A bold commitment to ending energy poverty and building climate resilience.
The Indigenous Power & Light Fund (the “Fund”) is a collaborative fund established by the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy in partnership with the Lemelson Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and other leading philanthropies.
The Fund
The Indigenous Power & Light Fund (the "Fund") is a collaborative fund established by the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy in partnership with the Lemelson Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and other leading philanthropies.
The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy (the "Alliance") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of delivering no-cost services supporting the self-determined efforts of Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to pursue a just transition to clean energy. The Alliance is 100% philanthropically funded, so all services and support are offered at no cost to Tribes and Alaska Native Villages.
When the Fund launched in 2024, its purpose was to help Tribes and Alaska Native Villages take full advantage of the historic federal funding opportunities made available through the Biden Administration's Invest in America compendium of funding initiatives. The Fund provided critical pre-development grants and loans to cover required but unfunded costs — such as matching funds and technical work — that stood between Tribes and Alaska Native Villages and access to those billions in federal resources.
A Funding Crisis
However, recent changes in federal policy have rescinded the majority of that promised funding, halting hundreds of critical Tribal clean energy projects in various stages of development. Instead of advancing toward a just transition, these communities have been left to grapple with worsening energy poverty, unreliable power, and the collapse of long-planned projects that were meant to directly and positively impact quality of life, safety, and the economic situation of Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and their members.
Photo: SAGE Development
Our Response
The Fund leverages the Alliance's expertise and network of Tribal, federal, NGO, and industry partners to deliver critical resources and support to Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. It covers essential project costs, engages trusted professionals, and ensures projects are implemented with Tribal ownership and equitable partnerships at the center.
With federal funding rescinded, the Fund has become both a lifeline and a driver of systemic change — stepping in to triage the immediate crises left behind, offering emergency support for clean energy projects that allow Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to care for their people now, while still laying the groundwork for a just, resilient energy future.
The Fund is already having a tremendous impact — making the completion of vital, community-scale infrastructure projects possible. It is helping Tribes and Alaska Native Villages replace prohibitively expensive and polluting diesel power generation with clean, reliable energy systems, electrify homes and Villages that have never had power before, and strengthen the resilience of essential facilities like health clinics, community centers, and emergency shelters. These investments not only address immediate, life-altering needs but also advance energy sovereignty and long-term well-being for Native communities across the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Funding Priorities
The Fund enables essential clean energy projects to be built by delivering vital capital to the Tribal communities who need it most.
The Fund prioritizes projects that:
Improve energy access and build resiliency — Projects that improve energy access, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, strengthen energy and food security, or reduce the risk of climate and fire disasters
Break the cycle of energy poverty — Reduce the high energy costs that burden Tribal households and perpetuate "heat-or-eat" cycles of poverty
Unlock funding and bridge shortfalls — Projects that unlock federal, state, private and alternative funding streams or bridge funding gaps
Center Sovereignty & Tribal Ownership — Ensure Tribal ownership and equitable development relationships
Current Offerings
The Fund’s Impact
*Development Loans are available on a case-by-case basis depending on the project's needs and current funding available
The Indigenous Power & Light Fund is delivering tangible, life-changing results for Tribal communities by addressing urgent energy crises and enabling critical projects that might otherwise never be completed. With federal funding rescinded in 2025, the Fund has shifted its focus from just supporting large-scale development projects to meeting emergent, immediate needs across Indian Country — ensuring that Tribes and Alaska Native Villages can keep the lights on, power essential services, and care for their people today, while still building toward a just and sovereign energy future.
Above all, the Fund brings hope where hope is often in short supply. In Indigenous communities across the United States — where nearly 80% of individuals live below the poverty line and 14% of households still lack access to electricity*— the Fund's impact is urgent and deeply meaningful. It's bringing electricity into homes for the very first time, replacing failing, polluting diesel systems, and strengthening critical infrastructure that communities depend on every day. These investments deliver immediate relief, restore dignity, and spark hope — lighting the way toward a just, resilient future for Tribal communities and the generations yet to come.
*Scheier, E., Kittner, N. A measurement strategy to address disparities across household energy burdens. Nat Commun 13, 288 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27673-y
Impact in Action
A glimpse at the Fund at work
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Native Village of Kwigingok
Kwigillingok, Alaska
Gap Funding
$256,515 — Recoverable Grant
IPLF provided gap funding for four wind turbine blade sets and mounting equipment for a critical wind project, which will increase the annual energy production by 25% — from about 95,000 kwh per turbine to 120,000 kWh for each of the 4 turbines, offering a robust and reliable source of power for the Village. After the storms in October 2025, the site faced irreparable damage and the recoverability of the grant was removed from the agreement.
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Metlakatla Indian Community
Metlakatla, Alaska
Emergency Gap Funding
$235,000 — Recoverable Grant
IPLF delivered emergency gap funding to connect the village grid to the local utility through a new submarine power cable with integrated fiber optics, enabling the sale of locally generated power to the City of Ketchikan and supporting future broadband expansion, essential for delivering reliable communications and access to information and education.
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KIPI Radio
Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, SD
Gap Funding
$388,129 — Direct Grant
Just in time to leverage a USDA REAP grant, IPLF funded a 100.92 kW ground-mounted solar system supporting KIPI Radio — a trusted lifeline in Indian Country that delivers emergency weather warnings and essential community updates that thousands of people rely on every day.
For Tribes
The Indigenous Power & Light Fund was created to help Tribal leaders address one of the most critical challenges facing Native communities: reliable, affordable, and sovereign energy. If your Tribe or Village is facing exorbitant energy costs, unreliable power, or critical infrastructure gaps — or needs immediate capital to complete a clean energy project — the Fund is here to help. We deliver rapid-response grants and loans, with a streamlined process designed to provide timely support, strengthen Tribal control, and position your Nation for long-term energy sovereignty and resilience.
Step 1 — Reach Out
Email us at IPLF@tribalcleanenergy.org to express interest. Our Tribal Engagement Team will contact you to schedule a brief introductory call.
Step 2 — Introductory Consultation
Meet with members of our Tribal Engagement and Technical Assistance Teams to share a brief overview of your community and project goals. We’ll learn about your Tribal priorities and timeline, and discuss ways the Alliance can support your Nation's clean energy vision.
Step 3 — Project Review and Next Steps
Our Technical and Finance experts evaluate each project against the Fund's priorities and eligibility criteria — assessing technical and financial feasibility, capital stack options, and opportunities for technical assistance or additional funding support. Projects that align with the Fund's priorities are invited to apply, and our underwriting and committee review processes are designed to move quickly.
For Donors
The Indigenous Power & Light Fund is a bold, high-impact initiative addressing one of the most urgent and overlooked equity challenges in America — energy poverty in Tribal communities. With over $35 million in committed funds over the next decade, the Fund is charting a path to $100 million in permanent, revolving capital to meet both immediate and systemic needs.
By investing in the Fund, you join a growing movement to correct historic inequities, empower Native Nations, and deliver transformative, measurable outcomes.
We invite you to learn more about partnering with the MacArthur, Lemelson, Hewlett, and other foundations to help power a just, resilient energy future for Tribal communities across the country.
For more information, please contact Caliopy Glaros, Director of Philanthropic Partnerships, caliopy@tribalcleanenergy.org
Founding Partners:
