The Department of Agriculture Wednesday announced a $20 million investment to support indigenous communities in accessing emerging climate markets. The funding, distributed through competitive grants administered by the USDA Forest Service, will help recipients access emerging private markets for forest resilience, climate mitigation, water quality, carbon sequestration and more.
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small says, “Tribes and Alaska Native corporations and villages will have broader access to markets that will help address the climate crisis.”
Deputy Secretary Torres Small made the announcement during a meeting of the National Congress of American Indians in Washington. The non-profit National Congress is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the interests of Tribal governments and communities. The investments fund work on tribal lands and complement USDA’s commitment to advance co-stewardship of national forests and grasslands.
Proposals for this new grant opportunity may be submitted through August 21, 2024, at grants.gov.
