Opportunity

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals' (ITEP) Caring for Our Relatives program offers comprehensive Technical Assistance (TA) to support Tribes in moving from climate change adaptation planning to implementation. The program provides direct, ongoing support for ecological resilience projects, helping Tribes address challenges like project scoping, funding, and grant writing. TA is available to Federally-recognized, Unrecognized, State-Recognized Tribes, and Alaska Native Villages, and lasts from several weeks to 6+ months. Services are free, and ITEP tailors its assistance to meet the specific needs of each Tribe, ensuring a collaborative approach to building climate resilience. The Caring for Our Relatives program also provides several in-person ecological resilience trainings per year on a variety of topics. Keep an eye on our calendar and events page for updates.

The opportunity:

Our Technical Assistance (TA) program is designed to support climate change adaptation planning and implementation. Creating a climate change adaptation plan and then implementing it is a multi-layered process that includes finding funding, scoping projects, building teams, managing budgets, conducting risk assessments, identifying solutions, developing work plans and more.

Our program offers free, technical assistance for individual Tribes who may be facing barriers to starting or completing climate change-related species and/or ecological resilience projects.

What can I expect?

Once submitted, we'll review your TA request and reach out for an introductory conversation to confirm that we can support your project. If it's determined that we're a good fit, then we'll work with you to set up a schedule and plan of action.

• What is an ‘ecological resilience’ project?

• We’re defining an ‘ecological resilience’ project as a project that helps our non-human relatives to survive and thrive in a changing climate.

What does Technical Assistance look like?

• We can work together remotely (via email/video calls/phone), or, in some cases, through direct on-site assistance depending on availability of funds and time. 

• Our TA program is intended as ongoing support to Tribes, with projects regularly spanning 6+ months.

Fill out the online Google form. Please include as much information as possible about your needs to ensure that an appropriate support can be aligned.

Please note that submission of this form serves as a request only. All requests will be reviewed and assessed for appropriateness and availability of time and funding. If we are at capacity, we will reach out to you to offer suggestions for other TA opportunities and resources, and/or add you to our TA waiting list.