The Tribal Climate Change Guide is part of the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project (TCCP). The TCCP is part of the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation (LF), is an independent, Indigenous-led, conservation 501(c)(3) nonprofit established on the Colville Indian Reservation in the traditional territory of the Nespelem Tribe in present-day north central Washington State. LF supports the restoration and cultivation of native Plant and Pollinator Relatives and the culturally respectful conservation of habitats and ecosystems which are climate resilient and adaptive. For more information about LF, visit: https://thepnwlf.org/. For more information about the Tribal Climate Change Project, visit: https://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/. If you would like to add information to this guide, please email kathy.lynn.or@gmail.com.

 

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.lynn.or@gmail.com. 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 2022 Environmental Literacy Program (ELP) NOAA Office of Education

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: November 1, 2021. The NOAA Office of Education has issued a competitive funding opportunity for projects that develop the collective environmental literacy necessary for communities to take actions that build resilience to extreme weather and climate change in ways that contribute to community health, social cohesion, and socio-economic equity. This funding opportunity is soliciting two types of projects through separate competitive priorities. Priority 1 awards are intended to fund new projects located in Central and Eastern Regions of the United States. These regions include the following states: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The entirety of a project must only serve audiences located in one or more of the listed states. Note: The previous funding opportunity for this program covered the other states and territories of the United States. Priority 2 awards will support the evolution of projects funded under the 2015-2018 funding opportunities from this program (NOAA-SEC-OED-2015-2004408, NOAA-SEC-OED-2016-2004737, and NOAA-SEC-OED-2018-2005455). Please note that NOAA does not anticipate issuing a solicitation for applications next year. Rather, applications to this funding opportunity may be funded with fiscal year 2022 and 2023 funds. Deadlines: For Priority 1, the deadline for pre-applications (required) is 11:59 pm EDT on November 1, 2021. Only those institutions that receive authorization from NOAA are eligible to submit a full application, which will be due 11:59 pm EDT on March 17, 2022. For Priority 2, pre-applications are not required and the deadline for full applications is 11:59 pm EST on January 25, 2022. For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/elp/grants/apply.

National Link
FY2019 EDA Disaster Supplemental Economic Development Administration

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This investment assistance will help communtiies and regions devise and implement long-term economic recovery strategies through a variety of non-construction and construction projects, as appropriate, to address economic challenges in areas where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster was issued under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act as a result of Hurricane Florence, Michael, and Lane, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, and of wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2018, and tornadoes and floods occuring in calendar year 2019.

Categories: economic recovery, construction, natural disaster, resilience, mitigation, emergency assistance

Total Program Funding: $587,000,000 National Link
Grid Resilience Formula Grants Department of Energy

Most Recent Deadline: June 17, 2024. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an amendment to the Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD) for the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants Program, extending the deadline for States, Indian Tribes, and Territories to apply for grants and request allocations to Monday, June 17, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET.   The original deadline was today, April 17th.  The deadline extension reflects stakeholder feedback and provides additional time for States, Indian Tribes, and Territories to prepare applications. Applicants should submit their applications as soon as they are ready.  Applications will be processed on a rolling basis as they are received, and grants may be awarded prior to the June 17, 2024 deadline. For more information, visit: https://www.energy.gov/gdo/grid-resilience-statetribal-formula-grants-program

Categories: energy, infrastructure, grid, BIL

Varies National Link
Heat Pump Defense Prodution Act Program DOE, Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: August 1, 2023. Concept papers, which were required for all applicants were due on May 19, 2023. DOE is requesting applications from manufacturers to create new or expand existing domestic production capacity to manufacture more electric heat pump systems, components, and materials.

Categories: IRA, manufacturing, clean energy

Total funding amount: $250,000,000 National Link
Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize DOE

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: Feburary 25, 2022. This prize fits into President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of climate investment benefits to disadvantaged communities and inform equitable research, development, and deployment within DOE. Specifically, this prize seeks to enable and enhance business and technology incubation, acceleration, and other community-based and university-based entrepreneurship and innovation in climate and clean energy technologies. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Climate change, clean energy, emissions, entrepreneurship, technology, research, equity, justice

$200,000, with the opportunity to compete for another $500,000 National 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
International Engagement Ready Communities Competition USDOE

Deadline passed as of June 12, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. This program is designed to support empirical research on successful international engagement strategies and develop best practice reports and a competitiveness assessment tool. These elements will be incorporated into a user-friendly economic development organization (EDO) toolkit and training guide to help local communities assess and increase their ability to become globally competitive while enhancing their trade and FDI promotion activities.

Categories: economy, global trade, business, support, planning, policy, management, growth, infrastructure

$600,000 National Link
KR Foundation Funding for Sustainable Behavior and Sustainable Finance KR Foundation

Deadline Passed as of 1/31/2018. Deadline for 2019 Unknown. KR Foundation address root causes of climate change and environmental degradation, and safeguard the planetary boundaries. The mission of KR Foundation is to help provide answers to, stimulate mind shifts about, and encourage action on, the long-term challenges faced by current and future generations living on a planet with finite resources, fragile ecosystems, and climate change. Read more about our mission here. As a philanthropic foundation, KR Foundation typically engages in areas where neither governments nor markets actors seem to have incentives to act. Not restricted by short-term considerations and profit concerns, KR Foundation engages in non-profit activities with long-term impact on our climate and environment. KR Foundation prioritises communication and advocacy activities within our program areas but will also consider proposals in other areas with a high potential for impact that meet our general criteria for funding. Please contact the Foundation prior to submitting a proposal that does not match the Foundation’s program areas. Please note that KR Foundation does not fund local and community-based activities unless they are truly scalable and have a clear international perspective. Proposals focusing on local development activities will not be considered.

Categories: non-profit, international, climate change, awareness

$300,000- $800,000 International 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
Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program Department of Energy

Deadline Passed 02/15/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) within the Department of Energy’s (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Science, Academic Alliances and Partnerships subprogram funds academic programs to develop NNSA’s next-generation technical workforce. NNSA funds scientific academic programs to develop the next generation of highly trained technical workers able to support its core mission and to ensure there is a strong community of technical peers, external to the NNSA national laboratories, capable of providing peer review and scientific competition to strengthen the basic fields of research relevant to the NNSA. MSIPP aligns investments in university capacity and workforce development with DOE/NNSA mission areas to develop the needed skills and talent for DOE/NNSA’s enduring technical workforce at the laboratories and production plants, and to enhance research and education at under-represented colleges and universities.

Categories: education, minority serving institutions, energy, science, academic research

$500,000-$1,000,000 National Link
Powering Unelectrified Tribal Building(s) - 2022 DOE, Office of Indian Energy

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: February 23, 2023. The DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Tribes to provide electric power to Tribal buildings that would otherwise be electrified by deploying  integrated energy system(s) or energy infrastructure. Individual awards vary depending on type of project with a range from $250,000 to $4,000,000. This opportunity builds on the important discussions at the 7th biennial Tribal Clean Energy Summit, where U.S Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm held a nation-to-nation roundtable with Tribal leaders to share ideas and explore cost-effective approaches to clean energy that strengthen Tribal energy and economic infrastructure, address climate resilience, and build stronger and safer communities.

Categories: energy, tribal lands, tribal energy development, community resilience, emergency management, BIL

Varies 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
Remote Alaskan Communities Energy Efficiency Competition Request for Information USDOE

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing a new initiative to significantly accelerate adoption of sustainable clean and energy efficiency strategies in remote rural Alaskan communities. For the purposes of this initiative, “remote or rural areas” include communities with a population of 5,500 or less that are not connected by an all-weather road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks, or with a population of 1,500 or less that are connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks. Through the proposed competitive process, the Remote Alaskan Communities Energy Efficiency Competition is being designed to empower Alaskan communities to develop solutions for effectively advancing the use of reliable, affordable, and energy efficient solutions that are applicable throughout rural communities in Alaska and potentially in other Arctic regions.

Categories: Community, Clean Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing a new $4 million initiative to significantly accelerate efforts by remote Alaskan communities to adopt sustainable energy strategies. National, watershed Link
Small Innovative Projects in Solar 2022- Concentrating Solar Thermal Power and Photovoltaics DOE

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: March 21, 2022. The DOE will invest up to $400,000 in the large-scale development and deployment of solar technologies for a decarbonized electricity system by 2035 and decarbonized energy sector by 2050. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Solar technologies, renewable development, decarbonized energy, emission reductions

$250,000 - 400,000 National Link
START Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance DOE, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs

The DOE Office of Indian Energy is now accepting applications for the third round of the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance Program to provide Tribes with technical assistance with furthering the development of community- and commercial-scale renewable energy projects.

Categories: Renewable energy, Infrastructure

See application National, Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Alaska Link
START Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Indian Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Offi ce of Indian Energy is now accepting applications for the third round of
its Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance
Program. Through START, Tribes can get customized technical assistance for furthering the development of
community- and commercial-scale renewable energy projects. Applications are due May 1, 2015; up to fi ve
projects will be selected in June 2015.

Categories: Renewable energy, Development

Unknown National, Tribes, Alaska Link
Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program DOE

The Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program is part of the DOE Office of Indian Energy effort to assist in the development of tribal renewable energy projects. Through START, Tribes in the 48 contiguous states and Alaska can apply for and are selected to receive technical assistance from DOE and national laboratory experts to move projects closer to implementation.

Categories: Renewable energy, Infrastructure

technical assistance, not funds, are provided Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link
The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program Forest Service, Department of Agriculture

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: January 12, 2024. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State, Private & Tribal Forestry, is requesting applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). CFP is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to establish community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest land. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forestland from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs. Public access is required for all projects. To apply, interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit applications to the State Forester where the property is located. Tribal applicants must submit applications to equivalent Tribal government officials. All applications must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by January 12th, 2024. https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/community-forest-prog-fy24-…

Categories: forest conservation, community, sustainable forestry, management, education, stewardship, recreation, collaboration

Individual grant applications may not exceed $600,000, which does not include technical assistance requests. National Link
Tomkat Charitable Trust: Grants for Climate & Energy Tomkat Charitable

Tomkat does not accept proposals, but they can be reached by email. This fund is strongly and vocally in support of clean energy development and sustainable living. Aside from energy, Steyer and wife Taylor (get it, Tomkat), are also invested in healthy foods and sustainable food systems, going so far as to start their own ranch. They also back some education stuff and more run-of-the-mill environmentalism, but their biggest giving to date has gone to energy and climate. 

Categories: climate change, sustainability, food justice, subsistence, emissions, conservation, coal, carbon

Varies. International Link
Transitioning Tribal Colleges and Universities to Clean Energy DOE Office of Indian Energy

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: July 27, 2023. The DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Tribal Colleges and Universities for clean energy project planning to transition the Tribal College or University to a clean energy campus and clean energy curriculum planning to complement the transition to clean energy (Topic Area 1); and the deployment of clean energy technology(ies) to transition the Tribal College or University to a clean energy campus, and implementation of a related clean energy curriculum (Topic Area 2).

Categories: renewable energy, education, energy efficiency,

Topic Area 1: $100,000 - $250,000; Topic Area 2: $250,000 - $4,000,000 National Link
Tribal Clean Energy Planning and Development Department of Energy - Office of Indian Energy

Most recent deadline: January 23, 2025. Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations to:

(1) Conduct clean energy planning (Topic Area 1);

(2) Comprehensively assess the feasibility and viability of deploying clean energy technology (Topic Area 2); or,

(3) Conduct clean energy design and development activities (Topic Area 3).

National Link
Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program DOE

Deadline Passed 09/19/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. This solicitation announcement (including all Attachments, the “Solicitation”) invites the submission of applications from qualified financial institutions for partial, risk-sharing loan guarantees from the United States Department of Energy (“DOE” or the “Department”) under Section 2602(c) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, as amended (25 USC Section 3502(c)) (the “Act”), in support of debt financing for tribal energy development projects, as described in this Solicitation, that are located in the United States. The Act authorizes a new federal loan guarantee program (the “Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program” or “TELGP”) intended to benefit federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations, by increasing the capacity of the commercial debt markets for their energy development initiatives.

Categories: energy, tribal energy, development, capacity building

varies National Link
Tribal Energy Program Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy on Indian Lands DOE

Dealine unknown for 2019. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Tribal Energy Program, in conjunction with the DOE Office of Indian Energy, is pleased to announce the availability of up to $7 million in funding to accelerate clean energy development on tribal lands. For more tribal grant opportunites use this link https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/funding/current-funding-opportuniti… 

Categories: Renewable energy, Development

Varies National, Alaska, Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast Link
Tribal Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment Assistance DOE

DOE is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes, Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations and Tribal Consortia, to install “community-scale” or “facility-scale” renewable energy and/or energy efficiency energy projects on Indian lands. The renewable energy and/or energy efficiency projects are intended to provide electricity and/or heating and cooling or efficiency measures for existing tribal buildings, including homes, businesses, community buildings, government buildings, or other tribal facilities. Projects selected under this Funding Opportunity Announcement are intended to reduce energy costs and increase energy security for Indian Tribes and tribal members. Please note that this grant can be found on the DOE website provided by searching for: DE-FOA-0000853

Categories: Renewable energy

$50,000-250,000 Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska 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
Weatherization Formula Grants DOE

Program to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential expenditures, and improve their health and safety. The priority population for the Weatherization Assistance Program is people who are particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, families with children, high residential energy users, and households with high energy burden.

Categories: Energy, Health

Varies Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska Link