BPA provides direct funding to tribal governments to implement outreach and coordination with tribal members. Additional funding is provided to qualified tribal programs for implementing auditing, installation, and monitoring services. Up to 30% of the grants can be used for health and safety (air quality, mold mitigation, ventilation, radon testing and mitigation, etc). Tribes that use these funds for weatherization programs must follow the air quality guidelines of the DOE program and ASHRAE standards.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Weatherization, Energy Efficiency, Heat Source Replacement, Insulation, HVAC upgrades.
Funding Details:
Average Annual Amount Available: $550,000
2018-2019 Tribes Using funds for Weatherization: 5
Expected Award Range: $15,000 to $100,000 per year
The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe has nearly 30 percent of the tribe now heating and cooling their homes with ductless heat pumps. In partnership with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and funding from Clallam County Public Utility District, the tribe recently installed 57 ductless heat pumps in tribal members' homes. [source]
The ICDBG Program provides eligible grantees with direct grants for use in developing viable Indian and Alaska Native Communities, including decent housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities, primarily for low- and moderate-income persons. This funding can be used for housing rehabilitation, land acquisition, and housing construction.
In 2017, the Wrangell Cooperative Association and Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority collaborated to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality in 20 homes and reduce energy costs for residents. [source]
Typical Application Period: Typically February to March
The Air Grants Program aim is to provide support for community-based organizations to participate in the AB 617 process and to build capacity to become active partners with government to identify, evaluate, and ultimately reduce air pollution and exposure to harmful emissions in their communities.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Community engagement/outreach, hiring technical experts & consultants, monitoring, data analysis
Funding Details:
Total FY 2019 Funding: $5,000,000
2019 Maximum Grant: $100,000 for Education Projects, $300,000 for Technical Project
Starting in 2018, the Southern California Tribal Community Air Monitoring Project, run through the Pala Band of Mission Indians, is using this funding source to deploy six low-cost air quality sensors to monitor conditions at the reservation. Data will be transmitted through a cellular network and displayed on a website accessible to tribal community members. [source]
Typical Application Period: Typically due in the Summer; 2019 Application due: 9/30/19
This grant is available to 1994 Tribal Colleges (designated by 2018 farm bill) that are looking to build institutional research capacity through applied projects that address student educational needs and meet community, reservation or regional challenges. Eligible institutions may propose projects in any discipline of the food, agricultural or natural resource sciences. Grants are collaborative, meaning projects must involve at least one additional partner. Projects focused on indoor air quality must demonstrate that indoor air quality affects farmers and ranchers within their community.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Improving indoor air quality for tribal farmers and ranchers, ventilation, Chemical Changeout
Homeowners and business owners within the Air Quality Control Zone of the Fairbanks North Star Borough can receive a substantial rebate for exchanging their old, inefficient wood stoves, coal stoves, or outdoors wood boilers for other heat sources. The replacement heat source must be one of the following: an appliance designed to use home heating oil (excluding waste/used oil), natural gas, propane, hot water district heat, electricity or emergency power system (i.e generator), or an EPA Certified Pellet Stove or Catalytic Wood Stove with an emission rating of 2.0 grams/hour or less. Some residents may be eligible for a repair instead of replacement.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Heat Source Replacement
Funding Details:
Funding allotments dependent on the system being replaced and the funding available. To find current incentive levels, visit the program website.
Residents of Plumas, Sierra, and Nevada Counties, and residents of Portola are eligible to receive vouchers for replacing inefficient wood stoves with an efficient heat source.
As of August 2019, the Multi-County Program is delaying funding decisions potentially to early 2020. Interested participants can join a waitlist that will be capped at 70 people. The Portola area only program is still running.
The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District currently has 2 wood stove change-out programs! One is for all of Plumas, Sierra and Nevada County except the Portola area. The other is for the Portola area only. Both programs are designed to help households replace non-EPA certified wood stove or insert used as a primary source of heat with a cleaner burning and more efficient device. Open hearth fireplaces may be eligible for each Program if the fireplace is used as a primary source of heat (documentation required). Each Program will offer Vouchers towards the purchase and installation of a new EPA-certified woodstove, fireplace wood insert, gas (natural gas or propane), or electric device. Participants have four weeks to purchase a new device after receiving a voucher.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Heat source replacement
Funding Details:
For the Multi-County Woodsmoke Reduction Program
$3,500 for residents of low-income communities as defined by this map.
Low-income residents outside of these areas can qualify via proof of enrollment in a low-income assistance program.
$1,000 for all other residents.
For the Greater Portola Wood Stove Change-Out Program
Residents INSIDE the City of Portola Sphere of Influence
Up to $3,500 to replace a qualified wood heating device with an EPA certified wood-burning device.
Up to $4,500 to replace a qualified wood heating device with an EPA certified Pellet, Propane or Kerosene heating devices
Residents OUTSIDE the City of Portola Sphere of Influence and Within the Nonattainment Area
Up to $1,500 to replace a qualified wood heating device with an EPA certified wood-burning device.
Up to $3,000 to replace a qualified wood heating device with a Pellet, Propane or Kerosene
Up to $3,500 for low-income residents to replace a qualified wood heating device with an EPA certified wood-burning device.
Up to $4,500 for low-income residents to replace a qualified wood heating device with a Pellet, Propane or Kerosene heater.
Typical Application Period: Rolling. Applications accepted until August 2020 (or until funds run out)
Notes:
Non-EPA certified wood stoves and inserts are defined for the multi-county program as pre-1987 and for the Portola program as appliances older than 20 years. For the Portola program, in some cases, repairs may be funded rather than replacements.
Contact:
sam@myairdistrict.com for multi-county program; julie@myairdistrict.com for Portola program
This program is meant to encourage homeowners in El Dorado, Placer, and Amador Counties to permanently remove or replace older non-EPA certified wood stoves or eligible fireplaces with cleaner-burning devices to improve winter air quality through reduction of particulate matter (PM) emissions caused by inefficient residential wood combustion. Participants must first acquire Pre-Approval from AQMD. Rentals are eligible with some restrictions. Requirements are slightly different for Amador County residents.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Heat source replacement
Funding Details:
$500 for removal of old wood-burning device and replacement with a new EPA Phase II certified wood stove, fireplace insert, or pellet stove.
$600 for removal of old wood-burning device and use of existing or installation of a new electric, natural gas or propane furnace or appliance.
VA provides direct home loans to eligible Native American Veterans to finance the purchase, construction, or improvement of homes on Federal Trust Land, or to refinance a prior NADL to reduce the interest rate.
Native American Veterans and their spouses may be eligible to receive a guaranteed loan to purchase, construct, or improve a home on Federally-recognized trust, allotted lands, Alaska Native corporations, and Pacific Island territories. The NADL Program offers no downpayment, a 3.75% interest rate, and no private mortgage insurance cost. Eligible applicants must have a valid Certificate of Eligibility and be a satisfactory credit risk. The tribal government of your member tribe must have a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, which spells out the conditions under which the program will operate on its trust lands. Follow this link to see if your tribe has a MOU with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Native American Veterans must pay a low funding fee of 1.25% to obtain VA's direct loan to purchase a home.
Example Eligible IAQ Activities:
Construction, Repairs, Weatherization
Funding Details:
No downpayment
3.75% interest rate. Interest rates are subject to change due to market fluctuations.
