Assistant Secretary Sweeney Announces Applications Sought for IEED Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) Grants

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Mac Lean Sweeney announced today that the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) is soliciting applications for the Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) grant program.

TEDC will fund approximately 15 grants, ranging in value from approximately $10,000 to $1,000,000 to federally recognized American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and entities, and tribal energy resource development organizations to fund feasibility studies for the managerial, technical, and institutional capacity to develop energy resources and account for the resulting energy production and revenues.

In past years, TEDC grants have enabled tribes to enact energy regulations, conduct feasibility studies to form tribal utility authorities, and develop other kinds of legal infrastructure needed to regulate and manage energy resources.

“Tribes with lands that are abundant in hydrocarbon and renewable energy resources have assets that can help them achieve their economic self-sufficiency and self-determination goals,” Sweeney said. “Through IEED’s Tribal Energy Development Capacity grants program, we are working to aid tribal governments in realizing the benefits of their energy resources now and into the future. I encourage any tribe wishing to build its managerial, technical and institutional capacity for developing its energy resources to apply for a TEDC grant this year.”

IEED’s solicitation for TEDC funding and details on how to apply can be found in the Federal Register and at Grants.Gov.

TEDC is a competitive, discretionary program. To qualify for funding, applicants must submit a proposal and a supporting tribal resolution to IEED no later than August 24, 2020, using the standard Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 and the Project Narrative Attachment Form, both of which can be found at http://www.grants.gov.

Applications will be evaluated principally on a proposal’s clarity and completeness, its expected contribution to the applicant’s capacity to regulate and manage energy resources, and the extent to which the anticipated outcome of the proposal meets the applicant’s stated goals.

IEED is administering this program through its Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD).

Questions about TEDC may be addressed to: Mr. Payton Batliner, Economic Development Specialist, DEMD, 13922 Denver West Pkwy, Suite 200, Lakewood, Colorado 80401; telephone: (720) 999-1414; e-mail: payton.batliner@bia.gov.

Please visit the Indian Affairs website for more information about IEED’s programs and services: https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/ieed.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees the programs of the BIA and the BIE, provides leadership in consultations with tribes, and serves as the DOI official for intra- and inter-departmental coordination and liaison within the Executive Branch on Indian matters.