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
Hawai‘i Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program NOAA

Deadline Passed. Most recent deadline: January 31, 2024. The goal of the Hawaiʻi B-WET program is to support K-12 environmental literacy programs that provide students with Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) and related professional development for in-service teachers, administrators, or other educators serving K-12 students in Hawaiʻi. The funding purpose is to support communities by developing well-informed members of society, who are involved in decision-making that positively impacts our coastal, marine, and watershed ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands. This is a competitive opportunity to assist in the development of new programs, encourage innovative partnerships among environmental education programs, and to promote locally relevant, experiential learning with Priority Content Areas, such as Science with an emphasis on climate and Indigenous Knowledge.

A maximum of $150,000 Hawai'i Link
Evidence for Action: Indigenous-Led Solutions to Advance Health Equity and Wellbeing Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Most Recent Deadline: March 1, 2024. The purpose of this call for proposals (CFP) is to support Indigenous-led systematic inquiry to enhance the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples and generate approaches to improve health equity. This will be achieved by funding community-prioritized investigation, elevating and integrating Indigenous cultures and knowledge-building practices. To support a diverse range of projects tailored to different phases of development and scope, awards will be made through two tracks, as described later in this solicitation. Preference will be given to applicant organizations that are Tribal entities (including those that are state recognized, federally recognized, or have no formal recognition status) or Indigenous-Serving Organizations, including Urban Indian Organizations. Track 1: Initiating and Developing Research Capacity and InfrastructureThere is not an explicit budget cap for awards funded under this track, but we expect that grants will be in the approximate range of $100,000–$400,000 total. We anticipate much of the grant duration to involve relationship-building, trust development, and community feedback processes. Proposals must demonstrate a clear plan for ongoing and sustained collaboration and continued work with newly engaged partners.Track 2: Supporting Later-Stage, Sustained Research Efforts  There is not an explicit budget cap for awards funded under this track, but we expect grants will be in the range of approximately $500,000–$750,000 total. We expect project teams to demonstrate established, equitable partnerships with Indigenous communities who can begin testing a solution or strategy as part of their project.  

National Link
Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 12/31/2024

Rolling deadline. Evidence for Action (E4A) prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. Our focus on racial equity means we are concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other races and ethnicities), as well as the ways in which racism intersects with other forms of marginalization, such as having low income, being an immigrant, having a disability, or identifying as LGBTQ+ or a gender minority.

This funding is geared toward studies about “upstream” causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals’ options and behaviors. Research should center on the needs and experiences of communities exhibiting the greatest health burdens and be motivated by real-world priorities. It should be able to inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting the extent of a problem.

While we will consider research on various aspects of health equity, we prioritize studies of interventions that are designed to reduce race-based disparities (e.g., by confronting a root cause of disparities or targeting benefits to those experiencing the greatest burdens). RWJF is particularly interested in strategies focused on developing healthy and equitable communities; supporting the needs of children, families, and caregivers; and fostering alignment among health care, public health, and social service systems.

There is no explicit range for allowable budget requests. You should request the amount of funding you will need to complete and disseminate findings from your proposed research project—including direct and indirect costs for the entire duration of your grant. The size of the budget will be weighed in relation to the importance and likely contribution of the proposed work. Pilot studies and formative stage research are expected to correspond with lower budgets. As a research funding program, E4A does not fund the costs of program implementation or operations. Visit Evidence for Action's Funded Projects for a sense of the budget range of grants funded by E4A.

Grant periods are flexible up to 36 months; rare exceptions may be made for projects needing up to 48 months if sufficient justification is provided. Our preference is for projects that produce findings in the near term.
Link
Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 12/31/2024

Rolling deadline. This funding opportunity seeks proposals primed to impact health equity moving forward. We are interested in ideas that address any of these four areas of focus: Future of Evidence; Future of Social Interaction; Future of Food; Future of Work. Additionally, we welcome ideas that might fall outside of these four focus areas, but which offer unique approaches to advancing health equity and our progress toward a Culture of Health.

We want to hear from scientists, anthropologists, artists, urban planners, community leaders—anyone, anywhere who has a new or unconventional idea that could alter the trajectory of health and improve health equity and wellbeing for generations to come. The changes we seek require diverse perspectives and cannot be accomplished by any one person, organization, or sector.

The average Pioneering Ideas for an Equitable Future grant in 2019 was $315,031. However, there is not an explicit range for budget requests. Grant periods are flexible, though generally range from 1 to 3 years. Link
Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund US Department of Transportation

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: January 15, 2024. Transportation fatalities and injuries severely impact the quality of life in Indian country. Each year under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), as enacted by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), 4% of the available TTP funds are set aside to address transportation safety issues identified by federally recognized Indian tribes through a competitive, discretionary program. Projects are chosen whose outcomes will reduce fatal and serious injuries in transportation related incidents, such as motor vehicle crashes.

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
Native American Direct Loan US Department of Veterans Affairs 12/31/2024

Rolling deadline. If you’re a Veteran, and either you or your spouse is Native American, our Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program may help you get a loan to buy, build, or improve a home on federal trust land. You may also get a loan to refinance an existing NADL and reduce your interest rate. Find out if you qualify for an NADL—and how to apply. An NADL offers many benefits, including:

No down payment required in most cases.
No need for private mortgage insurance (PMI), which is commonly charged to conventional loan borrowers.
Limited closing costs (fees you pay for services and other costs related to getting a loan and buying a home).
A low-interest, 30-year fixed mortgage (a fixed mortgage means your interest rate will stay the same over the full life of the loan). The current VA interest rate for NADLs starts at 2.5%. To find out what your interest rate will be, contact an NADL coordinator by email at NADL@va.gov or by phone at 888-349-7541 (TTY: 711). We’re here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
A reusable benefit, which means you can get more than one NADL to buy, build, or improve another residence in the future.
The ability to refinance a current NADL for a lower interest rate.
The ability to borrow up to the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac conforming loan limit on a no-down-payment loan in most areas—and more in some high-cost counties. You can borrow more than this amount if you want to make a down payment.

Link
Community Change Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance Environmental Protection Agency 11/21/2024

This technical assistance program is in conjunction with the EPA Community Change grants. To apply, visit: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/09501b3dad374a81a5ee857fc31648ce. The Community Change Grant Equitable Resilience technical assistance will provide free design and project development assistance, community engagement, and partnership development workshops that support climate resilience and environmental justice activities in disaster-prone areas. This program will help eligible entities develop applications for to be submitted for grants under the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) Community Change Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which is expected to be issued in the fall of 2023. Community Change Grants will invest approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds for environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to respond to environmental and climate justice challenges. Eligible projects for this technical assistance must be located in a disaster-prone area and benefit a disadvantaged community.

Link
Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (Inflation Reduction Act) Environmental Protection Agency 11/21/2024

Deadline: November 21, 2024. Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program. EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.

National Link
Marine Energy University Foundational R&D.

Most recent Deadline: February 20, 2024. Marine Energy University Foundational R&D. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) and Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) has released a $14.5 million funding opportunity for pioneering research in marine and ocean renewable energy at U.S. colleges and universities. The funding opportunity will fund projects across four topic areas, which includes up to $1.5 million for projects that advance potential synergies between offshore wind and/or marine energy and aquaculture development (topic area descriptions from the solicitation are copied below). We would appreciate your helping sharing this announcement with relevant contacts and network. We’ve also shared this with NOAA Office of Aquaculture. For more information and the link to apply: Funding Notice: Marine Energy University Foundational R&D | Department of Energy. Concept papers are due by 5 p.m. ET on February 20th, 2024 and are required to be eligible to submit a full application. https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/funding-notice-marine-energy-universi…

National Link
National Sea Grant Law Center Coastal Resilience RFP

National Sea Grant Law Center Coastal Resilience RFP. Letters of Intent due: March 8, 2024. The National Sea Grant Law Center is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications from eligible applicants to conduct research on the effectiveness of laws and policies related to a wide range of coastal resilience issues including sea level rise, flooding, amplified storm surge, increased frequency and intensity of storms, land use, or other environmental factors, and whether those policies are achieving desired policy changes. The 2024 Coastal Resilience Program grants have a recommended funding level of $75,000, and the Law Center anticipates selecting up to two projects for funding. Matching funds will not be required. Please see the attached RFP for more detail. The RFP is also available on our Funding Opportunities webpage. General questions about the Coastal Resilience Program and the scope of projects considered should be directed to Stephanie Otts, Director of the National Sea Grant Law Center, via email, sshowalt@olemiss.edu, or phone, (662) 915-7714. General questions about the application process should be directed to Lauren Fremin, Project Coordinator for the National Sea Grant Law Center, via email, lrfremin@olemiss.edu. For more information, visit: https://nsglc.olemiss.edu/funding/.

Link
CRESCENT Seed Grant Program Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 1, 2024. We are delighted to announce the CRESCENT Seed Grant Program and request proposals for funding. Any researchers in the US that are part of an institution or organization that is eligible for regular National Science Foundation funding are invited to apply. The CRESCENT Seed Grant Program has the dual goals of broadening community participation and increasing the breadth of scientific investigations related to the center’s scientific goals. Achieving these goals relies, in part, on inviting the community to participate in addressing top priorities and key challenges identified through three major pillars: i) science, ii) geoscience education and inclusion, and iii) partnerships and applications. Proposals that respond to one or more of the priorities in each of these pillars as outlined in the Request for Proposals will be considered for funding. Please visit our website to review the request for proposals and to apply.

Community Water Justice Awards The Joint Futures Initiative

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 1, 2024. The Joint Futures Initiative is thrilled to announce the first-ever call for Community Water Justice Awards funded by a state budget allocation. Apply now! Awards up to $50,000.00. For questions, please contact Dr. Alai Reyes-Santos at alai@uoregon.edu. For more information, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMKE7Rw9udzBuDQyDR6Z3y47AoGy0….

Tribal Capacity Building Pilot Program Funding California Strategic Growth Council

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 5, 2024. California Strategic Growth Council has released the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Application for SGC’s newest grant program, the Tribal Capacity Building Pilot Program. The pilot program provides funding and technical assistance to California Native American tribes to build staff capacity to advance tribes’ climate-related work. Eligible applicants include California Native American tribes listed on the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) Contact List, including federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribes. A non-federally recognized tribe is eligible to apply if they are registered as a nonprofit, a for-profit corporation, or a limited liability company. SGC will award between $150,000 and $250,000 to each tribe selected for the pilot two-year grant term.  Please feel free to reach out to the CACE team directly at CACE@sgc.ca.gov with questions and/or concerns.

Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Lab Request for Proposals Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Lab 6/17/2024

ESIP Lab Request for Proposals. Deadline: June 17, 2024. Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Lab has recently announced a new request for proposals. The 2024 ESIP Lab RFP aims at supporting data management, data analysis or visualization, or data-informed storytelling related to climate resilience. Over the past seven years, ESIP has granted over $300k in small grant funding, resulting in over $2.5 million in follow-on funding, numerous collaborations, open-source software and data products, and peer-reviewed publications. Check out a list of previously funded projects. The maximum budget for this RFP is $20k over ten months. Proposals are due June 17, 2024. https://www.esipfed.org/lab/rfp/

$20,000 National Link