northwest CSC

Deadline Passed as of 3/13/2019. Deadline for 2020 unknownThis document invites proposals for projects to be initiated by the Northwest Climate Science Center (NW CSC) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. Project proposals must relate to elements of the NW CSC Science Agenda for 2018-23. The NW CSC Science Agenda for 2018– 23 charts the overall science direction and research opportunities for the NW CSC over the next 5 years in response to stated regional natural and cultural resource management priorities. The anticipated products build upon an extensive research portfolio funded by the NW CSC from 2011 to 2017.

management, research, stakeholders, engagement Individual Projects will not exceed $300,000 Northwest Link
Marine Debris Removal NOAA

Most recent deadline was September 30, 2022. The overall objective of this $28 million funding opportunity is to make tangible, beneficial impacts to coastal and marine habitats and communities across a broad geographic scale, through a variety of marine debris removal methods. While there are a number of effective ways to address the sources and impacts of marine debris, this funding opportunity focuses on two distinct priorities aimed at making the largest measurable impact: 1) the development of large scale and high-value marine debris removal programs (hereafter “partnerships”) that can be responsive to local and regional marine debris removal needs, with a focus on large marine debris; and 2) the implementation of projects that use proven interception technologies that capture marine debris at or close to known marine debris sources or pathways. Learn more and apply here.

Marine conservation, debris removal, technological solutions, innovation, coastal restoration $100,000 - $15,000,000 National Link
NOAA Planet Stewards Funding Opportunity NOAA

Deadline: 06/06/2021. NOAA Planet Stewards is now providing up to $5,000 to support educators' (elementary through college) efforts to implement hands-on action-based stewardship projects that conserve, restore, and protect human communities and natural resources from environmental challenges.

Marine debris Habitat conservation and restoration Carbon footprint reduction Carbon sequestration $5000 National Link
FY 2019 Marine Debris Removal NOAA, DOC

Deadline Passed 10/29/2018. Deadline for 2019. The NOAA Marine Debris Program, authorized in the Marine Debris Act, codified at 33 U.S.C. 1951-1958, supports the development and implementation of locally-driven, marine debris prevention, assessment, and removal projects that benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and NOAA trust resources. Projects awarded through this grant competition will create long-term, quantifiable ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources through on-the-ground marine debris removal activities, with priority for those targeting derelict fishing gear and other medium- and large-scale debris. Projects should also foster awareness of the effects of marine debris to further the conservation of living marine resource habitats, and contribute to the understanding of marine debris composition, distribution and impacts. Successful proposals through this solicitation will be funded through cooperative agreements. Funding of up to $2,000,000 is expected to be available for Marine Debris Removal grants in Fiscal Year 2019. Typical awards will range from $50,000 to $150,000. Funding for this grant competition comes through the NOAA Marine Debris Program as appropriations to the Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service.

marine debris removal, prevention, assessment, coastal habitat, coastal management, waterways, conservation $50,000-$250,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
FY2019 Marine Debris Research NOAA

Deadline Passed 12/14/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP), authorized in the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1951-1958), provides funding to support eligible organizations to conduct research directly related to marine debris through field, laboratory, and modeling experiments. The MDP invites applications for research funding in any of three areas of focus: research that explores the ecological risk associated with marine debris and determines debris exposure levels; research that examines the fate and transport of marine debris; and/or research that quantifies habitat impacts resulting from marine debris and the gains in ecosystem services that result when debris is removed.

marine debris, research, ecological health, habitat health $75,000-$350,000 National Link
Saltonstall-Kennedy Competitive Research Program Dept. of Commerce

Deadline passed as of December 9, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. The objective of the S-K Grant Program is to address the needs of the fisheries and fishing communities in optimizing economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries and practices, dealing with the impacts of conservation and management measures, and increasing other opportunities to use existing infrastructure to support keeping working waterfronts viable. Proposals submitted to this competition must address at least one of the following priorities: Marine Aquaculture; Fisheries Data Collection; Techniques for Reducing Bycatch and other Adverse Impacts; Adapting to Climate Change and Other Long Term Ecosystem Change; Promotion, Development and Marketing; Socio-Economic Research; and Territorial Science.

marine health, fisheries, management, sustainability, climate change, adaptation $25,000-$300,000 United States Link
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Materials Grants Program Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Recent Deadline: October 10, 2020. Since 1991, DEQ has awarded over $9 million in materials management grants. Grants are for projects that reduce impacts across the full cycle of materials and products. The lifecycle of materials and products includes product design, raw material extraction, manufacturing, transport, consumption, use, reuse, repair, recovery through recycling, composting or anaerobic digestion, and disposal.

material management, waste management, recycling, sustainbility Varies - 2019 $600,000 was awarded to seventeen organizations Oregon Link
Tribal Equity Grants Program USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Deadline is Ongoing. The 1994 Land-Grants use Equity to support faculty who develop classes and degree programs that teach science and math to Native Americans. The programs focus on agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. The faculty strive to graduate students who can achieve their life goals. Since many 1994 Land-Grants are two-year schools, some students aspire to advanced degrees. Other students seek training to begin a vocational career in agriculture. Still other students want to earn certifications just to improve their daily lives. Faculty have used Equity funding to help build laboratories, conduct remedial courses, create new degree programs in forestry and provide students stipends so they can complete their education. The goal is to graduate empowered students who can embrace their future with new skills and knowledge.

math, science, agriculture, natural resources, human sciences, vocational training, education Varies National Link
Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program Indigenous Environmental Network, Western Mining Action Network 12/31/2023

Rolling Deadline. The IEN/WMAN Mining Mini-Grants Program offers financial grant assistance to communities threatened or adversely affected by mining in the U.S. and Canada. We recognize that mining activity often has detrimental impacts to all aspects of community and cultural well-being and IEN/WMAN encourages projects that strive to protect the environment, ecosystems, cultural resources, and community health from mining impacts. IEN is accepting applications on a rolling basis, with deadlines of Feb 1, June 1, and Oct 1. Go to WMAN's website where you will find the new application form to fill in. 

mining, community health, public health, cultural well-being, adaptation $4,000 United States, Canada Link
White River National Forest Ski Conservation Fund National Forest Foundation

Deadline Passed 12/12/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The National Forest Foundation Ski Conservation Fund (SCF) and Forest Stewardship Fund (FSF) provide funding for action-oriented on-the-ground or citizen-based monitoring projects that improve forest health and outdoor experiences on National Forests and Grasslands. Award funds come from guest contributions at ski areas and lodges operating on or adjacent to National Forest System lands, with added National Forest Foundation federal funds for SCF. SCF and FSF support the implementation of on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects that have an immediate, quantifiable impact on the National Forest System. These projects provide a lasting impact to the lands, waters, and wildlife of the National Forest System through the alteration of the physical environment. The current NFF strategic plan focuses on the Program Areas of Outdoor Experiences and Forest Health. The program areas include Outdoor Experiences Program Area, Forest Health Program Area, and Integrated Projects. Organizations may self-select into one of the Program Areas listed above, or choose to submit a proposal that cohesively integrates the two Program Areas. SCF also requires projects to show a strong commitment to civic engagement and community involvement through direct public involvement. In order to be eligible for funding, projects must contain significant, legitimate community involvement or civic engagement in the pre-implementation, implementation, or post-implementation phase.

monitoring, forest health, outdoor experiences, conservation, restoration, National Forest System varies Link
Matching Awards Program National Forest Foundation 05/18/2023

Deadline: May 18, 2023. The National Forest Foundation is pleased to announce that it is currently soliciting proposals for its Matching Awards Program (MAP). MAP is a national, competitive grant program that provides federal funds for on-the-ground projects benefiting America's National Forests and Grasslands. The program supports action-oriented projects that enhance outdoor experiences, forest and ecosystem health, and engage local communities in caring for their public lands. The MAP Round 2 will be released in March, 2023. Learn more and apply here.

National forests, restoration, impacts, forest health, civic engagement, community involvement In recent years, NFF has considered applications ranging from less than $5,000 to over $60,000. New applicants to MAP are encouraged to submit applications requesting under $30,000. National Link
Historic Preservation Fund Grants to Underrepresented Communities DOI

Deadline passed as of July 31, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. Grants support the survey, inventory, and designation of historic properties that are associated with communities currently underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places and among National Historic Landmarks. Within one year of the completion of the grant, all projects must result in: the submission of a new nomination to the National Register of Historic Places or National Historic Landmark program OR an amendment to an existing National Register or National Historic Landmark nomination to include underrepresented communities.

national parks, preservation, historical monument, conservation Varies. National Link
HQ NWRS System Enhancements DOI, FWS

Deadline Passed 08/31/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020.  Headquarters National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) is accepting proposals for financial assistance from organizations that support Department of Interior (DOI) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) priorities and have the capacity to work cooperatively with the Service to identify, conserve, manage and enhance the physical and ecological infrastructure of the NWRS; deliver public access and high-quality recreational opportunities; identify organizations and support projects that provide recreational activities for disabled persons, youth, and veterans; build a volunteer cadre, and inspire the next generation of hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts through work on and off NWRS managed lands and waters.

National Wildlife Refuge System, conservation, management, ecological infrastructure, recreation $250,000-$400,000 National Link
Native Arts Initiative First Nations Development Institute

Last deadline: 10/19/2017. Deadline unknown 2019. First Nations (First Nations) Development Institute has launched a new Supporting Native Arts grant opportunity under its Native Arts Initiative (formerly known as the "Native Arts Capacity Building Iniative" or NACBI). First Nations will award about 15 Supporting Native Arts grants of up to $32,000 each to Native-controlled nonprofit organizations and tribal government programs that have existing programs in place that support Native artists and the field of traditional Native arts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to increasing the inter-generational transfer of knowledge of traditional Native artistic practices and perpetuation and proliferation of traditional Native arts.

Native Artists, Native Arts, non-profit organizations, tribal, capacity building, stewardship Up to $32,000 Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Upper Midwest Link
Native Youth and Culture Fund First Nations Development Institute

Deadline Passed as of 3/08/2018. Deadline for 2019 Unknown. We are pleased to announce this 2018 Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that focus on youth and incorporate culture and tradition to address social issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, mental health or other social issues. Specifically, we are seeking projects that focus on one or more of these four priority areas: Preserving, strengthening or renewing cultural and/or spiritual practices, beliefs and values. Engaging both youth and elders in activities that demonstrate methods for documenting traditional knowledge, practices and/or beliefs, where culturally appropriate. Increasing youth leadership and their capacity to lead through integrated educational or mentoring programs. Increasing access to and sharing of cultural customs and beliefs through the use of appropriate technologies (traditional and/or modern), as a means of reviving or preserving tribal language, arts, history or other culturally relevant topics.

native youth, elders, culture, tradition, social issues, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, mental health, education, tribal language, traditional knowledge $5000-$20,000 National Link
Olympia Oyster Restoration Efforts NRCS

Deadline passed as of April 21, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. Financial and technical assistance is available from NRCS through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for individual producer contracts to help restore Olympia Oysters. EQIP funding will help pay for the shell substrate essential for the Olympia Oysters to grow upon as well as seeded cultch bags.

native, biodiversity, traditional food, climate change, acidification, adaptation, food justice, management, restoration, habitat, marine, fisheries, shellfish, harvest Unknown. Washington Link
Prediction of and Resilience against Extreme EVENTS (PREEVENTS) NSF

Deadline Passed 01/05/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2021. Natural disasters cause thousands of deaths annually, and in 2013 alone caused over $130 billion in damage worldwide. There is clear societal need to better understand and mitigate the risks posed to the US by natural hazards, consistent with the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) “…to promote the progress of science [and] advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare....” NSF and the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) have long supported basic research in scientific and engineering disciplines necessary to understand natural hazards and extreme events, including through the Interdisciplinary Research in Hazards and Disasters (Hazards SEES) program and multiple core programs in the GEO Directorate. PREEVENTS is designed as a logical successor to Hazards SEES and is one element of the NSF-wide Risk and Resilience activity, which has the overarching goal of improving predictability and risk assessment, and increasing resilience, in order to reduce the impact of extreme events on our life, society, and economy. PREEVENTS will provide an additional mechanism to support research and related activities that will improve our understanding of the fundamental processes underlying natural hazards and extreme events in the geosciences. PREEVENTS is focused on natural hazards and extreme events, and not on technological or deliberately human-caused hazards. The PREEVENTS portfolio will include the potential for disciplinary and multidisciplinary research at all scales, particularly aimed at areas ripe for significant near- or medium-term advances. PREEVENTS seeks projects that will (1) enhance understanding of the fundamental processes underlying natural hazards and extreme events on various spatial and temporal scales, as well as the variability inherent in such hazards and events, and (2) improve our capability to model and forecast such hazards and events. All projects requesting PREEVENTS support must be primarily focused on these two targets. In addition, PREEVENTS projects will improve our understanding of the effects of natural hazards and extreme events and will enable development, with support by other programs and organizations, of new tools to enhance societal preparedness and resilience against such impacts.

natural disaster, hazard, mitigate, human health, prediction, planning, infrastructure Amount varies. National 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. 

natural disasters, impacts, refleif funds $70,000 total Individual grants capped at $10,000 National Link
Tree Assistance Program (TAP) USDA, FSA

The 2014 Farm Bill authorized the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to provide financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost by natural disasters. TAP is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). To be considered an eligible loss:

  • Eligible trees, bushes, or vines must have suffered more than a 15 percent mortality loss in a stand (adjusted for normal mortality) due to an eligible natural disaster;
  • Mortality loss on a stand of eligible trees, bushes, or vines is based on:
    • Each eligible disaster event, except for losses due to plant disease; and
    • For plant disease, the time period as determined by the FSA for which the stand is infected.
  • The loss must not have been preventable through reasonable and available measures;
  • The loss must be visible and obvious to the FSA representative; if the loss is no longer visible, FSA may accept other loss evidence and determine whether that other evidence substantiates that an eligible loss due to natural disaster occurred; and 
  • FSA may require information from a qualified expert to determine extent of loss in the case of plant disease or insect infestation
natural disasters, rehabilitation, replant, tree health, plant health varies National Link

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