EPA National Climate Resources for Tribes
This website contains resources to help Tribes address climate change impacts and develop climate adaptation and climate mitigation strategies. Climate change disproportionately affects Tribal communities, leading to a disruption of their traditional lifestyles. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise can lead to the degradation of natural resources on which these communities rely on, including forests, watersheds, and coastal areas. This disruption has profound cultural, environmental, and public health consequences, including the loss of sacred sites, increased health issues, and economic challenges. Due to these significant impacts, this site intends to compile relevant EPA climate resources for Tribes. It provides resources for climate mitigation (reducing emissions and other causes of climate change) and climate adaptation (reducing impacts of climate change and addressing the impacts that remain).
On this page:
- Climate Resources for Tribes
- Climate Change Tools
- Grants & Technical Assistance
- Key Additional Federal Resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X) | Helps local governments effectively deliver services to their communities even as the climate changes that allows decision makers to create an integrated package of information tailored specifically to their needs. |
| EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | Provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators. |
| Environmental Resilience Tools Wizard | Contains tools for emergency managers produced by EPA that address environmental concerns in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. |
| Inventory of EPA's Tools for Enhancing Community Resilience to Disasters | Provides researchers and practitioners with information about available resiliency tools that they may distribute and use to help communities protect their resources and become more resilient to all-hazards. |
| Helps Tribes develop green buildings, green existing buildings, and find funding opportunities. | |
| Tribal Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool | Helps tribes across the United States to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions. Use this tool to compile a greenhouse gas inventory for your entire tribe or for tribal government operations in particular. |
| Cleaning Up, Protecting and Preserving Tribal Lands | Resources for implementing safe waste management practices, assessing and cleaning up contaminated sites, reducing waste and preventing future contamination, and preparing for and responding to environmental emergencies. |
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X) | Helps local governments effectively deliver services to their communities even as the climate changes that allows decision makers to create an integrated package of information tailored specifically to their needs. |
| EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | Provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators. |
| Environmental Resilience Tools Wizard | Contains tools for emergency managers produced by EPA that address environmental concerns in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. |
| Inventory of EPA's Tools for Enhancing Community Resilience to Disasters | Provides researchers and practitioners with information about available resiliency tools that they may distribute and use to help communities protect their resources and become more resilient to all-hazards. |
| Green Building Tools for Tribes | Helps Tribes develop green buildings, green existing buildings, and find funding opportunities. |
| Tribal Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool | Helps tribes across the United States to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions. Use this tool to compile a greenhouse gas inventory for your entire tribe or for tribal government operations in particular. |
| Cleaning Up, Protecting and Preserving Tribal Lands | Resources for implementing safe waste management practices, assessing and cleaning up contaminated sites, reducing waste and preventing future contamination, and preparing for and responding to environmental emergencies. |
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| EPA Grants for Tribes | Outlines EPA grant programs for Tribes, notably the Indian General Assistance Program (GAP). |
| EJ Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC) The national TCTAC specifically serving Tribes is the National Indian Health Board, but all TCTACs have Tribal serving components. |
Offers training and assistance in navigating federal grant application systems, facilitating community engagement, providing translation services, and managing communication channels to ensure direct access to resources and information. |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs Access to Capital Clearinghouse | Multi-agency clearinghouse to improve awareness of, access to, and utilization of federal funding resources for Tribal governments, Tribal enterprises, Native entrepreneurs, and Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). |
| Environmental Protection Network (EPN) | EPN’s pro bono Capacity-Building Technical Assistance Program provides assistance to communities, NGOs, and state, local, and Tribal agencies disproportionately impacted by environmental and health issues. |
| Federal Funding Opportunities | This is a list of several federal funding opportunities that Tribes can use to support their climate efforts, compiled by the U.S. Climate Resiliency Toolkit. |
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit: Tribal Nations | Provides tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience. The Toolkit offers information from all across the U.S. federal government in one easy-to-use location. This link also highlights the Tribal content from the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). |
| WHCNAA Committee on Climate Change, Tribal Homelands, and Treaties | Provides updates on initiatives from the multi-agency Committee on Climate Change, Tribal Homelands, and Treaties. This Committee recognizes Tribes as the original stewards of their land and supports their efforts to protect it. The Committee also strives to support Tribes amid unprecedented environmental challenges and existing land issues. |
| NOAA Resources for Tribes | NOAA’s Tribal Relations Team site, including useful documents, news, and grant and education opportunities. |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience (TCR) | The mission of the Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience is to support climate preparedness and resilience for all Federally-recognized Tribal Nations and Alaska Native villages through technical and financial assistance, access to scientific resources and educational opportunities. |
| USDA Climate Hubs/USDA Office of Tribal Relations | This searchable guide is a compilation of over 140 USDA programs and resources that provide financial or technical assistance, insurance, or services to assist with adaptation and mitigation of climate change. |
| DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs | Provides details on DOE’s projects and programs to promote Tribal energy development, efficiency, and use. Highlights technical assistance programs, current funding opportunities, and Tribal energy webinars. |
| DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Resilience Roadmap: A Collaborative Approach to Multi-Jurisdictional Resilience Planning | To mitigate hazards and risks, the Resilience Roadmap offers comprehensive guidance for federal, state, and local entities to effectively convene at the regional level for adaptable and holistic planning related to renewable energy. |
| National Indian Health Board Climate Resources | Provides resources that are relevant to Tribal climate health, including email updates, funding opportunities, and other NIHB resources. |
| HUD Indian Housing's Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) -- Tribal Climate Resilience and Adaptation Funding | Outlines funding opportunities from the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding Tribal climate resilience and adaptation. |