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 .
Winners: Register now for the January 23 12:00 p.m. ET informational webinar to get a walk-through of how to apply to Phase 2a.
In Phase 2a of the TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Prize, participants will complete all planning and permitting needed to construct their projects. Winners will receive a $75,000 cash prize for their TCUs for project deployment.
In this informational webinar, NREL administrators will go over what to include in Phase 2a submissions, including the EQ-1 form. Phase 2a is different than Phase 1 because participants must request National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approval by filling out a form on a U.S. Department of Energy website in addition to submitting their applications on HeroX, the official prize platform. In this webinar, NREL administrators will review where to go to complete the form and what documentation to include in your HeroX submission, due April 9.
Be sure to attend this webinar to have a good understanding of what to do in Phase 2a of the TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize! Can’t make it on January 23? No worries—the webinar will be recorded and posted on HeroX.
Lastly, the official rules have been updated to include all phases of the prize! Read the rules for an in-depth look at Phase 2 and 3 goals, prizes, how to enter, what to submit, and more.
Fourteen teams have been named winners in the Tribal College and University (TCU) Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize and will move to Phase 2 of the prize!
The Phase 1 winners were selected for their accomplishments in forming teams and developing project plans that use renewable energy to bring food sovereignty to their TCUs.
The winners and their project submissions include the following (listed alphabetically):
Tribal College and University
Submission Name
Location
Blackfeet Community College
SAPOO Land Energy
Browning, MT
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
EverGreen: All Seasons Sustainable Agriculture
Fort Totten, ND
College of Muscogee Nation
Ekvnv Hoporenkv: Clean Energy for Food Sovereignty
Okmulgee, OK
Diné College
K'é (Kinship) in Agriculture
Tsaile, AZ
Iḷisaġvik College
Growing Sovereignty: An Arctic Sun & Solar Project
Utqiagvik, AK
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College
KBOCC Food Sovereignty & Sustainability Group
L'Anse, MI
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
Waasamoowinikeng ‘Making Electricity’
Hayward, WI
Navajo Technical University
Food Sovereignty & Energy Nexus on Navajo Land
Crownepoint, NM
Northwest Indian College
Integrating Indigenous Science with Agrivoltaics
Bellingham, WA
Oglala Lakota College
Lakota Sustainability Initiative
Kyle, SD
San Carlos Apache College
Agriculture and Energy
San Carlos, AZ
Sinte Gleska University
White Feather Tail Woman Garden & Solar Greenhouse
Mission, SD
Stone Child College
SCC Sustainability in Institution and Community
Box Elder, MT
White Earth Tribal & Community College
WETCC NEXUS VAWT PROJECT
Mahnomen, MN
Congratulations to all participants for their great work forming teams and developing detailed demonstration plans!
What’s Next
Phase 1 winners will move to Phase 2, which is broken into two parts to receive funds prior to the completion of Phase 2:
Phase 2a | Planning and Permitting: Competitors will complete necessary prework and permitting (such as a NEPA permit). Up to 14 teams will win a cash prize of $75,000 for their TCU and move to Phase 2b.
Phase 2b | Construction and Demonstration Planning: Teams will construct projects. Up to 14 teams will win a cash prize of $60,000 for their TCU.
We can’t wait to see what the Phase 1 winners do next!
Good news! The TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize will reopen for submissions from Friday, Dec. 13 at roughly 5 p.m. to Friday, Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. ET sharp. Tip: remember to convert 5 p.m. ET into your time zone (i.e., 2 p.m. PT).
The prize administrators highly recommend uploading your submission as early as possible to avoid connectivity issues, upload delays, or challenges navigating HeroX, the official prize platform. Competitors must press the Submit button prior to the 5 p.m. ET deadline on Dec. 20, so get your application ready today!
If you’re not already in touch with Jade Garrett, email her at jade@positivedeviancy.com to set up time to talk. You'll receive 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!
The TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize deadline is extended to this Friday, Dec. 6 (tomorrow) at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Don’t miss this opportunity to win a cash prize of $40,000 for your TCU!
If you’d like to start a new submission or revise an existing submission, now is your chance!
The prize administrators are happy to support you in submitting your application. Please reach out to TCUprize@nrel.gov immediately with questions or to set up a time to meet prior to the deadline.
In addition, check out the recording of the informational webinar starting at 19:55 for a walk through of how to submit your application on HeroX.
Here are some tips to submit your application:
Upload your video to a streaming service before submitting your application. Copy the link to the video and put the link in your HeroX application. See this tutorial for a step-by-step guide on how to upload a video to the YouTube app.
Read the official rules for a complete list of what to include in your submission.
Do not wait until the last minute, as uploading submissions can take longer than anticipated. Submissions received after the 5:00 p.m. ET deadline will not be accepted.
Today’s the day! Make sure to press the submit button on your Tribal College and University (TCU) Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize application before 5 p.m. ET today. Late submissions will not be accepted. Prize administrators strongly recommend submitting prior to the 5 p.m. ET deadline to manage connectivity issues or slow upload speeds.
This is your chance to contribute to your TCU by bringing a clean energy project that grows food on campus AND earning cash prizes!
Up to 30 teams will win a cash prize of $40,000 directly toward their TCU. A portion of these winnings is expected to cover travel expenses for at least three student team members and one faculty member to attend the Office of Indian Energy Annual Program Review event in person (tentatively scheduled for November 2025).
