New Tribal Electrification Program Launched by the Biden Administration

The Department of the Interior announced the launch of a new Tribal Electrification Program. The new program is making available $72.5 million through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Tribal communities electrify homes.

Electrification Program Supports Clean Energy Future

This investment is a critical step toward the goal of electrifying all homes in Indian Country with renewable energy sources. The new program also advances the Biden-Harris administration’s work to reach a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035. The announcement comes as the administration celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. The Act was the largest climate investment in U.S. history.

“Climate change is the crisis of our lifetimes and has left far too many communities managing for worsening water challenges, extreme heat, devastating wildfires and unprecedented storms. Every action we take now to lessen the impacts for future generations is critical,” said Secretary Deb Haaland when announcing the electrification program. “Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re launching a new program to electrify Indian Country to provide reliable, resilient energy that Tribes can rely on, and advance our work to tackle the climate crisis and build a clean energy future.”

What is Electrification?

Electrification refers to the process of changing appliances over from gas and other non-electric fuel sources to electricity. Electrification costs less because electric is typically more efficient. Also, it has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate impacts of climate change, while reducing energy use. For example, replacing oil home heating with electric-powered heat pumps can reduce emissions.

Tribal Nations across the country have their own unique energy and electrification-related needs and implementation capacity. The Tribal Electrification Program will meet these unique needs by supporting community-led planning and implementation.

The program will also provide financial and technical assistance to Tribes. These investments will help connect homes to renewable energy and provide electricity to homes without electricity. The program will also support home repairs and retrofitting necessary to install the zero-emissions energy systems.

Application Deadlines and Program Eligibility

The application and award timelines for the Tribal Electrification Program are posted below.

Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations, as defined in Section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) (25 U.S.C. 5304) are eligible. Tribal Consortia and Alaska Native Corporations can also apply.  

The Tribal Electrification Program builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative and will also support clean energy workforce development opportunities in Indian Country.

Learn More

For more information on this program including application deadlines, visit the Bureau of Indian Affairs website.

The funding announcement opportunity is also available on the BIA website.