Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement, Energy Infrastructure Deployment on Tribal Lands
Through this planned Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the DOE Office of Indian Energy plans to solicit applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and
Tribal Energy Development Organizations. Under the planned FOA, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy anticipates making awards that range from $100,000 to $2,000,000 or from $250,000 to $4,000,000, depending on the Area of Interest. The DOE Office of Indian
Energy plans to issue the FOA Summer of 2022. If Applicants wish to be notified when the FOA is issued, they should subscribe to the DOE Office of Indian Energy email newsletter list on its website homepage
(https://energy.gov/indianenergy). When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through IE-Exchange (https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/).
For more information and to apply, click
here.
California Climate Investments
The California Climate Investments cap-and-trade program creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include
affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are made in disadvantaged
communities and low-income communities and households.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: accepted on a rolling basis.
Potlatch Resiliency Fund
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Native communities, the Potlatch Resiliency Fund seeks to protect our way of life by funding resiliency actions that create hope, social connection, adaption, flexibility and purpose.
This fund will provide grants that support general operating funds, projects, and artists.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: accepted on a rolling basis.
Rainforest Action Network Climate Action Grant
The Climate Action Fund (CAF) was established in 2009 to award small grants to frontline community groups that are fighting to prevent fossil fuels from being extracted and/or the construction of large point sources of greenhouse gas
emissions. CAF is a grassroots alternative to carbon offset programs. Instead of purchasing carbon credits, funds will be used to empower frontline communities to keep fossil fuels in the ground where they belong. Grants generally do
not exceed $2,500.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: accepted on a rolling basis.
Tribal Energy Plan Grant, Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund (TSAF)
The Tribal Energy Plan Grant program is open until funding is fully subscribed. Applicants may apply for funding up to $25,000 for up to one year. The development of Tribal Energy Plans are intended to help tribal communities quickly
and efficiently triage the known practical and impactful strategies to reduce greenhouse gas, reduce energy costs, and operate more sustainably. The grants can be used to compensate the planning team for their time, contract the services
of consultants or other third-party experts, and cover the costs of public meetings and other methods soliciting public input.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: open until funds are fully subscribed.
Department of Energy Powering Unelectrified Tribal Building(s)
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.
For more information and to apply, click
here.
U.S. Department of Transportation: Tribal Transportation Bridge Program
The TTP Bridge Program is focused on improving the number of TTP bridges in poor condition. This information has been created to assist our partners working to improve the condition of BIA/Tribally owned bridges and
non-BIA/Tribally owned bridges.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: accepted on a rolling basis.
Business Builder Award Program by Southwest Regional Food Business Centers
The Southwest Regional Food Business Center’s (SWRFBC) Business Builder Award Program will support supply chain resiliency and pandemic response by building the capacity of small and mid-sized food producers,
businesses, or networks of businesses. Between 2025 - 2027, the SWRFBC will be distributing $4.1 million in awards intended to support the development of local and regional food supply chains by providing capital
directly to businesses to access and/or expand market outlets and connect with local and regional supply chains. See link above for state-specific office hours.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: Awards on a rolling basis.
NEWS RELEASE:
National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO) - Protecting Native Places Grant
Washington, D.C., January 23, 2025 – National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO), is excited to announce the recipients of its 2024 Protecting Native Places Grants. Unfortunately, public
lands management has traditionally excluded the involvement of Native peoples. To help change that, and recognizing the interconnectedness of efforts to protect Indigenous culture and the natural world, NATHPO, in
partnership with The Wilderness Society (TWS) and the WIlburfource Foundation, established a fund in 2022 to support Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) in these important efforts, and in 2024, the
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) joined TWS in partnering with NATHPO to fund these grant.
For more information, click
here.
March 2025:
Earth Action: Ecological Conservation
The NASA Earth Science Division (ESD) seeks proposals for projects that apply Earth observations to improve or develop decision-making activities in ecological conservation and management. Any area of ecological
conservation is welcome (e.g., invasive species, protected area management, fisheries or wildlife management, habitat restoration, ecosystem services, rewilding, biodiversity protection). Projects must not only
facilitate the transition of project products to public- and/or private-sector organization(s) but also ensure that these products are adopted for sustained use in their decision-making process(es).
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: March 14, 2025.
April 2025:
Native American Agriculture Fund 2025
The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) is a private, charitable trust serving Native farmers and ranchers through strategic grantmaking in the areas of business assistance, agricultural education, technical
support and advocacy services. NAAF was created from the historic Keepseagle v. Vilsack litigation settlement. The 2025 RFA Overview includes two distinct application processes: the 2025 RFA General and the 2025
RFA Youth. Eligible grant recipients may apply for both, provided they submit each application by the May 1, 2025, deadline. The 2025 RFA General offers targeted funding based on entity type, including 501(c)(3)
organizations, educational institutions, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and tribal governments or instrumentalities.
Applicants may seek funding in one or more focus areas:
General Focus: Business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services
General Focus (CDFIs only): Loan capital, re-granting capital, and business/technical assistance
Special Focus (All Eligible Entities): Infrastructure and climate resilience
The 2025 RFA Youth provides funding opportunities for youth-focused initiatives across all eligible entity types.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: April 1, 2025.
Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants
Projects selected through this funding opportunity will have a transformative impact for coastal communities and tribes across the country. They will help sustain our nation’s fisheries, make significant strides in the
recovery of threatened and endangered species, and help protect coastal communities and ecosystems from the impacts of climate change. They will support efforts such as reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains,
outplanting corals to rebuild reefs, building living shorelines that protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise, and more.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: April 16, 2025.
2025 Indigenous Communities Fellowship
Indigenous innovation is as diverse and expansive as Indigenous communities, with entrepreneurs harnessing traditional knowledge systems, values, and teachings to reimagine and renew what is possible in their
communities and beyond. Across the past seven years of the Fellowship, Indigenous innovators spanning the United States and Canada have demonstrated a long legacy of ingenuity, self-determination, and
community-first organizing. Whether working in the fields to deploy food sovereignty programming, or behind a computer developing algorithms for community benefit—at the core of the Fellows’ work is the
intersection of tech-enabled and culturally grounded solutions.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: April 17, 2025.
Fiscal Year 2024 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
The BRIC grant program provides federal funds to states, territories, tribal governments, and local governments for hazard mitigation activities to address climate change risks. It focuses on building resilience
to extreme weather events and chronic stressors, which are increasing in intensity and frequency. Key principles include capacity-building, fostering innovation such as multi-hazard resilience and nature-based
solutions, promoting partnerships, enabling large-scale projects, and maintaining flexibility. These efforts help communities understand disaster risks, plan for resilience, and design and implement transformational
hazard mitigation projects and programs.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: April 18, 2025.
Fiscal Year 2024 Flood Mitigation Assistance
The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program makes federal funds available to states, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribal governments,1 and local governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of
repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and within NFIP-participating communities. It does so with a recognition of the growing flood hazards
associated with climate change,2 and of the need for flood hazard risk mitigation activities that promote climate adaptation, equity, and resilience with respect to flooding. These include both acute extreme
weather events and chronic stressors which have been observed and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the future.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: April 18, 2025.
Lorraine Loomis Memorial Scholarship
Lorraine, an elder in the Swinomish Tribe, passed away in August 2021, ending a decades-long career advocating for Indigenous fishing rights at their intersection with salmon conservation. She served on the PSC
Fraser River Panel since its inception in 1985, with several terms as Panel Chair and Vice Chair. Lorraine was also one of the first women to play an active role in fisheries policy and management, rising to
prominence at the tribal, state, national, and international level. Her achievements and consensus building led to her replacing the esteemed Billy Frank Jr. as chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
upon his passing, receiving the inaugural PSC Larry Rutter Award for Pacific Salmon Conservation, and other accolades. The new PSC scholarship seeks to honor Lorraine’s legacy and her many contributions to the
fisheries community, with a view to inspiring and enabling future leaders like her.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: April 19, 2025.
May 2025:
Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities
Through this funding, NOAA will help support community-driven habitat restoration and build the capacity of tribes and underserved communities to more fully participate in restoration activities. Tribes,
applicants that can demonstrate status as a tribal entity, an underserved community, or entities that partner with tribes, tribal entities, and/or underserved communities such as institutions of higher
education, non-profit organizations, commercial (for profit) organizations, U.S. territories, and state, local, and Native American and Alaska Native tribal governments. As part of their applications,
applicants must demonstrate their status as, or connection to, a tribe, tribal entity, and/or an underserved community.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: May 12, 2025.
The Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program
The HEAR program will fund Tribes to provide energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades to low and middle-income households. Specifically, the HEAR program will provide $4.5 billion in rebates for high-efficiency
electricity upgrades in homes. These rebates will be administered by
states, territories, and Indian Tribes. These funds are non-competitive.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: May 31, 2025.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program for Tribal Nations
The U.S. Department of Energy’s EECBG Program provides $8.8 million of available non-competative funding to 774 eligible Tribal Nations, including Alaska Native Regional and Village corporations. EECBG Program funding
can be used as seed funding that can grow into bigger projects, assisting communities to meet energy efficiency goals. Tribal Nations can use EECBG Program funds to upgrade buildings, install renewable energy equipment,
or develop climate and clean energy plans.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: May 31, 2025.
October 2025:
Direct Action and Organizing Grants, NDN Collective
Available to Indigenous individuals or an Indigenous-led group working to defend Indigenous rights, communities, Nations, and Mother Earth. The purpose of the Community Action Fund is to financially support
Indigenous frontline organizers, protectors, and movement mobilizers throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Island Nations of Borikén/Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the
US Virgin Islands, up to $20,000 USD.
For more information and to apply, click
here. Application deadline: October 17, 2025.
No-Cost Technical Assistance Opportunities:
California Climate Investments Grants
CA’s tribal governments can receive funds to help fight climate change while addressing community needs for clean
transportation, clean air, land conservation, agricultural equipment, and more. For more information visit: http://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/funding-for-tribal-governments
On-Request Technical Assistance from DOE Office of Indian Energy
Who provide federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native villages, tribal energy resource development
organizations, and other organized tribal groups and communities, with technical assistance to advance tribal energy projects
at no cost. Technical experts from DOE and its national laboratories, along with other partnering organizations, provide support
to assist Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages with energy planning, housing and building energy efficiency, project
development, policy and regulation, resilience, and village power. For more information visit: https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/technical-assistance
Conservation Innovation Grants (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service)
This program is designed to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation technologies and approaches,
while leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement in conjunction with agricultural production. The CIG
program does not fund research projects, rather it is used to apply or demonstrate previously proven conservation approaches
that have a high likelihood of success. The CIG program funds projects that target innovative, on-the-ground conservation,
such as pilot projects and field demonstrations. A proposed project must encompass the development, testing, evaluation,
and monitoring of: 1) conservation adoption approaches or incentive systems; 2) promising conservation technologies,
practices, systems, procedures, or approaches; or 3) environmental soundness with goals of environmental protection and
natural resources enhancement. Program has offered climate-related funding opportunities in the past. Eligibility: State,
local, or Tribal governments; non-governmental organizations; or individuals. www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives – LCCs (Dept. of Interior)
LCCs are a network of partnerships working for the sustainability of America's land, water, wildlife, and cultural
resources. Partnerships include federal, state, and local governments, tribes, universities, NGOs, landowners, as well
as other stakeholders. These cooperatives (21 in total, representing different geographic areas of the country) build
upon existing science and conservation efforts that preserve water and land resources, as well as cultural partnerships.
Periodically, LCCs offer grants that support their core functions. www.fws.gov/science/SHC/lcc.html
Seventh Generation Fund
The Seventh Generation Fund is an Indigenous non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining the
uniqueness of Native peoples throughout the Americas. It offers an integrated program of advocacy, small grants,
training and technical assistance, media experience and fiscal management, lending its support and extensive
expertise to Indigenous grassroots communities. Its Sustainable Communities Program Area provides seed money,
organizational support and technical training to Native grassroots community-based projects striving for
holistic community health and renewal. It supports traditional agricultural methods, renewable forms of
energy and sustainable strategies for development that preserve or restore traditional life-ways for future
generations. http://7genfund.org/index.php
EPA Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities Program
EPA's 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, the New Jersey Institute of
Technology and the Center for Creative Land Recycling—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.
Applications Due: Not Applicable.
Eligible Entities: State, local and tribal governments.
For more information, visit the
technical assistance description.
On Request Technical Assistance from DOE Office of Indian Energy
The DOE Office of Indian Energy provides federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native villages, tribal energy resource development organizations, and other organized tribal groups and communities, with technical assistance to advance tribal energy projects at no cost. Technical experts from DOE and its national laboratories, along with other partnering organizations, provide support to assist Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages with energy planning, housing and building energy efficiency, project development, policy and regulation, resilience, and village power. Applications Due: Not Applicable. Eligible Entities: Tribal governments
For more information, visit the
technical assistance description.
NREL Solar Technical Assistance Team
The Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT) Network gathers NREL solar technology and deployment experts to provide unbiased information on solar policies and issues for state and local government decision makers. The expert assistance is intended to support legislators, regulators, state agencies, and their staff members in making informed decisions about solar projects and policies. The STAT Network is a project of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office that is implemented in partnership with NREL. Applications Due: Not Applicable. Eligible Entities: State and local governments.
For more information, visit the
technical assistance description.
NREL Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Team
The Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Team is a network of energy efficiency policy and implementation experts who provide timely, unbiased expertise to assist policymakers and regulators in making informed decisions about energy efficiency programs and policies. Requests for technical assistance must be submitted by state officials, including state legislative or regulatory bodies and their staff members. Applications Due: Not Applicable. Eligible Entities: State and local governments.
For more information, visit the
technical assistance description.