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 Grant Deadline Description Funding Amount Geography Website
FY 2018 – 2020 - Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Announcement Type: Initial NOAA

Past deadline: May 15, 2019. The notice requests proposals for special projects and programs associated with NOAA's strategic plan and mission goals. There are four mission goals described in the Broad Agency Announcement including Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Weather-Ready Nations, Healthy Oceans, and Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies. This broad agency announcement is a mechanism to encourage research, education and outreach, innovative projects, or sponsorships that are not addressed through NOAA competitive discretionary programs. It is not a mechanism for awarding congressionally directed funds.

Categories: climate adaptation, mitigation, weather preparedness, disaster preparedness, oceans, coasts

There are no funds specifically appropriated by Congress for this BAA. Funding for potential projects in this notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2018, Fiscal Year 2019, and Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for any proposed activities in this notice. National Link
Small Grants Competition GLISA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 30, 2023. The Great Lakes Integrated Sciences + Assessments (GLISA) is accepting letters of intent for projects to advance equitable climate adaptation in the Great Lakes region. Access the Call for SOI here.

Categories: climate adaptation, equity, DEI

Up to $30,000 per year, 2 years Great Lakes Region Link
Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center - FY 2025 Research Grants Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

Most Recent Deadline: May 23, 2024. Fiscal Year 2025 Project Solicitation: Now Accepting Proposals. The NW CASC invites Statements of Interest for our Federal Fiscal Year 2025 research portfolio, for which we are seeking projects that focus on developing knowledge and resources to address 1) the effectiveness of management or adaptation strategies, 2) climate adaptation strategies for estuaries and coastal ecosystems and 3) management and climate adaptation strategies for sagebrush and juniper ecosystems, with a focus on the Great Basin. Proposals developed in response to this project solicitation should focus on developing scientific information and products that can be directly applied to specific management challenges, either locally or broadly across landscapes in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and western Montana. For more information and to apply, visit: https://app.smartsheetgov.com/b/publish?EQBCT=cda7be78c3a348a582c88258a81e0b75

Categories: climate adaptation, coastal ecosystems, estuaries, sagebrush, juniper

Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana Link
Climate Action Fund Grant Rainforest Action Network 12/31/2024

Rolling Deadline. The Climate Action Fund (CAF) was established in 2009 to award small grants to frontline community groups that are fighting to prevent fossil fuels from being extracted and/or the construction of large point sources of greenhouse gas emissions. CAF is a grassroots alternative to carbon offset programs. Instead of purchasing carbon credits, funds will be used to empower frontline communities to keep fossil fuels in the ground where they belong. Grants generally do not exceed $2,500. Learn more and apply here. To inquire regarding the possibility of funding for your organization and to request an online version of the application, please contact caf@ran.org.

Categories: Climate action, social justice, community involvement, activism

Up to $2,500 North and South America Link
Clean Water Act Indian Set-Aside Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The purpose of the Clean Water Act Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) Program is to provide funding for wastewater infrastructure to federally recognized tribal governments and Alaska Native Villages. Funds may be used for planning, design and construction
of wastewater collection and treatment systems. The CWISA Program is adminis- tered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS). The program was established by the 1987 Amendments to the Clean Water Act, in Section 518(c).The CWISA program is administered in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS). To be considered for CWISA program funding, tribes must identify their wastewater needs to the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System. EPA uses the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System priority lists to identify and select projects for CWISA program funding.

Categories: clean water, wastewater, sanitation, Indian Health Service

The average award amount for individual projects is $300,000. Pacific Southwest Link
Clean School Bus Rebates EPA

Deadline Passed. Most Recent Deadline January 31, 2024. EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program is providing at least $500 million in funding to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. Beginning September 2023 through January 2024, EPA will be hosting a series of webinars on who is eligible, who is prioritized, and how to apply for the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebates.

Categories: Clean energy, transportation, zero-emission, education

Varies. National Link
Communities LEAP Program DOE

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: December 17, 2021. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched an opportunity announcement for the Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP) - an initiative designed to help environmental justice communities and communities with historical ties to fossil fuel industries take direct control of their clean energy future. The Communities LEAP pilot program provides supportive services valued at up to $16 million to help communities develop locally-driven energy plans to more effectively leverage public and private sector resources to reduce local air pollution, increase energy resilience, lower utility costs and energy burdens, and create good-paying jobs. This opportunity is specifically open to low-income, energy-burdened communities (including Tribes) that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels. Tribes must register in order to apply for this opportunity.

Categories: Clean energy, technical assistance, environmental justice, resilience, emissions, infrastructure, development

Technical assistance services valued at up to a total of $16 million National Link
Microgrid 2014 MVP Challenge DOE

DOE is accepting applications for the Microgrid 2014 MVP Challenge, a competition to support resiliency and adaptation in communities across the nation. Entries will be judged according to four criteria: resiliency, clean energy system, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.

Categories: Clean Energy, Energy efficiency, Infrastructure

$100,000 National, Alaska, Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, Midwest Link
Indian Energy Purchase Preference Inquiries

Solicitation Opens for Tribes to Sell Clean Energy Credits to Federal Agencies under Indian Energy Purchase Preference. Most Recent Deadline: May 20, 2024. The GSA has opened a solicitation for 47,500 MWh of clean energy credits from Tribes in a move that both boosts opportunity for Tribal energy businesses and advances federal clean energy goals of running on 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2030 (E.O. 14057). The solicitation has the potential to lead to the first ever procurement under the Indian Energy Purchase Preference. 

  • The solicitation is for Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), which include Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), and allow for the clean attributes of energy production to be purchased without having a direct connection to the energy source. One EAC is equivalent to 1 MWh of clean energy production.
  • Tribal-majority-owned energy businesses with carbon pollution-free electricity, or who compile carbon pollution-free electricity from other sources are eligible to compete in the solicitation.
  • EACs must have been generated between April 1, 2023, and Dec. 1, 2024, from generation sources that were put in service on or after Oct. 1, 2021. The EACs will be procured independently from physical power produced by Tribal sources.
  • The solicitation deadline is May 20, 2024. It is available athttps://sam.gov/opp/d2585e6204de4d42b6c3ba6663b2b7ba/view
  • WHCNAA, GSA, DOE, and DOD committed to implement the Indian Energy Purchase Preference at the 2022 Tribal Nations Summit and in 2023 DOE Secretary Granholm re-emphasized the need to implement the whole preference, which allows for buying energy byproducts such as EACs.
  • DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program and the Office of Indian Energy have been raising awareness on processes to sell EACs to the federal government, with office hours: Thursday May 9, 2024 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Register Here

For inquiries about selling power to federal entities under the IEPP, see the Office of Indian Energy’s pag

Categories: clean energy credits

National Link
Local Government Energy Program US DOE Dept. of State and Community Energy Program 5/31/2024

The Local Government Energy Program (LGEP) supports federally recognized Indian Tribes and local governments implement clean energy projects and programs that provide direct community benefits, spark additional investments, meet community-identified priorities, and build local capacity. LGEP focuses on disadvantaged communities, energy communities, and small-to –medium-sized jurisdictions. 

Categories: clean energy

$18,000,000 National Link
Tribal Clean Air Act EPA

Deadline passed as of March 3, 2023. EPA Region 9 anticipates awarding approximately 30 grants to federally-recognized tribes within the Region 9 geographic area for funding tribal air pollution control programs, air quality education and assessment projects, and the development of tribal air program capacity.

Categories: clean air, air pollution, education

It is expected that the awards will range from $50,000 to $120,000. Pacific Southwest Link
Citizen Science Competitive Funding Program USFS

Deadline Passed 12/05/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The USDA Forest Service delivers world-class science, technology, and land management to sustain the Nation's forests and grasslands in collaboration with communities and our partners. In 2017, the agency launched the Citizen Science Competitive Funding Program (CitSci Fund) to support innovative projects that address science and resource management information needs while connecting people to the land and one another.

Categories: citizen science, forest management, grasslands, community building, healthy ecosystems

up to $25,000 National Link
Alfalfa and Forage Research Program NIFA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 25, 2023. Alfalfa and Forage Research Program (AFRP) will support the development of improved alfalfa forage and seed production systems. Proposals submitted to AFRP should address one or more of the following priorities: (1) Improving alfalfa forage and seed yield through better nutrient, water and/or pest management; (2) Improving persistence of alfalfa stands by lessening biotic or abiotic stresses; (3) Improving alfalfa forage and seed harvesting and storage systems to optimize economic returns; (4) Improving estimates of alfalfa forage quality as an animal feed to increase forage usage in animal feeds; and/or (5) Breeding to address biotic and abiotic stresses that impact forage yield and persistence and the production of seed for propagation.

Categories: cattle, livestock, sustainability, management, infrastructure, food supplies, feed supplies, wild foods, foraging

$0 - $900,000 National Link
Regional Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment DOE

Deadline Passed 06/03/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The primary objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to award projects that identify and address onshore regional storage and transport challenges facing commercial deployment of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS). Projects will focus on Addressing Key Technical Challenges; Facilitate Data Collection, Sharing, and Analysis; Evaluate Regional Infrastructure; and Promote Regional Technology Transfer.

Categories: carbon storage, utilization, energy, storage, data collection, infrastructure, technology

up to $7,000,000 Link
FY 2023 Competitive Funding Opportunity; Low or No Emission Vehicle Program Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 13, 2023. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of approximately $1.22 billion in competitive grants under the Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No Program) for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities. Funds remain available for obligation for four fiscal years. This includes the fiscal year in which the amount is made available or appropriated plus three additional years. Apply here.

Categories: carbon emissions, transportation, transit facilities, clean energy, IIJA

Varies National Link
The Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative Community Grants Program NOAA, UW EarthLab, Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 28, 2023. The Resilience Collaborative seeks to fund justice-focused, environmental and climate projects that advance community-centered resilience priorities. The Collaborative is particularly interested in supporting frontline communities and tribes or nonprofits and community organizations that serve frontline communities and tribes. Project topics can include capacity building, developing a community-centered resilience plan, developing Indigenous climate knowledge, and more. Awardees must be based in Washington, Idaho or Oregon. Funding amount (provided by NOAA and University of Washington EarthLab) varies based on level or project ranging from $5,000 up to $50,000 for one year. Projects of varying levels will be funded as follows: Level 1: $5,000 to $10,000; Level 2: $15,000 to $30,000; Level 3: $35,000 to $50,000. Additional information and an opoprtunity to have questions answered will be available at an informational webinar on Friday, January 20, 2023 and during open office hours Tuesday, January 24, 3-4:30 p.m. and Thursday, February 16, noon-1:30 p.m. More information is available here.

Categories: capacity building, community-building, Indigenous climate knowledge, resilience strategy, climate documenting, environmental justice

Varies Washington, Idaho, Oregon Link
California Resilience Challenge 2020 Grant Program Bay Area Council Foundation

Deadline Passed 02/07/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2021. The California Resilience Challenge is a $2 million statewide competition to support innovative projects that address climate change-related threats and help safeguard the state against wildfire, drought, flood and extreme heat events. Recipients will receive grant awards of up to $200,000 for climate adaptation planning projects. The California Resilience Challenge will provide resources to local communities throughout the state, including cities, counties, California Native American tribes, special districts, and more, that are affected by climate change-related natural disasters.

Categories: California, resilience, wildfire, drought, flood, extreme heat, adaptation

$100,000-$200,000 California 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
ReConnect Loan and Grant Program

Deadline Passed 07/12/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The ReConnect Program is an innovative new pilot program that offers unique federal financing and funding options in the form of loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in areas of rural America that don’t currently have sufficient access to broadband. This pilot program will generate private sector investment to deploy broadband infrastructure to provide high-speed internet e-Connectivity to as many rural premises as possible, including homes, community facilities for healthcare and public safety, schools, libraries, farms, ranches, factories, and other production sites. For those who are applying for 100% loan, the deadline is July 12, 2019. 

Categories: broadband, rural areas, infrastructure, high-speed internet, capacity building

Up to $200,000,000 is available for loan/grant combinations. The maximum amount that can be requested in an application is $25,000,000 for the loan and $25,000,000 for the grant. Loan and grant amounts will always be equal. Rural Areas Link
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Most recent deadline: March 22, 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.

Categories: Broadband, communications, internet

Broadband Internet infrastructure deployment projects proposed by a single applicant: $1 million to $50 million
Broadband Internet adoption and use projects: $100,000 to $2.5 million

These funding ranges are not required minimums and maximums, but eligible entities requesting funding for projects outside of these ranges must provide a reasonable explanation for the variance in their project size.
National 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
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
BLM OR/WA Rogue Native Plant Partnership BLM

Deadline passed as of July 3, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration (2015-2020) identifies a need to be better prepared to respond appropriately to large-scale disturbances and other stressors that threaten important plant communities and the ecosystem services they provide on Federal, state, local, and private land. The stressors include the spread of invasive plant species, altered wildlife regimes, habitat modification, land overuse, and climate change. The key component to achieving this vision is improving the availability of appropriate native seed, seedlings, and container stock. These materials are currently difficult to acquire in sufficient quantities across the Rogue Basin, often resulting in the use of non-native plants, cultivars, or native plant materials that are not adapted to local site conditions, thus limiting restoration success. The proposed project would fund a partnership of regional land management agencies, nongovernmental organizations, tribes, seed growers, nurseries, and restoration practitioners who would work together to implement the National Seed Strategy, thereby improving restoration outcomes across the Rogue Basin.

Categories: biodiversity, invasive, plants, wildlife, habitat, restoration, conservation, management, technical assistance, climate change, adaptation, mitigation

Up to $35,000. Oregon, Washington Link
Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 6, 2023. The purpose of the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities is to provide technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction, also known as pollution prevention (P2). Grantees must demonstrate that the project will improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by implementing P2 approaches. This grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Categories: BIL, pollution, community health, technical assistance, Justice40

$100,000 to $800,000 for the individual grant awards, or up to $1.2 million for multi-state or multi-tribal projects National, US territories Link
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
Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants NOAA Fisheries

Deadline Passed. Most Recent Deadline: November 8, 2023. Nearly $85 million in funding is available for fish passage and tribal capacity building under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This funding will support U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in implementing fish passage work and building tribal organizational capacity. In collaboration with NOAA, selected partners will use these funds to build tribal organizational capacity and implement projects that reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for tribally-important species. Selected projects may also provide community and economic benefits, such as enhancing climate resilience by removing or improving aging infrastructure. NOAA will accept proposals between $300,000 and $12 million. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: BIL, IRA, Tribally-important species, dam removals, sustainable fisheries, endangered species, conservation, watershed health

$300,000 - $12,000,000 National Link
Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants NOAA Fisheries

Most Recent Deadline: October 16, 2023. Nearly $175 million in funding is available for fish passage projects under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This funding will support projects that reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish around the country. In collaboration with NOAA, selected partners will use these funds to implement locally-led removals of dams and other in-stream barriers. Selected projects will assist in sustaining our nation’s fisheries and contributing to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. They may also provide community and economic benefits, such as jobs and climate resilience. NOAA will accept proposals with a federal funding request of between $1 million and $20 million over the award period. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: BIL, IRA, Dam removals, sustainable fisheries, endangered species, conservation, watershed health

$1,000,000 - $20,000,000 National Link
Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience NOAA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: November 17, 2023. $240 million in funding is available for habitat restoration and coastal resilience through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Projects selected through this funding opportunity will have a transformative impact for coastal communities and tribes across the country. They will help sustain our nation’s fisheries, make significant strides in the recovery of threatened and endangered species, and help protect coastal communities and ecosystems from the impacts of climate change. They will support efforts such as reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains, outplanting corals to rebuild reefs, building living shorelines that protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise, and more. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: BIL, IRA, Coastal restoration, marine areas, estuaries, fisheries, conservation, climate resilience

$1,000,000 - $25,000,000 National Link
Energizing Rural Communities Prize DOE

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 24, 2023. The $15 million Energizing Rural Communities Prize challenges individuals and organizations to develop partnership plans or innovative financing strategies to help rural or remote communities improve their energy systems and advance clean energy demonstration projects. This prize is part of the $1 billion Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program, created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). The ERA Program supports projects that improve the resilience, reliability, safety, availability, and environmental performance of energy systems in rural or remote areas of the U.S. with populations of no more than 10,000 people.

Categories: BIL, innovation challenge, rural energy, infrastructure

up to $100,000 National Link
Safe Streets and Roads for All Funding Opportunity Department of Transportation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: July 10, 2023. Funds for the fiscal year 2023 SS4A grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators.

Categories: BIL, infrastructure, transportation

$100,000 - $25,000,000 National Link