Tribal nations seek new funding as federal support for renewable projects wavers

Tribal nations across the U.S. are scrambling to maintain renewable energy projects after federal programs and incentives faced freezes or cuts, according to reporting by Grist. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and other Indigenous communities have relied on federal grants and tax credits for solar projects powering clinics, schools and emergency services. With the passage of the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill, many projects now risk delays or cancellation.

Tribes and consulting organizations are pursuing alternative funding, including philanthropy, short-term loans and self-funded programs. “Some of these projects, at a minimum, have stalled, or they’re having to be reworked in some way to fit within the current parameters,” said Verrin Kewenvoyouma, a Hopi and Navajo managing partner at Kewenvoyouma Law.