Office Updates
Native American Heritage Month
We're proud to celebrate and offer support to Tribal Nations on their path to energy sovereignty. We'll be sharing success story blogs on social media throughout the month to celebrate the many Tribal energy successes across the country!
Webinar Recording: Federal Incentives and Support for Tribal Housing Energy Projects
Learn how U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding can be used to support Tribal clean energy projects.
 On Oct. 26, the HUD Office of Native American Programs joined the Office of Indian Energy for a special joint webinar focused on federal incentives and support for Tribal Housing Authorities and/or Tribally Designated Housing Entities.
One of the major takeaways was that many HUD funding sources can be used for renewable energy projects—such as solar and energy efficiency—and can count toward a Tribe’s required matching funds for other federal grants.
View the webinar recording and slides to hear case studies of past Tribal housing energy projects and learn about available federal support, including free technical assistance, incentives, rebates, and more.
News
White House Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month
“During National Native American Heritage Month, we recognize the invaluable contributions of Native peoples that have shaped our country and honor the hundreds of Tribal Nations who continue exercising their inherent sovereignty as vital members of the overlapping system of governments in the United States. We also recommit to supporting Tribal sovereignty; upholding the Federal Government’s solemn trust and treaty responsibilities; and working in partnership with Tribal Nations to advance prosperity, dignity, and safety for all Native peoples.”
View the Full Proclamation.
DOE Announces $3.5 Billion for Largest Ever Investment in America’s Electric Grid
On Oct. 18, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure with the selections of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by the Grid Deployment Office, the selections will receive up to $3.46 billion in federal funding and support 58 projects in 44 states.
These transformative projects, which will all support the President’s Justice40 Initiative to benefit disadvantaged communities, will help bring more than 35 gigawatts of new renewable energy online, invest in 400 microgrids, and maintain and create good-paying union jobs.
Selected projects include:
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program Announces $8.8 Million in Competitive Grant Funding
On Oct. 12, DOE announced the latest batch of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program formula grants, along with $8.8 million in competitive grant funding. Funds will be deployed to improve energy efficiency and advance crucial clean energy and infrastructure upgrades in public and private spaces, including hospitals, homes, manufactured housing parks, and government buildings.
Program Competitive Awards included:
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The Choctaw Indians of Mobile and Washington Counties, Alabama ($1.1 million), together with the City of Citronelle, AL, will implement several energy projects to serve disadvantaged communities, including retrofits for homes on Tribal lands. The community will pursue heat pump installations, LED lighting upgrades, and energy audits to help residents lower their energy bills and carbon footprints. The team will also provide Tribal members and business owners with educational opportunities.
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Nenana, Alaska ($900,000) and seven other rural, disadvantaged communities in Alaska have teamed up with the Alaska Municipal League and will conduct energy assessments and develop an energy efficiency and conservation plan for public facilities. This project will improve energy efficiency, reduce diesel fuel consumption, and reduce costs associated with delivering power to these remote areas. It will benefit community members, many of whom identify as Alaska Natives.
DOE Fellows to Support Clean Energy Solutions with Five Tribal Entities
 On Oct. 12, DOE announced that 29 recent graduates and early career energy professionals have been matched with critical energy organizations across 5 Tribal entities and 17 states, as well as D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to support efforts to advance clean energy solutions.
They are the latest cohort in the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship, a unique workforce development program that provides fellows with on-the-job training and professional development opportunities, while their hosts receive support to accelerate the transition to clean electricity and improve grid resiliency.
Fellows will support a wide range of projects with:
- Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians | Oregon
- Blackfeet Community College | Montana
- Blue Lake Rancheria | California
- Migizi Economic Development Company/Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan
- San Carlos Apache Tribe | Arizona.
Funding Opportunities
NEW: Tribal Clean Energy Funding Opportunities - Printable Flyer
- BIA 2024 Tribal Energy Development Capacity Grant
- Tribal Electrification Program
- USDA Wood Products Innovation Grants.
NOW OPEN: BIA 2024 Tribal Energy Development Capacity Grants
Awards range from $10,000 to $1 million.
Apply by Jan. 11, 2024.
Each year, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Energy Development Capacity grant program seeks to develop the Tribal management, organizational and technical capacity needed to maximize the economic impact of energy resource development on federally recognized Tribal land. Tribal Energy Development Capacity grants equip federally recognized Tribal entities to regulate and manage their energy resources through development of organizational and business structures and legal and regulatory infrastructure.
Tribal Electrification Program
$145 million ($72.5 million in current round)
Full application deadline Dec. 22.
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Tribal Electrification Program will coordinate financial and technical assistance to Tribes to increase the number of Tribal homes with zero-emissions electricity.
USDA Wood Products Innovation Grants
Deadlines from Dec. 1–15.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Wood Innovations Program currently has three grant programs open that are related to wood byproducts facilities near federal and Indian lands.
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Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (due Dec. 1) may be used to provide support for facilities that purchase and process byproducts of ecosystem restoration projects. This includes applications to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility near federal or Indian lands that need ecosystem restoration and will generate byproducts.
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The Community Wood Grant Program (due Dec. 15) provides funding for grants to install thermally led community wood energy systems or to build innovative wood product manufacturing facilities.
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The Wood Innovations Grants Program (due Dec. 15) stimulates, expands, and supports U.S. wood product markets and wood energy markets to support the long-term management of the National Forest System and other forest lands.
Events
- 2023 Office of Indian Energy Program Review
- BIA Tribal Providers Conference
- ENERGY STAR®: Portfolio Manager 101 Webinar.
2023 Office of Indian Energy Program Review
📅 Nov. 13–16 | Denver, Colorado
This annual event is an opportunity for Tribal leaders and staff to meet, learn from other Tribes that are pursuing clean energy projects, and share in each other's successes.
33rd Annual BIA Tribal Providers Conference
📅 Nov. 28–30 | Anchorage, Alaska
The 33rd annual BIA Tribal Providers Conference is scheduled for Nov. 28–30 at the Dena'ina Center in downtown Anchorage.
ENERGY STAR: Portfolio Manager 101 Webinar
📅 Nov. 14 | 1 p.m. ET
Learn about the core functionality of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees will learn how to navigate Portfolio Manager, add a property and enter details about it, enter energy and water consumption data, and generate template performance reports to assess progress.
ENERGY STAR offers several webinars on Portfolio Manager every month. These webinars explain how to navigate different parts of Portfolio Manager, from basics to advanced features.
Here's what's catching attention on our social media pages. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.
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