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- By Native News Online Staff
Indian Energy secures $31M to build landmark microgrid for SoCal’s Viejas Tribe
A Native-owned energy company will leverage $31 million in state funding to create a long-duration energy storage system for a southern California tribe. The California Energy Commission issued the grant to Anaheim Hills, Calif.-based Indian Energy LLC, which plans to deploy a state-of-the-art microgrid that will provide renewable backup power for the Viejas Tribe of Kumeyaay Indians.
Tribal sovereignty becomes sticking point in California sports betting battle
Tribal exclusivity became a central question between two proposed sports betting measures in California leading up to last Tuesday’s elections. The first measure, Proposition 26, would have legalized in-person sports betting on tribal lands, while the second measure, Proposition 27, would have legalized mobile sports betting across the state and invited larger operations such as DraftKings and FanDuel to participate.
Through partnership with Google, NCAI appoints digital coach to help Native businesses
The National Congress of American Indians has partnered with the Grow with Google Digital Coaches Program to bring broadband education to Indian Country. All the broadband access in the world won’t help close the digital divide in Indian Country without the education to make use of the new technologies, says New Mexico Community Capital Program Director Henry Jake Foreman.
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Additionally, the BIA distributes $3 million for Native incubators; Powwow Pitch awards $200K to winners of Entrepreneurship Awards; and tribal-driven conservation projects receive the bulk of $91 million in grants from America the Beautiful Challenge.
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Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
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The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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