Office Updates
Funding Reminder: One Week Left To Apply for Clean Energy Deployment on Tribal Lands FOA
 There’s just over a week left until applications are due for the Office of Indian Energy’s Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands 2024 funding opportunity announcement (FOA).
Applications are due May 30, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET.
Apply early and edit as needed: Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early, to avoid any last-minute technical difficulties or network congestion. Applications that are submitted early can then be edited until the final deadline.
Questions?
DOE is Requesting Proposals With the Intent to Buy Renewable Energy Credits From Tribes Through Western Area Power Administration
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is requesting proposals with the intent to buy renewable energy credits (RECs) from Tribes. This DOE effort is being led by the Western Area Power Administration, which opened a solicitation for 7,000 MWh of carbon pollution-free generated RECs, and DOE’s national labs, specifically the Office of Science and Berkeley Site Office.
View the announcement to learn more and apply. The solicitation is open until June 14, 2024.
In Case You Missed It: DOE Funding Supports Tribal Clean Energy Projects Across Indian Country
Office of Indian Energy Financial and Technical Assistance Positions Projects for Additional Funding
On April 30, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected 19 projects to receive $78 million in grant funding through the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program to deploy clean energy projects, support local economic development, and build climate-resilient communities.
Over $33 million of those investments will support 13 Tribal Nations, many of which have received financial or technical assistance from the Office of Indian Energy. This assistance has bolstered Tribes’ capacity and seeded projects, increasing the likelihood of additional funding, such as through the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program.
Learn more about the Tribal selected projects and how the Office of Indian Energy supported their progress.
Now Hiring: Office of Indian Energy Project Monitors
 The Office of Indian Energy is hiring two contractor Project Monitors who will directly support project management activities, including Funding Opportunity Announcements, Merit Reviews, Peer Reviews, Award Negotiation, Project Monitoring, and closeout for grants and cooperative agreements.
Please view the job description on the Lindahl Reed website and share with anyone who may be interested!
- Title: Project Monitor—Office of Indian Energy
- Location: Golden, Colorado
- Job Type: Full-time hybrid
- Salary: $80,000–$115,000
- Experience: 5+ years professional experience
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or related field.
News
DOE Awards $5 Million Toward Clean Energy Manufacturing Development Through MAKE IT Prize
Rosebud Sioux Tribe Among Strategy Track Winners Promoting Clean Energy Manufacturing
On April 10, DOE announced winners in both the Facilities and Strategies Tracks of the Manufacture of Advanced Key Energy Infrastructure Technologies (MAKE IT) Prize. DOE awarded a total of $4,500,000 to nine Facilities Track Phase 1 winners and a total of $600,000 to 12 Phase 1 Strategies Track winners.
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The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will engage with community stakeholders and develop an integrated approach to workforce development, clean energy development, and manufacturing to benefit Native Americans on their Reservation and their partners attracting clean energy manufacturing activity.
DOE Announces New Federal Permitting Rule To Slash Transmission Review Timelines in Half While Maintaining Integrity of the Environmental Review Process
 How it works: DOE will act as the lead agency to coordinate federal environmental reviews and authorizations and will set a two-year deadline for agencies to issue permits and authorizations.
On April 25, DOE issued a final rule to establish the Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits (CITAP) Program, which will significantly improve Federal environmental reviews and permitting processes for qualifying transmission projects. Under the Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits Program, DOE will coordinate a federal integrated interagency process to consolidate federal environmental reviews and authorizations within a standard two-year schedule while ensuring meaningful engagement with Tribes, local communities, and other stakeholders.
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New community engagement requirements for developers: DOE requires transmission developers to develop a comprehensive public participation plan before they apply for federal authorizations and permits. This is a new and novel approach to transmission infrastructure development and will ensure that communities and key stakeholders are identified and accounted for at the onset of the permitting process.
View the full announcement to learn more: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Transmission Permitting Rule and Latest Investments To Accelerate the Build Out of a Resilient, Reliable, Modernized Electric Grid.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Initial List of High-Priority Areas for Accelerated Transmission Expansion
DOE Seeks Public Input on 10 Potential Locations, From Coast to Coast, That Present an Urgent Need for Expanded Transmission, Announces New Funding To Deploy Cleaner, Cheaper, Reliable Energy Across the Nation
 Map is a rough approximation for illustrative purposes only.
On May 8, DOE released a preliminary list of 10 potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs) to accelerate the development of transmission projects in areas that present an urgent need for expanded transmission.
A NIETC designation unlocks critical federal financing and permitting tools to spur transmission development, including direct loans through the Transmission Facility Financing program, public-private partnerships through the Transmission Facilitation Program, and federal siting and permitting authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in certain limited circumstances.
The potential NIETCs:
- Include one or more potential transmission projects currently under development whose deployment could be accelerated by the tools unlocked by NIETC designation.
- Range in width from less than 1 mile to near 100 miles and in length from 12 to 780 miles.
- Often parallel existing rights of way such as state highways and high-voltage transmission lines.
- Have the potential to facilitate the integration of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar, including offshore wind generation in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Present the opportunity to increase transmission capacity between the Eastern and Western Interconnections--two otherwise largely disconnected grids.
Public comments requested by June 24: DOE invites the public to submit comments on the potential NIETCs on the preliminary list. DOE will begin a public engagement phase after the comment period has closed.
View the NIETCs Designation Process page for full details on the proposed corridors and designation process.
Funding Opportunities
Printable Flyer: Tribal Clean Energy Funding Opportunities
- Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands
- 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize
- Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants
- Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP)
- NEW: EPA 2024 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Tribal and Territory Grants.
Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands
$50 million
Applications due May 30 at 5 p.m. ET.
Through this funding opportunity announcement, 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 install clean energy technology on Tribal lands.
Download the full Funding Opportunity Announcement document to learn more and apply.
Apply Now for the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize!
$180 million
Apply by June 13.
This three-phase opportunity will help K-12 public schools across the country build capacity, perform energy audits, and plan/implement energy improvement projects across a portfolio of school facilities.
Deadline Reminder: Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants
$562 million
Apply by June 17.
On January 18, 2024, DOE released the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant Fiscal Year 2024 Administrative and Legal Requirements Document to open the allocation request and application period for Fiscal Year 2024 grant funding.
These grants help modernize the electric grid to reduce the impacts of climate-driven extreme weather and natural disasters while also ensuring the reliability of the power sector.
Applications Open for Remote and Island Communities To Receive Technical Assistance
Apply by July 10.
Applications are open for ETIPP, which provides technical assistance for remote and island communities to bolster energy resilience with tailored solutions. New this year, communities selected for technical assistance will also receive direct funding to support their time and engagement on the ETIPP project.
 Ouzinkie, Alaska—a remote community of about 200 people in the Kodiak Archipelago—partnered with ETIPP researchers to better understand how to reduce its reliance on diesel fuel and incorporate renewable energy technologies into its power system.
NEW: EPA 2024 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Tribal and Territory Grants
$8 million
Apply by Dec. 6.
EPA anticipates awarding $8 million to federally recognized Tribal governments, intertribal consortia, and Alaska Native villages to implement projects aimed at reducing diesel emissions from older diesel engines. These grants are specifically tailored to expand access to diesel emission reduction projects to those Tribes and territories with more limited resources.
- Matching funds are not required for eligibility to the program.
Information Session Webinars: May 22, 2–3 p.m. ET; June 18, 7–8 p.m. ET; additional dates on the funding page.
Events
- Community of Change Leaders: Tribal Colleges & Universities Forum
- Tribal Formula Grant Informational Webinar for FY24 Grant Applicants
- NCAI Mid Year Convention & Marketplace
- 2024 DOE Small Business Forum & Expo
- NAIHC Annual Convention & Tradeshow
- National Tribal & Indigenous Climate Conference.
Community of Change Leaders: Quarterly Forum | Tribal Colleges & Universities and Nontribal Institutions
📅 May 23 | 12:30–1:30 p.m. ET
The DOE Office of Energy Justice and Equity's Minority Educational Institutions Division is holding an open forum for students, faculty, and others.
Tribal Formula Grant Informational Webinar for FY24 Grant Applicants
📅 May 30 | 2:30–3:30 p.m. ET
Join an informational webinar focused on the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant application processes and the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD).
National Congress of American Indians 2024 Mid Year Convention & Marketplace
📅 June 1–6 | Cherokee, North Carolina
Attendees of this in-person convention will have the opportunity to work collaboratively to protect and enhance Tribal sovereignty.
2024 DOE Small Business Forum & Expo
📅 June 4–5 | Minneapolis, Minnesota
The DOE Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization conference connects small businesses with DOE program offices, power marketing administrations, laboratory and technology centers, and prime contractors.
The conference includes a clean energy tech startup competition (OTT EPIC Pitch Competition), educational workshops, panel discussions, business matchmaking sessions, an exhibit hall with over 100 exhibitors, and a wide range of opportunities for Tribally owned small businesses.
National American Indian Housing Council Annual Convention & Tradeshow
📅 June 24–27 | Hollywood, Florida
Visit the DOE booth and learn more about Tribal funding and resources from the Office of Indian Energy and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs.
Save the Date: National Tribal & Indigenous Climate Conference
📅 Sept. 9–12 | Anchorage, Alaska
The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals will convene the third Biennial National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Conference with the theme of Shared Responsibility for Indigenous Climate Resilience.
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