Grants and Funding Opportunities

 

USDA’s Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program – No Deadline

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program provides funding for improvements to drinking water systems, wastewater systems, sanitary solid waste disposal, and stormwater systems. Funds may be used to develop or update projects for drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage, and distribution; sewer collection, transmission, treatment, and disposal; solid waste collection, disposal, and closure; stormwater collection, transmission, and disposal. The program provides grants and loans (low interest, long term) to Tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public bodies in rural areas of 10,000 population or less. Applications are accepted year-round.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal Wildlife Grants – Apply by June 21

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’sTribal Wildlife Grants develops and supports programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats and species important to Tribal culture or tradition. Tribal Wildlife Grants are used to provide technical and financial assistance to Tribes for the development and implementation of programs that benefit fish and wildlife resources and their habitat. Activities may include, but are not limited to:

  • Planning for wildlife and habitat conservation
  • Fish and wildlife conservation and management actions
  • Fish and wildlife related laboratory and field research
  • Natural history studies
  • Habitat mapping
  • Field surveys and population monitoring
  • Habitat preservation
  • Public education that is relevant to the project

Award amounts will range from $10,000 to $200,000.

EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant – Apply by July 25

EPA’s new Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program will support the replacement of non-zero-emission Class 6 and Class 7* heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles. Over three million Class 6 and Class 7 vehicles are currently in use, spanning a wide variety of vehicle types, such as school buses, refuse haulers/dump trucks, class 6/7 transit buses, delivery trucks, utility trucks, bucket trucks, and other box trucks. Eligible activities and costs for the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program include:

  • The incremental cost of replacing a non-zero-emission Class 6/7 heavy-duty vehicle with a Class 6/7 zero-emission vehicle.
  • The purchase and installation of fueling infrastructure that will support vehicles replaced under this program.
  • Driver/mechanic training related to the maintenance and operation of new vehicles and supporting fueling infrastructure, and vehicle warranties.
  • Costs directly related to the implementation, management, and oversight of the project, including recipient and subrecipient personnel and benefits, contractual services, consulting on vehicle deployments, travel, supplies, and indirect costs.

*Class 6 means heavy-duty motor vehicles between 19,501 and 26,000 pounds; class 7 means heavy-duty motor vehicles between 26,001 and 33,000 pounds.

EPA is hosting a webinar to discuss this funding opportunity on April 30.
                                                                                                                                         

Clean Energy Projects: WA Department of Commerce – Apply by June 14

Washington entities can apply for their share of $34 million in grants from the Washington Department of Commerce for clean energy projects such as:

  • Electric grid modernization and innovation
  • Innovative large-scale and dual-use solar
  • Solar energy retrofits for public buildings
  • Clean energy project siting and permitting
  • Building, industry, aviation and maritime decarbonization
  • Clean energy projects that leverage private and federal funding.

Commerce will host two informational webinars to discuss this funding opportunity:  

To apply: 

Clean Bus Planning Awards: Technical Assistance from NREL

The new Clean Bus Planning Awards (CPBA) program from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) offers technical assistance to create action plans for transit agencies and school districts to get their electric fleets rolling. CBPA also offers deployment assistance for participating fleets, making it easier to transition from planning to implementation. The program connects transit and school bus fleets with technical experts to support planning for bus electrification. Fleets also have the option to receive free deployment assistance from NREL at the completion of their plan.  There is no specific deadline to apply.

Food Loss and Waste Training and Technical Assistance: SARE Grant – Apply by June 28

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants and outreach program, has issued a call for proposals for Food Loss and Waste Training and Technical Assistance Grants. The goals of the program are to:

  • Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs
  • Promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm, and nutrition issues
  • Identify strategies for reducing food loss and waste by identifying value-added production opportunities
  • Meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs for planning for long-term solutions
  • Create innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural stakeholders and consumers
  • Describe how the research or training and technical assistance will lead to improved quality of life for producers, communities and consumers

The grants will support initiatives for three years. Roughly two to four projects, capped at $1 million per proposal with an expected grant size of $500,000, are anticipated to be funded in the West.

Making Sense of Air Pollution Data: EPA Grant – Apply by June 26

EPA is seeking applications for community-engaged research to advance the use and communication of air pollution data to address air pollution concerns. This research will provide underserved communities with science-based information, tools, and approaches and related environmental data to engage with decision-makers and address community-identified air pollution concerns. Specifically, this funding opportunity is soliciting research projects that involve substantial engagement with communities, community-based organizations, and/or Tribes to address the following priorities:

  • Methods and tools for data integration and analysis to characterize community exposures to air pollution in underserved communities
  • Effective communication of air quality information to communities and decision-makers to support actions to address air pollution concerns in underserved communities

EPA anticipates awarding a total of $10 million under this funding opportunity divided among approximately 8 awards.

If you are interested in serving on the external scientific Peer Review Panel, rather than applying, email your contact information and a copy of your resume to Mirtha Cápiro at capiro.mirtha@epa.gov.

EPA will host an informational webinar on this funding opportunity on April 22 at 10:00 Alaska, 11:00 Pacific, 12:00 Mountain.

Bureau of Reclamation’s Environmental Water Resources Projects – Apply by June 18

The Bureau of Reclamations WaterSMART Environmental Water Resources Projects program invites applicants to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with the Bureau. Eligible projects will include water conservation and efficiency activities that result in quantifiable and sustained water savings and benefit ecological values or watershed health; water management or infrastructure improvements to benefit ecological values or watershed health; and watershed restoration projects benefitting ecological values or watershed health that have a nexus to water resources or water resources management. Projects will be developed collaboratively to help carry out an established strategy to increase the reliability of water resources. Applicants may request up to $3 million for projects with total project costs of $6 million or less to be completed within 3 years.  Projects that increase water supply reliability for ecological value and developed as part of a collaborative process may be eligible to receive up to 75% Federal cost-share contribution.

The Bureau will host an informational webinar on April 25 at 12:00 Alaska, 1:00 Pacific, 2:00 Mountain. 

NREL’s Clean Bus Planning Awards Program – Apply by September 30

The $500 million Clean Bus Planning Awards (CBPA) program, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), seeks to reduce barriers to zero-emission bus deployment by providing school and transit bus fleets with free technical assistance to develop comprehensive and customized fleet electrification transition plans. The program connects transit and school bus fleets with technical experts to support planning for bus electrification. Fleets also have the option to receive free deployment assistance from NREL at the completion of their plan. Applications will be accepted on rolling basis until September 30. 

NREL’s Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project – Apply by July 10

The National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) invites coastal, remote, and island communities aiming to address energy resilience challenges to apply to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. Communities will receive technical assistance and up to $50,000 in direct funding to support energy resilience projects defined by their local priorities and goals, using expertise from energy analysts at national labs including NREL and regional partner organizations. The benefitting community must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • It is located on an island 
  • It is within 50 miles of a coastline
  • It is in Alaska and not serviced by the Railbelt grid utilities 
  • It is a federally recognized tribe

NREL will host an informational webinar on April 24.

Food Loss and Waste Training and Technical Assistance Grant – Apply by June 28

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants and outreach program, has issued a call for proposals for Food Loss and Waste Training and Technical Assistance Grants. The goals of the program are to:

  • Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs
  • Promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm, and nutrition issues
  • Identify strategies for reducing food loss and waste by identifying value-added production opportunities
  • Meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs for planning for long-term solutions
  • Create innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural stakeholders and consumers
  • Describe how the research or training and technical assistance will lead to improved quality of life for producers, communities and consumers

The grants will support initiatives for three years. Roughly two to four projects, capped at $1 million per proposal with an expected grant size of $500,000, are anticipated to be funded in the West.

DOE’s Renew America’s Schools Program – Apply by June 13

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the $500 million Renew America’s Schools Program to promote the implementation of clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools. This first-of-its-kind investment aims to help schools make energy upgrades that will decrease energy use and costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments. DOE will host office hours on April 24 to discuss this opportunity.

EPA’s Clean Ports Program – Apply by May 28

Two funding opportunities are open through EPA’s Clean Ports Program. The Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition will be used to fund almost $3 billion in zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure to reduce mobile source emissions (criteria pollutants, air toxics, and/or greenhouse gases) at U.S. ports. The Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition will fund about $150 million for climate and air quality planning activities at U.S. ports, to include emissions inventories, strategy analysis, community engagement, and resiliency measure identification.

DOE’s Home Energy Rebates – Apply by May 31

Federally recognized Tribes can receive Tribal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates to help weatherize their homes, purchase efficient electric heat pumps for space heating and cooling and electrical upgrades, and more. These are “point of sale” rebates up to $14,000/households ($8K for heat pumps). These upgrades could help improve air quality the comfort, health, and safety of Tribal households. 

DOE will host a webinar today (April 4) at 11:00 Alaska, 12:00 Pacific, 1:00 Mountain to discuss this opportunity.

EPA’s FY24 Exchange Network Grant – Apply by May 22

EPA is soliciting project applications to support the Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) to:

  • Facilitate sharing of environmental data, especially through shared and reusable services.
  • Reduce burden and avoid costs for co-regulators and the regulated community.
  • 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.
  • Increase data and IT management capabilities needed to fully participate in the EN.

EPA expects to award 25-35 grants of up to $500,000 each in FY24. Individual applicants may request up to $300,000 and eligible partnerships can request up to $500,000. At least 90 Tribes in the U.S. have already received funding under the Exchange Network program. For information on projects previously funded/ideas for potential projects, see the Summary of Previously Awarded EN Grants by Fiscal Year.

DOE’s Transformative Clean Energy Projects – Apply by May 31

Under the new Local Government Energy Program, the Communities Sparking Investment in Transformative Energy funding opportunity will provide approximately $18 million in financial awards and technical assistance to advance community-identified energy priorities. Projects may span a variety of technology areas such as building efficiency and/or electrification, electric transportation, energy infrastructure upgrades, microgrid development and deployment, renewable energy, resilience hubs, and workforce development. Examples include:

  • Energy efficiency upgrades and on-site battery storage
  • Tribal partner-owned solar plus storage microgrid independent power project providing power to remote households
  • Municipally owned utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installation on reclaimed industrial land accessing relevant tax credits
  • Downtown revitalization led by public/private partnership creating energy efficient buildings primed for reuse for business or community use

DOE anticipates making up to 20 awards ranging from $900,000 to $3,600,000. Communities receiving financial awards will also receive comprehensive technical assistance.

DOE Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands – Apply by May 30

The Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting applications from Tribes (including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations) to:

  • Install clean energy generating system(s) and/or energy efficiency measure(s) for Tribal building(s), or
  • Deploy community-scale clean energy generating system(s) or community energy storage on Tribal lands, or
  • Install integrated energy system(s) for autonomous operation (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid) to power a single or multiple essential Tribal buildings during emergency situations or for Tribal community resilience, or
  • Provide electric power to Tribal building(s) that otherwise would be unelectrified.


Unless DOE approves a requested cost share reduction from 20% to 10%, all applicants must provide non-federal cost share of at least 20% of the total allowable costs of the project. Cost share reduction requests of less than 10% of the total project costs will not be considered.

EPA’s Clean Ports Program – Apply by May 28

EPA’s Clean Ports Program funds zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure, as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports.

See the Ports Initiative Events webpage for presentations on this funding opportunity.

Confronting Hazards, Impacts and Risks for a Resilient Planet: NSF Grant – Apply by June 6

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Confronting Hazards, Impacts and Risks for a Resilient Planet grant will support the co-design of projects that deliver evidence-based, actionable solution pathways reducing the risk from earth system hazards compounded by global environmental change. Researchers, academics, and community leaders will work together on NSF-supported projects to advance understanding, forecasting and/or prediction of future Earth system hazards and risks, develop community-driven research questions, and inform actionable, science-based solutions that increase community resilience now and in the future.

NSF will host a webinar to discuss this funding opportunity on March 25.

Transmission Facilitation Program: DOE’s Public-Private Partnership Program (Alaska) – Apply by May 31

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Transmission Facilitation Program (TRP) is a revolving fund program that will provide federal support to overcome the financial hurdles in the development of large-scale new transmission lines and upgrading existing transmission as well as the connection of microgrids. On February 29, DOE announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to $200 million for transmission projects to connect remote and isolated microgrids to existing infrastructure corridors in Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. The partnerships developed through this RFP will be designed to address the unique electric grid configurations and challenges faced by residents in these remote communities.

Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Planning and Project Design Grants – Apply by May 21

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Planning and Project Design Grants include three funding opportunities.

  • Water Strategy Grants fund planning to support water management solutions, such as domestic water supply projects for disadvantaged communities, water marketing, water conservation, drought resilience, and ecological resilience.
  • Project Design Grants fund the development of site-specific final design of on-the-ground water management construction and restoration projects.
  • Drought Contingency Planning Grants fund the development or update of Drought Contingency Plans.

Projects will require a 0%, 25%, or 50% non-federal cost-share depending on project type.

EPA’s Community Change Grants – Apply by November 21

EPA is awarding approximately $2 billion in Community Change Grants to fund community-driven projects that address climate challenge and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. The objectives of the grant program are to:

  • Provide resources for community-driven projects to address environmental and climate challenges in communities facing disproportionate and adverse health, pollution, and environmental impacts, and suffering from generations of disinvestment.
  • Invest in strong cross-sectoral collaborations with partners who bring a robust commitment to working with and for communities with environmental and climate justice concerns. 
  • Unlock access to additional and more significant resources to advance environmental and climate justice goals from across the federal government and other sources.
  • Empower communities and strengthen their capacity to drive meaningful positive change on the ground for years to come. 
  • Strengthen community participation in government decision-making processes that impact them.

Eligible entities include partnerships between two community-based organizations or a partnership between a community-based organization and a local government, federally recognized Tribes, or institutes of higher education.

Youth interested in Natural Resources, Tribal fish and wildlife management, professional development and college preparedness.Great news❗Applications for the Alaska Native Summer Youth Practicum are now open!🐾🌼☀️ Alaska Native Youth & AK Residents only.Don't forget to mark your calendars - the application deadline is June 3rd, so make sure to visit the website 🌐 to find the application. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Remember to click on the Alaska Region SYP when you visit the site. 🗻🔗 ow.ly/Yxir50RueYz ... See MoreSee Less
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“Part of our prophecy is that when White Raven returns we will become ourselves, we will become spiritual, we will become like a family without fighting each other. We have to rid ourselves of greed. When White Raven returns we will become human. Becoming human is to balance ourselves, connecting ourselves with the matrix of the earth, becoming rooted.” -Grandmother Rita Pitka Blumenstein #grandmotherswisdom #reverenceforallcreation #grandmotherrita #ritapitkablumenstein #13indigenousgrandmothers #13grandmothers #grandmotherscouncil #womensmovement #womensupportingwomen #women #indigenouswomen #prayer #divinefeminine #divinemother #inspiringwomen #indigenouswisdom #grandmotherswisdomquotes #wisdomquotes #activism #spiritualactivism #globalactivism #motherearth #grandmotherearth #fourdirections #sacredfire #ancientwisdom #forthenextgenerations ... See MoreSee Less
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EPA national and regional leaders were honored this week to join the Region 10 RTOC (Pacific NW & Alaska) 2024 Tribal Environmental Leaders Summit hosted by The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. EPA Regional Administrator Casey Sixkiller participated in a plenary session with Oregon DEQ Director Leah Feldon and Washington Department of Ecology Executive Advisor for Tribal Affairs Tyson Hawk Oreiro. EPA Office of International and Tribal Affairs Office Assistant Administrator Jane Nishida and American Indian Environmental Office Director Kenneth Martin talked with Tribal leaders about our shared work to protect lands, water and air. Learn more: www.epa.gov/r10-tribal ... See MoreSee Less
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