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
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia EPA

Deadline passed. Latest deadline: April 4, 2023. SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia will provide funds for tribes and intertribal consortia to develop or update plans focused on encouraging environmentally sound post-consumer materials management; establish, increase, or expand materials management infrastructure, utilize funds for equipment and construction related costs as part of their implementation plans, and identify, establish, or improve end-markets for the use of recycled materials.  Materials and waste streams within scope of this funding opportunity include: municipal solid waste, including plastics, organics, paper, metal, glass, etc. and construction and demolition debris. In addition, materials and waste streams considered include the management pathways of source reduction, reuse, sending materials to material recovery facilities, composting, industrial uses (e.g., rendering, anaerobic digestion), and feeding animals. Apply here.

Categories: waste management, food waste, waste diversion, recycling, composting, public health, BIL

Up to $1,500,000 National Link
Clean Diesel Tribal Grants EPA

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

Categories: air quality, fuel, diesel, reductions,

$2 million dispersed among applicants National Link
Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program FY 2019 EPA

Deadline Passed March 26, 2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions, particularly from fleets operating at or servicing goods movement facilities located in areas designated as having poor air quality. Further, priority for funding will be given to projects which result in outcomes that benefit affected communities, those that engage affected communities with respect to the design and performance of the project, and those which can demonstrate the ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.

Categories: Energy, Diesel

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
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
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) EPA

Deadline Passed 07/31/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) established the WIFIA program, a federal credit program administered by EPA for eligible water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

Categories: wastewater, infrastructure, energy efficiency, drinking water, drought prevention, mitigation

$5,000,000-$20,000,000 National Link
FY 2019 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Solicitation Notice EPA

Deadline Passed 04/08/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The EPA Exchange Network Grant Program is soliciting project proposals that use the Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) to:Facilitate sharing of environmental data, especially through shared and reusable services.Streamline data collection and exchanges to improve its timeliness for decision making.Increase the quality and access to environmental data through discovery, publishing, outbound, and analytical services so it is more useful to environmental managers.Develop foundational EN shared services to reduce burden and avoid costs for co-regulators and the regulated community.Expand and improve participation in the EN by strengthening the requisite information management and technology capabilities for interested parties to fully participate in the EN

Categories: Regulatory, Research, Environmental Data, Decision Making

Up to $400,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Healthy Places for Healthy People EPA

Deadline passed as of November 6, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. Healthy Places for Healthy People will provide selected communities with expert planning assistance that centers around a two-day community workshop. A team of experts will help community members develop an implementable action plan that will focus on health as an economic driver and catalyst for downtown and neighborhood revitalization.

Categories: community, neighborhood, infrastructure, economy, urban

unknown National, Appalachia Link
Air Climate and Energy (ACE) Centers EPA

Deadline Unknown. Closed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications for Air, Climate and Energy (ACE) Centers. EPA is interested in supporting research on the development of sound science to systematically inform policy makers at the state and local levels regarding the development of innovative approaches to enable effective implementation of air pollution control strategies to achieve the greatest public health benefits by reducing exposure to harmful air pollution

Categories: Research, Air Pollution Control, public health

Up to $10,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Cool & Connected EPA

Deadline passed as of November 6, 2016. Deadline for 2017 unknown. Through Cool & Connected, a team of experts will help community members develop strategies and an action plan for using broadband service to promote smart, sustainable community development. Broadband access can provide new opportunities for people and businesses. A growing number of communities have combined broadband service with other local assets such as cultural and recreational amenities to attract and retain investment and people, including young people. This can help diversify local economies. Such efforts typically require planning among community leaders, businesses, and internet service providers. The Cool & Connected program will provide assistance to this end, helping communities take advantage of broadband service to create walkable, connected, economically successful main streets and small-town neighborhoods.

Categories: internet, urban, infrastructure, technology, economic development

Unknown National Link
Tribal Support for Participation in the National Environmental Information Exchange Network EPA

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

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

up to $1,500,000 National Link
National Clean Diesel Funding Tribal Assistance Program EPA

EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality is soliciting proposals nationwide for Tribal projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas.

Categories: Emissions Reduction, Clean Energy, Transportation Infrastructure, Mitigation

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Local Governments Reimbursement Program EPA 12/31/2024

Rolling Deadline. In the event of a release (or threatened release) of hazardous substances, EPA may reimburse local governments for expenses related to the release and associated emergency response measures. The Local Governments Reimbursement Program provides a "safety net" of up to $25,000 per incident to local governments that do not have funds available to pay for response actions.

Categories: Emergency Management, Disaster, Adaptation, Health, Natural Resources

Up to $25,000 per incident Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Puget Sound Action Agenda – Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead EPA

Deadline Passed. Most recent deadline: March 31, 2023. This RFA announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible applicants that are interested in acting as the Puget Sound Climate Resilient Riparian Systems Lead. The overall goal is to establish an innovative and collaborative riparian conservation program that provides financial incentives for landowners to set aside and restore riparian areas important for salmon recovery, while successfully implementing approaches to climate resiliency and riparian conservation that become a robust and sustainable program.

Categories: riparian ecosystem, conservation, climate resiliency, salmon, flooding, erosion

Up to $30,000,000 Puget Sound, Washington Link
Tribal and Insular Area Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) EPA

Most Recent Deadline: 7/09/2021. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $5 million in DERA funding under this announcement. A total of $4.5 million will be made available to tribal governments (or intertribal consortia) and Alaska Native villages, and $500,000 will be made available to insular area governments. EPA anticipates awarding five to ten cooperative agreements to tribal governments (or intertribal consortia) and Alaska Native villages and two to four cooperative agreements to insular area governments. This year's Request for Applications (RFA) has no mandatory cost share requirement and sets funding limits to $800,000 for tribal applicants and $250,000 for insular area applicants. Each applicant may submit up to two applications. Although funding for both tribes and insular areas is planned under this single RFA, the applications will be competed separately.  Tribal applications will be reviewed, ranked and selected by one review panel, and insular area applications will be reviewed, ranked and selected by a separate review panel. EPA's ten regional offices will manage awards. The number and size of cooperative agreements made under this announcement are subject to the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other considerations. 

Categories: Emissions Reduction, Mitigation, Energy efficiency

up to $800,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 30, 2023. The new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) Program is a competition to select multiple Grantmakers around the nation to reduce barriers to the federal grants application process communities face and increase the efficiency of the awards process for environmental justice grants. Grantmakers will design competitive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement a tracking and reporting system, provide resources and support to communities, all in collaboration with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. Apply on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=346337

Categories: competition, environmental justice, community, IRA

Up to $50,000,000 National, US territories Link
Region 9 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program EPA

Most recent deadline: 1/14/2021. EPA provides GAP financial and technical assistance to tribal governments and intertribal consortia to assist tribes in planning, developing, and establishing the capacity to implement federal environmental programs administered by the EPA and to assist in implementation of tribal solid and hazardous waste programs in accordance with applicable provisions of law, including the Solid Waste Disposal Act (commonly known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA). As described in the GAP Guiding Principles, this support promotes tribal government efforts to develop core environmental program capacities (administrative, financial management, information management, environmental baseline needs assessment, public education/communication, legal, and technical/analytical) and baseline capacities for media-specific programs (e.g., ambient air quality, water quality, managing waste, and other EPA-administered statutory programs).

Categories: Adaptation, Regulatory, Environmental Justice, Natural Resources, Conservation, Health

$75,000 for first-time applicants. Total Funding will be determined after EPA receives its full budget from Congress. Pacific Southwest Link
Drivers and Environmental Impacts of Energy Transitions in Underserved Communities EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 28, 2022. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing community-engaged research that will address the drivers and environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved communities. For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, including people of color, low income, rural, tribal, indigenous, and other populations that may be disproportionately impacted by environmental harms and risks. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Energy transitions, community-engaged research, underserved communities, environmental justice

Up to a total of $1,125,000 per regular award, and up to a total of $650,000 per early career award, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of four years. National Link
Hazardous Waste Management Grant Program for Tribes EPA

Deadline Passed 08/01/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from federally-recognized tribes or intertribal consortia for the development and implementation of hazardous waste programs and for building capacity to address hazardous waste management in Indian country.  In accordance with the EPA Indian Policy of 1984, EPA recognizes tribal governments as the primary parties for managing programs for reservations.To maximize the benefits to tribes from the limited funding to support the Hazardous Waste Management Grant Program for Tribes, EPA has reassessed the criteria used to evaluate Applications submitted for funding through this grant program beginning in FY 2015.  The goal of this effort is to provide technical assistance to a greater number of tribes for activities that involve hazardous waste management on tribal lands.

Categories: Hazardous Waste Management

up to $98,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse Grants EPA

Under this solicitation, EPA intends to fund further development and ongoing maintenance of a web-based national information clearinghouse focused on smart growth. This clearinghouse will be designed to support communities by providing timely information that supports local decision-making that delivers better environmental and public health outcomes from growth and development

Categories: Development, Database, Smart Growth

varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest 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
EPA Indoor Air and Climate Change Funding Opportunity EPA

This RFA seeks to understand the health effects from climate change mediated by indoor environments. A specific interest is the evaluation of adaptation guidelines, such as energy-saving building modifications, from a health perspective. Additional optional goals are 1) the understanding of behavioral adaptations, e. g. time spent outdoors, or use of natural ventilation and 2) extension of building ventilation models to newer energy-efficient buildings and evaluation of existing models against independent data sets.

Categories: Health, Infrastructure, Research

$500,000-$1,000,000 Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Region 10 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program EPA

Recent Deadline: 1/29/2021 EPA provides GAP financial and technical assistance to tribal governments and intertribal consortia to assist tribes in planning, developing, and establishing the capacity to implement federal environmental programs administered by the EPA and to assist in implementation of tribal solid and hazardous waste programs in accordance with applicable provisions of law, including the Solid Waste Disposal Act (commonly known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA). As described in the GAP Guiding Principles, this support promotes tribal government efforts to develop core environmental program capacities (administrative, financial management, information management, environmental baseline needs assessment, public education/communication, legal, and technical/analytical) and baseline capacities for media-specific programs (e.g., ambient air quality, water quality, managing waste, and other EPA-administered statutory programs).

Categories: Adaptation, Regulatory, Environmental Justice, Natural Resources, Conservation, Health

$75,000 - $125,000 per year. Tribes with large reservations may request a higher level of funding. Northwest, Alaska Link
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) Program EPA

Communities receive direct technical assistance from team of national experts in one of two areas: policy analysis (e.g., reviewing state and local codes, school siting guidelines,transportation policies, etc.) or public participatory processes (e.g., visioning, design workshops, alternative analysis, build-out analysis, etc.). The assistance is tailored to the community's unique situation and priorities. EPA provides the assistance through a contractor team –not a grant. Through a multiple-day site visit and a detailed final report, the multi-disciplinary teams provide information to help the community achieve its goal of encouraging growth that fosters economic progress and environmental protection.

Categories: Infrastructure, Smart Growth

Competitive program in which awardees receive technical assistance from experts; no funds dispersed Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program - Middle and Upper Columbia EPA

Deadline Passed 12/20/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA), is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible entities to improve water quality in the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin, through specific actions to reduce toxics, increase monitoring, and/or increase public education and outreach. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist tribal, state and local governments; nongovernmental entities, and others as they implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Plan - Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities to support EPA national goals for the Columbia River Basin.

Categories: water quality, public education, outreach, restoration, management, Columbia river basin

$60,000-$200,000 Columbia River Basin Link
Building the Capacity of Tribes to Address the Health Impacts of Climate Change EPA

Deadline passed as of July 15, 2016. Deadline for 2016 unkown. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals to enable tribal climate change and health impacts curriculum development and training, web communications, and outreach.

Categories: Curriculum Development, Climate Impacts, Training, Outreach, Climate Education, Capacity Building

$600,000 total funding available National Link
TRIBAL WASTE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING GRANT EPA

2017 deadline: June 15, 2017. Unknown for 2018. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities that will provide training, peer-to-peer technical assistance and travel scholarships to federally-recognized tribes in support of waste management capacity building on tribal lands. The recipient will conduct three training courses that will assist tribes in the development and implementation of sustainable waste management programs. The training will focus on implementing an Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) through waste diversion programs such as recycling, composting, et al. The training courses should include tribal speakers that have developed and implemented successful waste diversion programs. In addition, the recipient will offer travel scholarships to support the trainings as well as provide travel scholarships to financially assist tribes that voluntarily participate in the EPA’s National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program.

Categories: pollution, human hazard, sustainability, conservation, planning, policy, management, waste, sanitation, infrastructure

Up to $200,000. National Link
Environmental Justice Small Grants Program EPA

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

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

up to $50,000 United States Link
Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program- Tribal Program Implementation EPA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: January 31, 2023. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA), is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible Columbia River Basin tribal governments to improve water quality in the Columbia River Basin, through specific actions to reduce toxics, and/or increase public education and outreach. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist tribes as they implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Plan - Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities to support EPA national goals for the Columbia River Basin. Learn more here.

Categories: water quality, monitoring, public education, restoration, management, Columbia River Basin, pollution, toxins

$750,000 - $2,000,000 Columbia River Basin Link
EPA Brownfields Technical Assistance, Training, and Research EPA

Applications Accecpted Year-Round. The Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Communities Program helps communities, states, tribes and others understand risks associated with contaminated or potentially contaminated properties, called brownfields, and learn how to assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse them. EPA funds three organizations—Kansas State University (KSU), the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR)—to serve as independent sources of technical assistance. Each of these TABs has an extensive network of partners, contractors and other contacts that provides services across the country. They help communities tackle a variety of challenges related to identifying, assessing, cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields. The technical assistance comes at no cost to communities. This makes the TAB program a great resource for small, underserved, rural and other communities that might otherwise struggle to address their brownfields.

Categories: Planning, Brownfields, Environmental Pollutants, Human Health, Infrastructure, Cleanup, Assessment, Urban Restoration

up to $200,000 per applicant National Link
Tribal 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