The Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize encourages Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to develop student-led demonstration projects that increase their knowledge on clean energy and food sovereignty on TCU campuses. 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.
TCUs are encouraged to incorporate local traditional crops and/or livestock into their designs, as well as relevant clean energy systems to ensure food is sustainably grown for their environments. Students’ valuable exposure and hands-on experience in energy and food sovereignty can then be shared to benefit Tribes.
A Program Structured for Engagement
This prize is intended to build the capacity of TCU students to use clean energy to grow food self-sufficiently with sources on Tribal lands. One student team from each of the 35 TCUs is eligible to apply and will be recognized for their work.
The first phase of the prize will award up to 30 winners from the 35 eligible TCUs. Each winning Phase 1 team will receive a $40,000 cash award and is encouraged to leverage part of Phase 1 funding to offset travel costs to an in-person event hosted by the Office of Indian Energy in November 2025. All applicants are expected to have at least three student team members and one faculty member attend the event.
More Than $4 Million in Incentives
The Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize consists of three phases in which student teams will assemble, plan, construct, and showcase their projects to earn funding that will go directly to their TCU. In addition to the cash prizes outlined below, teams will have access to Power Connectors—organizations that can provide complimentary support and guidance throughout the prize—as teams plan and construct their projects.
The Three Phases
Phase 1: Teaming
Up to 30 winners | $40,000 cash prize to each winning TCU: includes funds for expected travel to the 2025 Indian Energy Program Review in Denver
Build a team and summarize your project.
Phase 2A: Planning and Permitting
Up to 20 winners | $75,000 cash prize to each winning TCU
Create a detailed project plan.
Phase 2B: Construction
Up to 20 winners | $60,000 cash prize to each winning TCU
Construct your project.
Phase 3: Presentations and Awards
First place: $75,000 | Second place: $50,000 | Third place: $35,000 | Up to 4 Honorable Mention prizes: $10,000 each
Attend and speak at the 2025 Indian Energy Program Review.
Start Forming Your Team Now!
Follow this prize by clicking the “Follow” button at the top right of this page to receive updates and start forming your team today.
Guidelines
Stay tuned for the official prize launch and publication of Phase 1 rules in fall 2024.
To receive updates on the Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize, please follow the HeroX channel. If you have any questions, please follow the HeroX channel or message us directly at .
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 theofficial 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.
We’re happy to share a wonderful prize resource with you: an American-Made Power Connector!
Power Connectors are valuable experts in the American-Made program and the subject matter of the prizes they support. They’re contracted yearly to perform a variety of tasks for specific prizes that advance program successes and provide assistance to teams. This means that their support in the prize is available as a free resource to competitors.
Reach out to Jade Garrett (she/her/hers) from Positive Deviancy for mentorship on the prize—free of charge! Chat with Jade to brainstorm ideas for your project, receive support about what to include in your submission, get help submitting your application, and more! How to reach out:
Schedule a TCU Intro Meeting (up to 30 minutes): This option is for TCU students, TCU faculty/staff/administration, and TCU network partners.
Did you miss the Oct. 15 informational webinar or need a refresh of what was shared? We've got you covered! A recording of the informational webinar is now available. Watch the webinar and/or view the accompanying slides to catch up on any prize details you may have missed, such as the general prize overview, eligibility, timeline, and more:
A few key points made during the webinar:
This prize is available to Tribal College and University (TCU) students and faculty only.
Only one team per TCU can apply. If many people from the same TCU are interested in competing, we recommend teaming together.
If you click the Follow button in the top right corner of this HeroX page, you’ll receive occasional notifications about the prize.
We’ll add answers from the webinar Q&A to the Forum tab on HeroX when available.
Now that you have a better understanding of what the prize is about, it’s time to form a team! Talk to students and supporting faculty at your TCU to see who’s interested in joining and remember to complete your submission by the Dec. 4 deadline.
Don’t forget to join tomorrow’s informational webinar for the Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize. The webinar takes place at 3 p.m. ET and will give an overview of the prize, including walking through the application process. Prize administrators will also be available to answer any questions you may have.
The TCU Energy and Nexus Prize is exclusive to students and faculty from the 35 eligible TCUs. Its aim is to develop student-led demonstration projects, such as greenhouses and solar arrays, that educate students on clean energy and food sovereignty on TCU campuses. Submission deadline is Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. ET.
Here’s a recap of what to do:
Followthe competition on HeroX by clicking the Follow button at the top right corner of this pageto get notified of updates to this prize.
Are you ready to learn more about the Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize? Join the informational webinaron Oct. 15 at 3 p.m. ET!
This student-led, faculty-supported prize will help teams from TCUs create renewable energy projects, such as solar panels or greenhouses, that support growing crops on TCU campuses.
In this webinar, prize administrators will give an overview of the prize, including what to submit:
Online video: Post a quick, fun video that introduces your team, TCU, and project.
Cover page: List basic information about your project, including team members, TCU name and address, and confirmation of intent to participate in the 2025 Office of Indian Energy Annual Program Review.
Narrative: Write a paper based on the prompts in the Official Rules. Paper should be less than 2,500 words (roughly 5 pages) and may contain up to 5 images or graphics.
Summary PowerPoint slide: Make a simple, one-slide submission summary that introduces your team and mission.
Letter of commitment from TCU: Provide a signed letter from your TCU that confirms the TCU’s full support for your project on their campus.
Prize administrators will cover these elements, as well as eligibility, key dates, goals, and more during the webinar. In addition, you’ll be able to ask any questions you may have in the open Q&A session. See the Official Rules for more information and come prepared with any questions.
