Empowering Native Communities Through Clean Energy Financing

Every day, we see dramatic examples of how climate change is affecting the world around us, threatening the livelihoods and economies of Native peoples across the country. Chronic underinvestment in Native communities has exacerbated the challenges of extreme weather and prevented most from being able to make the transition to self-governed, clean energy sources.

The energy transition can’t create climate justice without including, mobilizing, and providing tools to act to those most affected by climate change. The biggest challenge for the energy transition is providing affordable energy while reducing carbon emissions. 

There is currently, a historic opportunity for Native CDFIs to participate in building an Energy Finance Ecosystem of clean energy lending capital and technical assistance that will result in lower energy costs, weatherization upgrades, and the development of renewable energy resources that will not only mitigate the effects of climate change, but will also build businesses and jobs that will produce sustainable benefits for the planet and Native peoples across the United States.

Learn about the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator program and how NCN supports Native CDFIs in clean energy projects.

Clean Energy News and Upcoming Events

NCN Appoints Luke Robinson as CCIA Regional Coordinator

We are excited to announce that Luke Robinson (Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana) has joined the...

NCN will join Clean Energy Panel at the CDFI Fund’s Public Advisory Board Meeting

NCN CEO Pete Upton will join the clean energy panel in Washington, D.C. at the CDFI Fund's Advisory...

NCN Appoints Jodi Fischer as CCIA Regional Coordinator

Please join us in welcoming Jodi Fischer (Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma), who has recently joined...

NCN CEO Pete Upton Speaks on Native CDFI Network’s Role in Advancing Tribal Energy and Climate Initiatives

On August 21-23, 2024, Pete Upton, CEO of the Native CDFI Network (NCN), joined a...

NCN Appoints Pamela Boivin as CCIA Program Manager

The Native CDFI Network (NCN) is thrilled to announce the newest addition to our team,...

Native CDFI Network Awarded Historic $400 Million Clean Communities Investment Accelerator Allocation

Today, August 16, on the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Environmental...

Powering the Future: Transforming Clean Energy Finance in Indian Country

Tribal Business News spoke with five leaders who are set to play pivotal roles in transforming...

NCN Career Opportunity Available: CCIA Regional Coordinator

The Regional Coordinator for the Native CDFI Network Clean Communities Investment Accelerator program will play...

NCN’s Clean Community Investment Accelerator (CCIA) Program

Native CDFI Network was recently selected to receive the historic Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) award as part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This marks a historic milestone in our collective efforts to combat climate change and promote environmental justice to our Native communities and recognizes the value of Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) as cornerstones of this work.

This historic funding, the most substantial infusion of capital ever directed toward Native CDFIs, will act as a driving force to uplift low-income and marginalized communities. It will enable Native CDFIs to fund renewable energy, energy-efficient upgrades, and sustainability projects, that will enhance well-being and create employment opportunities for Native people.

NCN’s CCIA program is made up of Native-serving community lenders and a coalition of partners with expertise in areas of clean energy finance, renewable energy project planning, development, and implementation, regulatory and compliance issues, and more. Coalition partners will be instrumental in supporting our community lenders with technical assistance so they can scale their lending activity and support clean energy projects across Indian Country.

The Native Climate Equity Fund

The purpose of the Native Climate Equity Fund (NCEF) is to build a clean energy finance ecosystem that supports thriving Native economies built on economic equity and energy self-sufficiency.

NCN serves as a hub in this ecosystem to provide access to capital and capacity building resources that will build a clean energy finance ecosystem anchored by Native CDFIs that will deploy capital to support clean energy development in Native communities.

Through a network of Native-serving CDFIs and lenders, Native homeowners, Native small business owners, and Native community institutions will have access to financing for cost-saving and pollution-reducing clean technology projects such as energy efficient appliances, rooftop solar, electric vehicles and charging stations, and more.

Role for Native cdfis

Native CDFIs serve a crucial role in supplying low-cost, long-term financing for clean energy projects in Native communities. The Native Climate Equity Fund will provide a substantial source of capital to support clean energy financing for Native communities to participate in the clean energy transition. With substantial experience lending to Native citizens, Native-owned small businesses, and tribal enterprises, Native CDFIs are uniquely positioned to support clean energy financing in Native communities.

Examples of clean energy projects include:

Distributed Energy Generation and Storage

  • Rooftop or community solar
  • Microgrids
  • Distributed wind
  • Stand-alone storage

Net-Zero Emissions Buildings

  • Electrification/energy efficiency
  • School building space and water heating
  • Replacement of backup diesel generators with storage
  • Community facility retrofits

Zero Emissions Transportation

  • Fleet electrification
  • EV charging stations
  • Clean mobility projects

NCN CCIA Program implementation FAQs

NCN’s CCIA program is made up of Native-serving community lenders and coalition of partners with expertise in areas of clean energy finance, renewable energy project planning, development, and implementation, regulatory and compliance issues, and more.

Click here for answers to our members’ most frequently asked questions about NCN’s CCIA program.

Get involved!

For inquiries about NCN’s CCIA program and the Native Climate Equity Fund, investment and collaboration opportunities, or to get connected to a Native CDFI/Community Lender in your area please take a few minutes to complete a brief inquiry form.

Complete your inquiry here!