Building Green: Tribes and Energy-Friendly Loan Programs
How Native Nations Are Leading in Sustainable Infrastructure Development
Across the United States, Native American tribes are becoming trailblazers in clean energy, green building, and sustainable development. With access to federal energy-friendly loan programs, grant funding, and sovereign regulatory flexibility, tribes are proving that environmental responsibility and economic opportunity can go hand in hand...
USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
The USDA REAP Program provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses — including tribal enterprises — for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements...
Department of Energy Loan Programs
The DOE Loan Programs Office provides direct loans and loan guarantees to support large-scale energy infrastructure projects...
Tribal Economic Development (TED) Bonds
TED Bonds are tax-exempt bonds that tribes can issue to finance public-purpose projects...
Additional Funding Sources for Green Tribal Projects
Case Studies in Tribal Green Leadership
- Blue Lake Rancheria (California) – Tribal microgrids powering essential services during outages
- Wakaga GeoGreen Project (South Dakota) – Year-round geothermal farming in extreme winters
Best Practices for Securing Green Financing
- Establish a tribal energy office
- Apply early for REAP funding
Conclusion: Tribal Leadership in a Greener Future
By investing in green infrastructure today, tribes are not only reducing emissions — they are creating jobs, generating revenue, protecting cultural lands, and modeling climate resilience for the world to follow.