Tribal College University (TCU) students and faculty: Now is the time to prepare your submissions for this $4.1 million prize! Finish forming your team and start developing a basic plan for a chance to bring food sovereignty and $40,000 to your TCU. The deadline for Phase 1 submissions is Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. ET, and late submissions will not be accepted.
While many of you may be registered on HeroX, only one person (the Team Captain) will submit your team’s official proposal.
In Phase 1, up to 30 teams will win $40,000 each for their TCUs and be eligible to move on to Phase 2A of the prize. All Phase 1 winning teams are expected to have at least three student team members and one faculty member attend an Office of Indian Energy Annual Program Review event in person (tentatively scheduled for November 2025).
Students and faculty interested in competing in this $4.1 million prize—and making a real impact with their projects—should begin building out their plans now. Start by reading the official rules to get an understanding of what to include in your submissions!
Then, reach out to get free mentorship and support to our Power Connector, Jade Garrett from Positive Deviancy! This is a great resource we hope every team will take advantage of to help you brainstorm project ideas, work on your submission, and apply. Reach out to Jade at jade@positivedeviancy.com.
