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WINTER 2023
Tis the Season of Giving
If you missed our Tribal Program Impact Circle in November, here is a recording of the virtual event where you can meet the GRID team making a direct impact on energy sovereignty for tribes across the nation!
TSAF Awarded $25 million from
Waverley Street Foundation
GRID Alternatives’ Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund (TSAF) is proud to announce a significant investment in its mission to advance clean energy solutions within tribal communities. TSAF has been awarded a generous $25 million grant from the Waverley Street Foundation (WSF). This transformative grant will catalyze the growth of renewable energy initiatives, strengthen tribal self-sufficiency, and drive sustainable economic development across Indian Country.
WSF's commitment to fostering innovation and empowering marginalized communities aligns seamlessly with TSAF's dedication to accelerating the adoption of solar energy on tribal lands. This partnership exemplifies the potential for positive change when visionary organizations unite in the pursuit of just transition to clean energy. Key highlights of this collaboration include: scaling renewable energy projects, empowering tribal sovereignty, community development, and environmental stewardship.
The impact of this grant extends far beyond the initial investment. TSAF and WSF are committed to long-term collaboration, ensuring that the benefits of clean energy reach tribal communities for generations to come.
To read the full press release click here
GRID Talks Honors Native American Heritage Month
Collette Brown-Rodriguez
Director of Community and Tribal Relations, Avantus
Tanya Martinez
Senior Director of Development, AES Clean Energy
Maranda Compton
Founder and President
Lepwe Inc.
This past November, in celebration of Native American Heritage Month, GRID Talks monthly webinar series, focused on "Creating a Sustainable Future for the 7 Generations." The three guest panelists, Collette Brown-Rodriguez, Tanya Martinez, and Maranda Compton, provided input and shared experiences in sustainability topics from Indian Country.
Creating a Sustainable Future for the Seven Generations was the topic of this months webinar. Seven generations is often difficult to envision when viewed from either end of the spectrum, however when we instead see ourselves intertwined as part of the seven generations we can more easily envision how the decisions we make now impact our future.
Sustainability is an important topic for tribal communities and can take on many forms: from renewable and green energy efforts, to language and culture preservation and revitalization, and sustainability of our traditional customs and heritage.
GRID Talks is a webinar series with the intent of bringing together leaders from the renewable energy field & environmental justice movement to discuss clean energy access and community-centered solutions. These webinars seek to amplify the voices of GRID's communities and share the stories, experiences, and work that are creating mission impact and systemic changes.
If you missed GRID Talks this past November,
click here to view a recording of the webinar.
New Funding Opportunity Launching in Spring 2024
Tribal Capacity Building grants will be intended to support TSAF’s past, current, and new community of tribal partners to invest in building the human capacity needed to advance tribal clean energy programs and projects that build the tribal energy ecosystem of community leaders, experts, cultural knowledge keepers, and everyone in-between. These grants will be significant, flexible, multi-year funding for general operating support, capacity building, and enhancing energy and sustainability expertise that reinforces tribal sovereignty.
Be on lookout for more information about the Tribal Capacity Building grants in addition to our next round of funding opportunities at www.tribalsolar.org.
2023 Tribal Scholars Announced
We are proud to announce the 2023 Tribal Scholarship award recipients. These $5,000 scholarships are designated for federally-recognized tribal members who are enrolled as a full time undergraduate or graduate student with a career interest in renewable energy. Congratulations to all!
Alana Edmo
Shoshone-Bannock
Idaho State University
Major: Liberal Arts
Kiara Ehle
Cheyenne River Lakota/Sioux
Virgina Tech
Major: Civil Engineering
Orrion Snyder
Dine/Southern Ute
University of Utah
Major: Ethnic Studies w/ a minor in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Studies
Edith Finley
Cheyenne River Sioux
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
Major: Native American Indian Studies
May Conrad
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Major: Biology, Society and Environment
Sherralyn Sneezer
Navajo Nation
Rochester Institute of Technology
Major: Sustainability
Wynde Warhol
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
Sisseton Wahpeton College
Major: Dakota Studies
Carl Tayah-Yazzie
Navajo
University of Arizona
Major: American Indian Studies/Double Major in Law
Misun Bowker
Cheyenne River Sioux
Sisseton Wahpehton College
Major: Sustainable Environmental Studies
Tracey Begaye
Navajo
Northern Arizona University
Major: Computer Engineering
GRID Tribal Team Partnership with Spokane Tribe on Residential Solar Project
The GRID National Tribal Installation Team is currently working on a rooftop solar project for the Spokane Tribe located in Wellpinit, Washington. The project, when completed, will encompass 699 kW of solar energy capacity for the Spokane tribal community. This project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024 with 49 remaining community homes.
The Tribal Install Team is also planning to begin work on a new project for the Pueblo of Santa Ana in New Mexico this upcoming February.
Upcoming Events
February 2-4, 2024 United National Indian Tribal Youth Midyear Conference -Phoenix, AZ
February 6-8, 2024 6th Annual Seminole Tribe of Florida Renewable Energy & Sustainability Conference - Hollywood, FL
February 27 & 28, 2024 DOE Tribal Clean Energy Summit - Temecula, CA
If you are interested in supporting the GRID National Tribal Program please contact Tribal Development Director Tanksi Clairmont or if you would like make a donation now, use the button below.
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