The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will make $24 million available for Native American communities to advance business opportunities for regenerative agriculture, AI, tribal energy sovereignty and human capital development. Applications are due by Aug. 27.
Delivered through the Economic Advancement Grants for Local Empowerment (EAGLE) program, the ACF will fund the awards for three years. The program’s primary objectives revolve around supporting Native capacity and success; fostering economic growth through job creation, infrastructure and wealth-building; and accelerating economic development and optimizing governance.
Eligible applicants include:
- Nonprofits non-higher education with or without 501(c)(3).
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
- Incorporated non-federally or recognized tribes.
- Incorporated state-recognized tribes.
- Consortia of Indian tribes.
- Native American tribal organizations.
- Various other miscellaneous Native American entities.
All recipients will be required to contribute 20% of the project’s cost to receive awards.
The EAGLE program will distribute funding across five project areas (PA):
- PA 1: Seventh-Generation Greenhouses (7G2).
- PA 2: Microgrids.
- PA 3: Welders to Elders (W2E).
- PA 4: Tradition in Action – A Native Elder Program.
- PA 5: Indigenous Designs to Empower and Advance Self-Determination (IDEAS).
PA 1 will support Native American efforts to develop weatherproof food production alternatives to boost supply, reduce food costs and transition tribes and communities to healthy diets. Funding must be used to produce and install one or more temporary or movable greenhouses. Recipients may also use the money to train participants and hold community events to teach members how to prepare locally grown, traditional foods.
PA 2 prioritizes the development of microgrids, providing independent electricity generation to help pioneer energy independence and sustainability. Microgrid projects supported through the EAGLE program must result in improved energy reliability, reduced costs, stronger community resilience, economic growth, and continuity of energy services in the wake of a major disaster or disruption. Recipients may also allocate funding to nonrenewable microgrids or hybrid models that rely on both renewable and nonrenewable technology.
PA 3 will enable tribes to develop training centers for welding, construction, electrical, plumbing and other critical trade skills. All training certifications must comply with industry-standard certifications. Qualifying projects should promote job, personal and professional growth, address unemployment and build community resilience.
PA 4 will support Native elder-youth tutoring and mentorship programs in Native communities. These programs will help build the next generation of leaders and workers, securing sustainable economic growth while preserving cultural identities. Projects are expected to boost academic and cultural education, increase intergenerational knowledge transfer, cultural rootedness, productivity, community investment and establish community-centered activities for Native elders and long-horizon leadership pipelines.
PA 5 will help Native members design projects tailored to identify and address each community’s most pressing and immediate needs. Projects that may receive funding through this PA may include those that:
- Improve health and well-being.
- Improve foster care systems and support.
- Create new businesses or otherwise promote economic growth.
- Develop a tribal code or court system for economic growth.
- Develop a community development financial institution.
- Develop a master plan for socioeconomic development and infrastructure.
Photo by Giant Asparagus from Pexels
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