Tribal Nations Funding Opportunities
Funding opportunities for electrified transportation and energy improvements, including electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, are available for Tribal nations from the federal government.
Some examples of federal agency funding opportunities include:
The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program is a new competitive grant program created to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in urban and rural communities at publicly accessible locations, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities- in addition to along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs).
CFI Program investments will make modern and sustainable infrastructure accessible to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided $2.5 billion over 5 years toward this program and provides two funding categories of grants: (1) Community Charging and Fueling Grants (Community Program); and (2) Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program). The DOT will consider the following priorities when making award decisions for the CFI Program: Safety, Climate Change and Sustainability, Equity and Justice40, Workforce Development, Job Quality, and Wealth Creation, as well as accessibility.
For the Community Program only, Tribes are allowed to satisfy the non-federal match portion with Tribal Transportation Program Funds. More information about this program can be found at CFI - Environment - FHWA.
EPA’s Clean School Bus (CSB) Grant Program incentivizes and accelerates the replacement of existing school buses with clean and Zero Emissions (ZE) school buses. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided $5 billion over 5 years for this program. Eligible activities include the replacement of existing internal-combustion engine (ICE) school buses with electric, propane, or compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses, as well as the purchase of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) infrastructure and EVSE installations.
Eligible Tribal applicants include Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or Tribally controlled schools responsible for the purchase, lease, license, or contract for service of school buses or for providing school bus service for a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) funded school. In 2022, 28 tribal applicants were awarded rebates that funded 200 clean school buses. Funding prioritizations include: (1) High-need local educational agencies, (2) Rural school districts, (3) Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school districts and, (4) School districts that receive basic support payments for children who reside on Indian land. More information about this program can be found at Clean School Bus Program Grants - EPA. Please direct any questions about this program to Cleanschoolbus@epa.gov.
The purpose of the Low-No Program is to support the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy efficient transit vehicles. The Low-No Program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities. This program provides funds to designated recipients of FTA grants, including states, local governmental authorities, and Indian Tribes. More information about this program can be found at Low or No Emission Vehicle Program - 5339(c) - FTA.
The FHWA’s $5 billion NEVI Formula Program will provide dedicated funding to States to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. Initially, funding under this program is directed to designated Alternative Fuel Corridors for electric vehicles to build out this national network, particularly along the Interstate Highway System. When the national network is fully built out, funding may be used on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations including on Tribal Lands.
The distribution of EV charging infrastructure across a State should specifically target locations and benefits to rural areas, underserved and overburdened communities, and disadvantaged communities, including Tribal lands, through analysis of existing service to these areas in a State. States should engage stakeholders and communities to ensure the deployment, installation, operation, and use of EV charging infrastructure achieves equitable and fair distribution. This includes community outreach and participation, including with rural, Tribal, and disadvantaged communities, to facilitate equitable and accessible deployment of EV charging infrastructure. The involvement of relevant private entities, Federal, State, local, Tribal and territorial governments should allow for the identification of opportunities for States to leverage the NEVI Formula Program funds in concert with other funding/deployment programs including those managed by other agencies.
Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Program (FLTTP) funds can be used to supply the non-federal share for NEVI. More information about this program can be found at NEVI - Environment - FHWA.
EV and Energy Funding Opportunities for Tribal Nations
The funding list below shows federal government funding opportunities available to Tribal nations for electrified transportation. For a full listing of all rural transportation funding opportunities, see the U.S. Department of Transportation Rural EV Toolkit.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, nonprofits
Provides investments that support construction, non-construction, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, nonprofits
Provides funds for organizations to aid companies in developing the next generation of tech-based economic development initiatives, including commercial EV technology implementation.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, nonprofits
Awards funding to eligible recipients (within Economic Development Districts) to create and implement regional economic development plans designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region.
Program type: Various
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, transportation providers, nonprofits, private sector, individuals
Supports high-impact projects that can significantly advance its mission to reduce petroleum reliance by developing and deploying more energy efficient and sustainable transportation technologies. VTO regularly updates its funding opportunity announcements with information on available VTO grant opportunities.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, nonprofits, individuals
Funds projects that demonstrate alignment of regionally driven, comprehensive approaches to addressing economic distress and the necessary workforce development activities to ensure dislocated and other workers in the regions can succeed in current and future job opportunities.
Program type: Grant (Formula)
Eligible parties: States, D.C., Puerto Rico
The NEVI Formula Program provides dedicated funding to States to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. Initially, funding under this program is directed to designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) for electric vehicles to build out this national network, particularly along the Interstate Highway System. When the national network is fully built out, funding may be used on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations including on Tribal Lands.
Program type: Grant (Formula)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities
Aims to improve transportation to and within Federal lands by improving transportation facilities that provide access to, are adjacent to, or are located within Federal lands.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, transportation providers
Makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities, including technological changes or innovations to modify low- or no-emission vehicles or facilities.
Program type: Grant (Formula)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, transportation providers
Provides funding to states and transit agencies through a statutory formula to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities. Subrecipients: public agencies or private nonprofit organizations engaged in public transportation.
Program type: Grant (Formula)
Eligible parties: States, tribes
Provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000, where many residents often rely on public transit to reach their destinations. State and tribes receive formula funding, then redistribute funds to projects in rural areas.
Program type: Grant (Formula)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, transit providers
Provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to urbanized areas and to governors for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning. An urbanized area is an incorporated area with a population of 50,000 or more that is designated as such by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Funding can support rural areas if the service provided also impacts a rural area.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: State DOTs, tribal governments, localities
The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program funds competitive grants to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas by increasing connectivity, improving the safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, and generating regional economic growth and improving quality of life.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: Tribes, private sector, individuals
Provides agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements or conservation practices.
Program type: Cooperative Agreement
Eligible parties: Tribes, localities, transportation providers, nonprofits, private sector
Helps rural communities create plans to enhance capacity for broadband access; preserve cultural and historic structures; and support the development of transportation, housing, and recreational spaces.
Program type: Grant (Discretionary)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, transportation providers, nonprofits
Provides technical assistance and training for small rural businesses for activities related to rural transportation improvement, technology-based economic development, and more.
Program type: Loan
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, transportation providers, nonprofits
Provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area.
Program type: Loan (Revolving Fund)
Eligible parties: States, tribes, localities, nonprofits
Provides 1% low-interest loans to locality lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities. Intermediaries relending the capital to other parties with a maximum loan of $250k or 75% of total project.
Program type: Loan Guarantee
Eligible parties: Tribes, localities, transportation providers, nonprofits, private sector, individuals
Offers loan guarantees to lenders for their loans to rural businesses.