View as Web page.    

Office of Indian Energy News

Sept. 16, 2025

Welcome to the new monthly Office of Indian Energy newsletter! In each issue, we’ll be sharing the latest Tribal energy news, funding, events, and opportunities.

Office Updates

Announcing the 2025 Class of Energy Innovator Fellows and Tribal Hosts

The Energy Innovator Fellowship (EIF) program funds recent graduates and early-career energy professionals to support critical energy organizations in advancing solutions that will help modernize the power system, improve energy infrastructure for transportation and industry, and make the U.S. power system more reliable, affordable, and resilient.

The 2025 class of the Energy Innovator Fellowship includes 44 fellows across 31 states and territories, including 11 fellows at 9 Tribal Entities. This class of fellows has the highest placement among Tribal entities to date. Since 2017, EIF has placed fellows with 120 host institutions across 49 states and territories. The goal of the program is to increase access to energy career opportunities across the country. Tribal entities hosting fellows for 2025 include:

• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
• Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
• Blackfeet Community College
• Cherokee Nation's Office of the Secretary of Natural Resources
• Coeur d'Alene Tribe
• College of Menominee Nation
• Guidiville Rancheria of California
• Navajo Nation Government - Minerals Department
• Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

EIF is managed by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). EIF is funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Grid Deployment Office, Office of State and Community Energy Programs, and Office of Indian Energy Policy & Programs.

ICYMI: Acting/Deputy Director Testifies at Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

On Sept. 10, 2025, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Acting/Deputy Director David Conrad testified at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing entitled “Unleashing Indian Energy – Examining Federal Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy.” The recording is available for viewing.

News

In celebration of National Hydropower Day on Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced agreements on 11 projects and two prize competitions that will strengthen American hydropower and remove key barriers to its development. The projects and competitions, funded by the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), will boost hydropower research and development, foster small business innovation, and strengthen the domestic workforce.

This includes a full or conditional award to the following Tribal project:

• $7.1 million for the Carrizo Four Corners Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) Center Project, a project led by New Mexico State University in collaboration with the Navajo Nation to investigate the feasibility of a potential PSH project that will provide power and storage capacity to the region.

WPTO also announced the opening of its annual collegiate competitions, the Hydropower and Marine Energy Collegiate Competitions. Through these competitions, students gain real-world experience designing and managing water power systems, valuable exposure to career pathways, and greater knowledge of water power’s potential to provide reliable, affordable, and secure energy. To be eligible for cash prizes, academic institutions must have federally-recognized accreditation. Teams interested in competing must submit applications by Sept. 19, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Tribal Energy Navigator Support

In search of the right resources and contacts to move your energy project forward? The Office of Indian Energy is available to help! Connect with our dedicated staff at indianenergy@hq.doe.gov or 240-562-1352. We provide energy navigation support to federally recognized Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Intertribal Organizations (including Tribal consortia), Tribal Energy Development Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities on inquiries around developing energy projects to facilitate more efficient access to DOE and the other federal energy programs available to them. This support includes:  Finding federal project assistance Identifying project financing Technical feasibility analysis Financial feasibility analysis Partner engagement and coordination Permitting assistance Planning assistance Capacity building Training Assistance to enhance the legal environment for energy sector commerce Speaking engagements (events) or meeting requests

Available Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities

The following funding opportunities are available to federally recognized Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Intertribal Organizations (including Tribal consortia), Tribal Energy Development Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities. If interested, we encourage Tribes to confirm the availability of the programs, eligibility, and resources shared below by reaching out to the points of contact directly. View the full list of funding and technical assistance opportunities on the Office of Indian Energy website.

• Safeguarding Tomorrow Through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Revolving Loan Fund Program
• Distributed Generation Energy Project Financing
• Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program
• Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program (Tribal Energy Financing)
• Advanced Energy Materials Program
• Tribal Nation Transmission Program.

Safeguarding Tomorrow Through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Revolving Loan Fund Program

Submissions due Sept. 30.

Capitalizes entity revolving loan funds to provide local governments most in need of financing assistance with low-interest loans to finance hazard mitigation projects in their entirety, or the non-federal cost share requirement for other Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) or Stafford Act mitigation grants.

Distributed Generation Energy Project Financing

Ongoing

Provides loans and loan guarantees to energy project developers for distributed energy projects that provide wholesale or retail electricity to existing Electric Program borrowers or to rural communities served by other utilities.

Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program

Ongoing

Makes insured loans and loan guarantees to nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies, and other utilities to finance construction of electric distribution facilities in rural areas, as well as generation, transmission, and distribution facilities.

Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program (Tribal Energy Financing)

Ongoing

Supports Tribal investment in energy-related projects by providing direct loans or partial loan guarantees to a federally recognized Tribe, including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporations; or a Tribal Energy Development Organization (TEDO) that is wholly or substantially owned by a federally recognized Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Corporation.

Advanced Energy Materials (AEM) Program

Ongoing

This technical assistance program addresses material science challenges hindering the development and commercialization of advanced energy technologies, supporting natural gas-based technologies essential for baseload and peaking power generation, with applications in grid systems, data centers, well-head power generation, and other energy conversion networks. To explore collaboration opportunities, contact: Patcharin Burke, AEM Technology Manager, or Anthony Armaly, Partnerships Manager.

Tribal Nation Transmission Program

Ongoing

This technical assistance program offers capacity building through educational resources, transmission-focused strategic energy planning, training, and on-call assistance from technical experts and researchers, as well as funding for Tribal members to participate in key forums and events.

Regards,
Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs
1000 Independence Ave. SW | Washington DC 20585

For more information on the Office of Indian Energy, visit our website and follow us on social media.