Welcome to the TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize! This $4.1 million prize is now open, exclusively for students and faculty from the 35 eligible U.S.-based Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).  

Participation in this prize will provide funding for TCUs, increase the use of renewable energy on Tribal lands, help TCUs grow food, and foster leadership and collaboration amongst students.  

In this prize, student-led, faculty-supported teams will use renewable energy to support Tribal food sovereignty initiatives on Tribal College and University campuses. These projects may include but are not limited to:    

  • Greenhouses heated or cooled by geothermal (ground-source) energy   
  • Greenhouses powered by wind or solar  
  • Solar arrays that provide shade for crops to grow or livestock to graze. 

As students and faculty advance through three phases of the prize, they will form teams and create a plan, complete all permitting and pre-work, build their project, and demonstrate their learnings: 

TCU students and faculty: you’re invited and encouraged to apply by the Dec. 4 deadline! 

Why participate 

  • Gain valuable exposure and hands-on experience at the intersection of clean energy and food sovereignty 
  • Be part of bringing a clean energy project to your TCU 
  • Share learnings with other Tribes and leaders 
  • Earn up to $250,000 for your TCU 
  • Travel to and attend Office of Indian Energy event in Denver with expenses covered. 

Eligibility 

This is an exclusive prize open to the 35 U.S.-based TCUs. Funding will go to the TCU itself. Projects are student-led and can be supported by faculty advisors. One team per TCU is eligible to apply, and proposed projects must be located on TCU campuses. 

What’s Next 

Here are the next steps for TCU students and faculty:  

  • Follow this HeroX page by clicking the Follow button in the top right corner to receive notifications about this prize. 
  • Sign up for the Informational Webinar, taking place Oct. 15 at 3 p.m. ET, to learn what to include in your application, how to submit it on the HeroX prize platform, and more. 
  • Read the Official Rules to learn more about the prize. 

We look forward to seeing you at the Oct. 15 Informational Webinar!