The Tribal Climate Change Guide is part of the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project. For more information, visit: https://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/. If you would like to add to or amend information included in this guide, please complete this Google Form. If you have additions or suggestions for this website, please email kathy@uoregon.edu.

 

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
Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) US Department of Transportation, Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty

Most Recent Deadline: June 2024. The Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) is a new competitive grant program created by Section 11529 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58) to construct projects to provide safe and connected active transportation facilities in active transportation networks or active transportation spines.

Categories: Transportation (386), infrastructure development (37)

In 2023, FHWA received $45 million in funding for ATIIP from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328), the first funds appropriated for this program. Pursuant to section 11529(d)(2) of BIL, FHWA will set aside at least $3 million of available ATIIP funding for Planning and Design grants. Pursuant to section 11529(d)(1) of BIL, FHWA will provide at least 30% of ATIIP funding to projects that construct active transportation networks, and at least 30% of ATIIP funding to projects that construct active transportation spines. National 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
Sun Grant Program US Dept of Agriculture

Deadline Passed 06/27/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The purpose of the Sun Grant Program (SGP) is to enhance national energy security through the development, distribution, and implementation of biobased energy technologies; to promote diversification in, and the environmental sustainability of, agricultural production in the United States through biobased energy and product technologies; to promote economic diversification in rural areas of the United States through biobased energy and product technologies; and to enhance the efficiency of bioenergy and biomass research and development programs through improved coordination and collaboration among the Department of Agriculture; other appropriate Federal agencies (as determined by the Secretary); and Land Grant Institutions.

Categories: energy security, biobased energy, technologies, biomass

2.7 million distributed between awardees United States Link
Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment Financing US Dept. of Energy 9/30/2026

This program will guarantee loans to projects that retool, repower, repurpose, or replace energy infrastructure that has ceased operations or that enable operating energy infrastructure to avoid, reduce, utilize, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. The IRA placed a total cap on loan guarantees of up to $250 billion and appropriated $5 billion in credit subsidy to support these loan guarantees under section 1706 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Categories: Energy (136), Infrastructure (46)

$5,000,000,000 of credit subsidy appropriations
Loan guarantee authority of up to $250,000,000,000
National Link
Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

Most Recent Deadline: June 2024. Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants support the development of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans which focus on directing resources to address three core goals: Housing, People and Neighborhood. To achieve these core goals, communities must develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or Transformation Plan. The Transformation Plan will become the guiding document for the revitalization of the public and/or assisted housing units while simultaneously directing the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood and positive outcomes for families. The Planning Grants NOFO was posted to Grants.gov on April 9, 2024 and announced up to $10 million for Planning Grant awards. The maximum grant award is $500,000. Applications are due June 10, 2024. 

Categories: housing

$10 million for Planning Grant awards. The maximum grant award is $500,000 National Link
Local Government Energy Program US DOE Dept. of State and Community Energy Program

Most Recent Deadline: May 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
Innovative Public Transportation Workforce Development Program (US Dept of Transportation) US DOT

DOT is making available funding to develop innovative programs and activities in public transportation that address the human resources needs of public transportation operators, as well as build pathways to long-term careers in the public transportation industry. DOT is giving additional consideration to proposals that advance training related to maintenance of alternative energy, energy efficiency, or zero emission vehicles and facilities used in public transportation, as well as submissions that are geographically diverse, target areas with high rates of unemployment, and address current or projected workforce shortages in areas that require technical expertise.

Categories: Infrastructure, Planning, career building, Research

Program awards generally range between $200,000 to $1,000,000 National Link
Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant (US EPA) US EPA

The purpose of the grant is to accelerate and expand the strategic protection of healthy freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds across the country. EPA expects to issue a cooperative agreement to fund a single grantee to manage the Healthy Watersheds Consortium grant program and issue sub-awards on a competitive basis.

Categories: Restoration, Mitigation, watershed

Anticipated fed.eral funding is approximately $3.75 million over six years for this program. Link
Air Monitoring and Air Quality Sensors Grants under the Inflation Reduction Act US EPA

Most Recent Deadline: May 31, 2024. EPA is announcing the availability of approximately $81 million in non-competitive, direct award funding from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) for eligible state, local, Tribal and territorial air agencies to establish new ambient air monitoring sites, and maintain, operate, or upgrade existing ambient air monitoring networks. These funds provide critical resources to ensure the sustainability of national air quality monitoring networks as a public asset. The networks provide data to inform decision making that protects human health and the environment. Approximately $2 million of funding is also available to support the deployment and operation of air quality sensors in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States.

Categories: air moMonitoring (195), Air Quality (236)

Approximately $81 million in non-competitive, direct award funding National Link
Emerging Contaminants (EC) in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant (SDC) US EPA

The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities grant program will provide states and territories with grants to public water systems in small or disadvantaged communities to address emerging contaminants, including PFAS. Grants will be awarded non‐competitively to states and territories. 

Categories: drinking water (1100), contaminants (784)

EPA awards funding to states based on an allocation formula that includes factors such as population, number of water systems, and data related to emerging contaminants.

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/final_fy24_bil_ecsdc_allotmentmemo_april-2024.pdf
National Link
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program US EPA

Most Recent Deadline: May 31, 2024. The University of New Orleans Research and Technology Foundation (UNORTF) seeks written proposals for restoration projects and related scientific and public education projects for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program (PRP). This funding opportunity is made through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 and the FY22 Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act.

Categories: restoration

Projects costs may range between $350,000 and $1,500,000.
*Some projects may be outside the recommended range and may be
negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
Louisiana Link
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Overview US Forest Service

Deadline Passed 11/27/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. Congress established the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) with Title IV of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (PDF, 40 KB) and reauthorized it in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 Section 8629 (the Farm Bill). The purpose of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program is to encourage the collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes and:encourage ecological, economic, and social sustainability;leverage local resources with national and private resources;facilitate the reduction of wildfire management costs, including through re-establishing natural fire regimes and reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire;demonstrate the degree to which various ecological restoration techniques achieve ecological and watershed health objectives; and,encourage utilization of forest restoration by-products to offset treatment costs, to benefit local rural economies, to and improve forest health.

Categories: collaborative, forest restoration, old growth stands, fire adaptation, watershed health, ecological restoration

up to $4 million National Link
Planning Proposals to Catalyze Innovative and Inclusive Wildland Fire Science through Diverse Collaborations US National Science Foundation (NSF)

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 31, 2023. The NSF is calling for planning proposals for advancing inclusive wildland fire science via diverse knowledge systems. Proposals that aim to develop a deeper understanding of wildland fire as integrated social-cultural-ecological-technological systems and improve education across multiple levels, in informal settings and/or formal settings spanning pre-college through post-secondary levels, are also encouraged. Budget requests may not exceed $100,000 per year, with a duration of up to two years. Prospective investigators must submit a two-page description of the proposal concept to wildlandfire@nsf.gov.

Categories: fire, knowledge systems, education

Up to $100,000 per year National Link
Organismal Response to Climate Change US National Science Foundation (NSF)

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: November 21, 2023. Most climate change studies to date have lacked integration between the study of organismal mechanisms involved in the response to changing climates and eco-evolutionary approaches. This solicitation calls for proposals that integrate the study of genomic, physiological, structural, developmental, neural, or behavioral mechanisms of organismal response to climate change (ORCC) with eco-evolutionary approaches to better manage the effects of a rapidly changing climate on earth’s living systems. Specific areas of emphasis include but are not limited to: integrating physiology and genomics into the next generation of species distribution models; mechanistic understanding of plastic responses to climate change; functional genomics of organismal response to climate change; the role biological interactions play in organismal responses to climate change; and improving our ability to predict how organisms will respond to climate change and the consequences these responses will have across biological scales.

Categories: scientific research, adaptation, evolutionary biology, climate science

Varies. Total Program Funding: $10,000,000 National Link
Building Synthetic Microbial Communities for Biology, Mitigating Climate Change, Sustainability and Biotechnology US National Science Foundation (NSF)

Most recent deadline: August 1, 2024.  Microbes and communities of microbes have remarkable genetic, physiological and biochemical diversity, allowing them to flourish in environments all over the planet and in a variety of substrates and hosts. The goal of this solicitation is to support research that addresses one or more of the three themes: 1) define the underlying mechanisms or rules that drive the formation, maintenance or evolution of synthetic microbial communities, 2) use synthetic microbial communities to address fundamental biological questions, including questions in molecular biology, cellular/organismal biology, ecology and evolution and/or 3) build synthetic communities with biotechnology, bioeconomy or environmental engineering applications, including but not limited to the production of novel biorenewable chemicals, biodegradation of recalcitrant or “forever chemicals,” enabling a circular bioeconomy, fostering sustainable agriculture and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Categories: Scientific research, microbiology, forever chemicals, molecular biology, climate mitigation

Total program funding: $9,500,000 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.

Categories: Leadership, Award, Climate Initiatives

See Description National Link
Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants USDA 12/31/2024

Applications accepted continuously. Provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects. Grant recipients supervise groups of very-low- and low-income individuals and families as they construct their own homes in rural areas. The group members provide most of the construction labor on each other’s homes, with technical assistance from the organization overseeing the project. Funds may be used to:Give technical and supervisory assistance to participating familiesHelp other organizations provide self-help technical and supervisory assistanceRecruit families, help them complete loan applications and carry out other related activities that enable them to participate

Categories: housing, rural areas, low-income communities, technical assistance

varies Rural Areas Link
Intermediary Relending Program USDA 12/31/2024

Applications accepted year round. This program provides 1 percent low-interest loans to local intermediaries that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities.

Categories: rural communities, local economy, jobs, development

$250,000; or 75 % of the total cost of the ultimate recipient's project for which the loan is being made, whichever is less. Rural Areas Link
Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) FY 2019 USDA

Deadline Passed 06/10/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Rural Housing Service (Agency), an Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program. Applicants must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the Federal grant. These grants will be made to qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development that will support the community.

Categories: rural development, tribal housing, facilities, development projects, non-profit housing, economic development, infrastructure, capacity building

$50,000-$250,000 United States 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
AgrAbility - Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities USDA

Last deadline: January 19, 2023. The AgrAbility program increases the likelihood that farmers, ranchers, farm workers and farm family members with disabilities will experience success in agricultural production. The program supports projects between State Cooperative Extension System and private, non-profit disability organizations who work in partnership to provide agricultural education and assistance directed at accommodating disability in farm operations for individuals with disabilities, and their families, who engage in farming and farm-related occupations.

Categories: agriculture, equity, inclusion, social justice, disability services

$150,000 - $180,000 National Link
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities: First Funding Pool USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 8, 2022. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of climate-smart commodities and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and/or carbon sequestration. Proposals from $5 million to $100 million are in the first funding pool and should include large-scale pilot projects that emphasize the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production and include direct, meaningful benefits to a representative cross-section of production agriculture, including small and/or historically underserved producers. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Rural communities, agriculture, forestry, farmers, ranchers, emissions reduction, climate solutions, resilience

$5 million to $100 million National 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
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities: Second Funding Pool. USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 10, 2022. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of climate-smart commodities and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and/or carbon sequestration. Proposals from $250,000 to $4,999,999 are in the second funding pool and are limited to particularly innovative pilot projects. These projects should place an emphasis on: enrollment of small and/or underserved producers; and/or monitoring, reporting and verification activities developed at minority-serving institutions. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Rural communities, innovation, underserved communities, agriculture, forestry, farmers, ranchers, emissions reduction, climate solutions, resilience

$250,000 - $4,999,999 National Link
USDA Housing Preservation Grants USDA

Deadline Passed. Latest Deadline: July 11, 2022. The USDA is seeking applications for grants to preserve and repair housing for very-low- and low-income families living in rural areas. The funds are being made available through USDA Rural Development's Housing Preservation Grant program. USDA does not provide funding directly to homeowners under this program.

Categories: Infrastructure, public health, rural housing

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Risk Management Education Partnership Program USDA

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 24, 2023. The purpose of this cooperative agreement program is to deliver crop insurance education and risk management training to U.S. agricultural producers to assist them in identifying and managing production, marketing, legal, financial, and human risk.

Categories: climate change, human health, sustainability, agriculture, economy, management, planning, policy

$5,000 - $300,000 National Link
Business and Industry Loan Guarantees USDA 12/31/2024

Rolling Deadline. This program bolsters the availability of private credit by guaranteeing loans for rural businesses.

Categories: Rural areas, business development, credit, local economy

Up to $25 million Rural Areas Link
Alaska Native-Service and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program USDA

Deadline Passed. Latest deadline: March 28, 2023. The purpose of this program is to promote and strengthen the ability of Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs in food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines. Priority will be given to those projects that enhance educational equity for underrepresented students; strengthen institutional educational capacities; prepare students for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States; and maximize the development and use of resources to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs. Learn more here.

Categories: Alaska Native-serving institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, agricultural sciences, career development, equity, youth

$150,000 - 1,000,000 Alaska, Hawaii Link
Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) USDA

The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP) encourages private landowners to voluntarily make their land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. States and tribes approved for funding of this Farm Service Agency (FSA) program use the funds as incentives to encourage private landowners of farms, ranches, and forests to make that land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. This may include hunting or fishing. The overall goal of VPA-HIP is to enhance wildlife habitat and management and to boost local economies through activities that attract wildlife enthusiasts.

Categories: Conservation, recreation

varies Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA 12/31/2024

Applications accepted continuously. Meant to fund water and waste disposal systems in rural Alaskan Villages. Funds must be used for development and construction of water and wastewater systems to correct dire health and sanitation conditions in those villages. Many communities in remote rural Alaska, where villages are accessible by plane or boat only, are essentially inaccessible during the long, hard winters. They lag far behind the lower 48 States in having safe and dependable drinking water and suitable waste disposal systems available. Construction costs are extremely high. This is due in part to the severe weather conditions, which makes laying pipe difficult, if not impossible. These conditions also require the use of insulated pipe, or in areas of permafrost, above ground utilidors, often with heat traced insulated pipe. The vast distances from the transportation hub of Anchorage to a village increases costs substantially as the material must be delivered by barge or air.

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

The maximum grant is 75 percent of the project cost. Alaska, Coastal Link