WHCNAA Committee on Economic Development, Energy and Infrastructure

IRS Elective Pay and Indian Tribal Governments Information Sheet

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has published an information sheet on elective pay for Tribal Governments. The document is in Question and Answer format, and based on proposed and temporary elective pay and transfer ability regulations and other tax guidance on IRS.gov. These proposed and temporary regulations may change when these regulations are finalized following a public comment period.

Elective pay allows applicable entities, including tax-exempt and governmental entities that would otherwise be unable to claim certain credits because they do not owe federal income tax, to benefit from some clean energy tax credits.

IRS Publication 5817-F for Indian Tribal Governments

Tribal Power Preference Listening Session 

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Indian Energy and Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) in partnership with General Services Administration (GSA) and Department of Defense (DOD), and in coordination with the White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA), are hosting the Tribal Power Preference Listening Session. The goal of the listening session will be to gain important insight directly from Tribes, tribally owned businesses, tribal utilities, and tribal entrepreneurs regarding any interest, availability, development, or challenges associated with generating and selling electricity to the Federal Government using the Preference.

Date: 18 May, 2023

Time: 2:30- 4:30pm Eastern

Location: Virtual

Register Here

Please review the polling questions attached to the email prior to the event to best prepare you for engagement during the session. If you have any questions, please submit them to IndianEnergy@hq.doe.gov. For more information about the Office of Indian Energy please visit their website.

Dear Tribal Leader Letter | Polling Questions 

Federal Funding Opportunities List and Matrix

As part of the WHCNAAs Access to Capital in Indian Country Initiative, federal signatory agencies committed to building awareness of, providing better access to, and increasing utliztion of, federal funding resources for Tribal governments, Tribal enterprises, Native entrepreneurs, and Native Community Development Financial Institutions. In keeping with this effort the WHCNAA Econdomic Development, Energy, and Infrastructure Committee has published all financing opportunities available to Tribes and individual Native American and Alaska Native individuals and businesses across the Federal government.

List of All Federal Capital Access Programs | Federal Funding Opportunities Matrix

Viritual Tribal Consultation on the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP)

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260 (Act), created the TBCP, providing new sources of Tribal broadband funding to assist in mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the digital divide across Indian Country. View the Dear Tribal Leader Letter for detailed information.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Tribal Playbook

In response to chronically underfunded infrastructure in Tribal communities, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will deploy record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitation systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs in every Tribal community. The law provides more than $13 billion in funding to directly support Tribal communities and makes Tribes eligible to apply for or request billions in discretionary, formula, and other funding. In total, this funding represents the single largest investment in Tribal infrastructure ever. To help Tribal applicants navigate the full range of funds both available to Tribal Nations and set aside for their communities, this playbook provides an overview of the “what, when, where, and how” to apply for funds.

BIL Tribal Playbook

Viritual Guidebook to the Inflation Reduction Act's Clean Energy and Climate Investments in Indian Country

Tribal Nations are on the frontlines of climate change, which threatens Tribal homelands, food sources, cultural resources, and sacred ways of life. Native communities have faced chronic underinvestment for generations, and climate impacts—including drought, wildfires, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events—have exacerbated pre-existing challenges and inequities. Since the first day of his administration, President Biden has made clean energy and climate action a top priority. President Biden delivered on his commitments when he signed the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest, most significant piece of clean energy and climate legislation in U.S. history that also includes hundreds of millions of dollars exclusively for Native communities. This guidebook provides an overview of the clean energy, climate mitigation and resilience, agriculture, and conservation-related funding programs in the Inflation Reduction Act for which Tribes are eligible, and also provides information on how Tribes can leverage new and expanded clean energy tax credits to reduce pollution and energy costs on Tribal lands.

IRA Guidebook for Tribes