New fund for advancement of tribal clean energy sets $100 million goal

Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, in collaboration with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Lemelson Foundation, and other philanthropies, has launched the Indigenous Power & Light Fund for Energy Sovereignty at the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 Annual Meeting, where the Fund is being featured by the Clinton Foundation as a Commitment to Action.

Focused on expediting the advancement of tribal clean energy initiatives, this catalytic pooled fund aims to fast-track tribal clean energy projects by financing upfront costs not typically addressed by federal funding.

With an initial goal of $100 million, this revolving fund has the potential to unlock billions in federal funding, helping Native American tribes and Alaska Native communities overcome the significant financial barriers that currently hinder the implementation of clean energy projects.

“We are immensely grateful to Clinton Global Initiative and our philanthropic partners who believe in this fund’s potential to drive transformative change within tribal communities across the country,” said Chéri Smith, president & CEO of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy. “By prioritizing tribal ownership and control, the fund ensures that the benefits of clean energy projects go directly to tribal communities, strengthening economies, self-determination and true sovereignty. Most importantly, these projects inspire hope in tribal communities, where hope is often scarce.”

More than a third of the funding has been pledged, and the fund is on track to reach its initial goal of $100 million by the end of 2025.

“We are honored to be a founding collaborator for the Indigenous Power and Light Fund. The Fund will support tribes as they work to take control of their energy futures and create impactful opportunities for economic development, energy sovereignty, and to be leaders in the transition to a clean energy economy,” said Carrie Doyle, Environment program officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. “The fund will stand as a beacon of hope and a vital source of support for Native communities as they follow their own paths to a clean energy future.”

News item from the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy