Tribal Energy Network
Amerind Nation7 Generations

CA NEVI 6 · EVSE + BESS portfolio

Invite-Only Tribal EV Microgrid

Turn $125k into a 100%-funded $6M charger + battery install.
Slash bills. Boost foot traffic. Build tribal energy sovereignty.
All funds in escrow, zero operating expenses, and a path to ownership.
Check your eligibility now to get a 50x match.

  • $6.00MTotal per-site project package
  • $1.25MEVSE build sized for competitive NEVI scoring
  • 4.8 MWhBattery storage for demand control and resilience
  • $125kTribal cash match held in escrow, 200% annual ROI

Capital flow

How a $125k deposit turns into a funded Tribal EV solar microgrid.

The deposit is the trigger. The grant, direct-pay credits, and impact lending do the heavy lifting. The Tribe gets the deposit back, receives annual value, and can own the system after five years.

Target Tribal upside
$250k/yr
$125k cashflow +
$125k energy savings
  1. Step 1

    $125k Native bank deposit

    $125k escrow

    The Tribe places $125,000 ($25k every 3 months) in a deposit account at a Native bank. It is used as collateral and commitment proof, not as a blank check.

  2. Step 2

    Capital stack gradually unlocks

    $6M+ funding

    That deposit supports a $1M EV grant (CA NEVI), up to $4M in direct-pay tax credits, and over $1M in impact lending.

  3. Step 3

    System gets fully funded

    1% net cost

    Once the project is funded and reimbursements & credits clear (12-24 months), 50% of the deposit is returned to the Tribally-owned entity.

  4. Step 4

    Native partner owns + operates

    $0 Opex liability

    TEN (Tribal Energy Network) owns and runs the EVSE + BESS system, handles O&M, and shares operating value with the Tribe.

  5. Step 5

    Annual Tribal ROI value

    $250k/yr

    Target outcome: over $125k/year in project cashflow plus $125k/year in avoided energy costs (EVs + legacy peak demand charges).

  6. Step 6

    Tribal asset ownership transfer

    Upon maturity

    After five years to clear depreciation, the Tribe can take ownership through the agreed capacity-certification pathway.

Grant trigger$125k deposit demonstrates 10% cash match for the $1M EV grant. Required to start the NEVI application.
Tax credit bridgeDirect-pay credits are monetized after eligibility and compliance requirements are met.
Ownership pathwayThe Tribe can take ownership after year 5 once capacity certification is complete.

Five easy $25k tranches

The Tribal contribution is capped and milestone-based at 10% of the EV portion (2% of the total $6 million project capital stack). All funds are held in trust by Native bank partners as cash match collateral for project financing.
June 2026$25k

NEVI pre-development kickoff

September 2026$25k

NEVI application submission

December 2026$25k

NEVI grant conditional award

March 2027$25k

EVSE delivery

June 2027$25k

Substantial completion, prior to PTO

WARNING: No Tribal partners may join the TEN application after August 15, 2026, in order to ensure ALL coalition members can meet the NEVI 6 application requirements. Hurry! The application process requires appointment-based eligibility review.

A repeatable package for California Tribes

TEN owns, operates, and maintains the EVSE + BESS through qualified strategic partners while the Tribally-Owned Entity (TOE) receives a contractual share of net operational benefits. The public cohort has 20 maximum slots for this CA NEVI 6 round.
8 CCS+NACS150kW Public DC fast-charging EV ports, 8x per site
4.8 MWhBESS storage capacity target to eliminate demand charges
≈$250kTarget annual TOE benefit, subject to performance
0 OpexA PPA lets TO incurs no operating expenses, just savings + rev share

Why a coalition?

The capital stack scales with the coalition. Our first milestone is 5 Tribes — at which point NMTC becomes practical at the portfolio level and covers roughly 20% of project costs. Beyond that, the stretch goals compound: at 10, preferred pricing on EV chargers; at 15, on batteries; at 20 Tribes (approximately $100M), the bridge and permanent lending market — SSBCI, USDA REAP, and additional facilities — opens fully. Joining earlier compounds the benefit for every Tribe in the cohort.

Coalition momentum

Tribes Signed On

The count reflects signed Tribes only. Identified or in-diligence sites stay in the pipeline until an agreement is signed.

Key Dates

  • 5/15/26 — Invite-only TEN slots open.
  • 6/15/26 — NEVI 6 application opens.
  • 8/15/26 — LAST DAY to join coalition!
0 of 5 Tribes signed onLast updated May 2, 2026
Bring your Tribe

0 of 5 Tribes signed on. Next milestone: NMTC Activated at 5 Tribes. Stretch goals: EVSE Volume Pricing at 10, Battery Volume Pricing at 15, $100M Capital Unlocked at 20.

Stretch goals

Sources & uses, labeled plainly

The model uses source-type labels throughout so finance teams can distinguish grants, refundable credits, incentives, repayable financing, and cash escrow without double-counting.

Sources

CA NEVI$1.00M

grant

80% of eligible $1.25M EVSE capex; reimbursement timing applies.

48E elective pay$3.00M

refundable tax credit

Up to 60% of $5M battery basis; subject to counsel/program rules.

NMTC net target$1.20M

incentive

20% of $6M energy project total. Allocation and eligibility required.

Tribal lending$1.00M

repayable debt/credit terms

Financing to bridge grant, credit timing, and long-term DSCR.

Uses

$1.25MEVSE — 8 public DC fast-charging positions; final kW and connector mix optimized for CEC scoring and utility conditions.
$4.00MBESS — 1.2 MW / 4.8 MWh battery system; sodium-ion modular batteries selected through competitive procurement process.
$750kPlaza — Solar canopy, lighting, signage, and other site amenities to boost visibility, foot traffic, and Tribal branding.
Planning model disclaimer: Presented before any additional clean energy credits, LCFS revenue, utility programs, or other incentives not yet identified. This information is not legal or tax advice.

Sovereignty stays central.

The structure is designed to limit Tribal cash exposure, protect operating capacity, and preserve a clear path to future TOE ownership after capacity certification.

What the Tribe-Owned Entity provides

  • ✓Tribally controlled land or site access, as applicable.
  • ✓$100,000 cash match in escrow through five $20k milestones.
  • ✓Site coordination and local approvals support.
  • ✓Optional workforce coordination if desired.

What Tribal Energy Network provides

  • ✓Native-owned grant strategy, application management, and reporting.
  • ✓Compliance, due diligence, procurement, EPC, and O&M coordination.
  • ✓Transparent ROI waterfall: revenue → costs → distributions.
  • ✓Paid-up PPA structure with capacity certification for Tribal ownership.

Battery-first DCFC economics

The TEN plan treats the battery as core infrastructure supporting EVSE deployment. It is the control asset that makes fast charging pencil, especially where demand charges would otherwise erase margin.

CCS + NACS EV charging ports

Our installation leverages dual-port ICE-180s with CCS and NACS connectors, able to flexibly support future charging standards.

Battery-first economics

EV charging alone can struggle under full project finance. The BESS is what manages peak demand, preserves off-peak energy economics, and supports site resilience.

Sodium-ion or flow baseline

Sodium-ion and vanadium-flow options are being screened for safety, footprint, warranty, domestic-content, and FEOC/MACR readiness.

480V three-phase integration

Controls should allow the chargers to use the grid directly while the battery shaves peak demand and shifts load when rates make it valuable.

Compact travel-center footprint

Solar canopy, cantilevered, containerized, and below-grade battery layouts are design options for sites where land is tight.

Forward compatibility

TEN's model optimizes maintenance & upgrades, and supports adding renewables and other site amenities over time to support sovereignty.

Determine your Tribe's best energy opportunity

TEN participation is invite-only. We do not publish eligible Tribe names or site candidates. We review eligibility privately in an appointment, then map the best near-term and long-term energy path according to your Tribal energy plans.
25Identified eligible Tribes — Along Alternative Fuel Corridors in California.
17NMTC eligible census tracts — New Markets Tax Credit eligibility is verified by census tract.
9Energy Community counties — Energy Community Tax Credit eligibility is screened by county.
2026+Best-fit energy path — If NEVI 6 is not the fit, we identify the strongest Tribal energy opportunity.

We have identified 25 eligible Tribes along Alternative Fuel Corridors in California. Of those, 17 are in New Markets Tax Credit eligible census tracts and 9 are in Energy Community Tax Credit eligible counties. Set an appointment to determine whether your Tribe is eligible for the 2026 CA NEVI 6 cohort. If this round is not the right fit, we can still identify the strongest Tribal energy opportunities for your land, load, utility territory, and capital position.

Set Eligibility Appointment

Tribal Energy Partners

Partner roles vary by geography, procurement outcome, and project need. No manufacturer or EPC is represented as final until contracted.
Amerind Nation / TEN100% Native-owned sponsor, grant strategist, capital-weaving lead, and long-term operating coordinator.
Colusa Indian EnergyCalifornia Tribal microgrid and EPC experience for resilience-forward energy infrastructure.
AllumiaEnergy-efficiency and energy construction project-management platform.
7 GenerationsNative-led advisory and deployment partner for Tribal infrastructure and clean-energy development.
InCharge EnergyEV charging partner candidate; final equipment and CPO roles remain procurement-dependent.
Sovereign BankNative-owned depository institution providing cash match escrow services and TEN credit facilities.
Partner roles vary by geography, procurement outcome, and project need. No manufacturer or EPC is represented as final until contracted.

FAQs

More questions? Book a Meeting
What is CA NEVI 6?

California's next funding round under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program to deploy public DC fast charging along designated corridors. We support Tribes in site readiness, application, award compliance, and delivery.

What's in the $6M per-site package?

A $1.25M EV fast charging build sized for competitive NEVI scoring plus a $4M battery system and $750k in site amenities, including development, delivery coordination, and contracted O&M support.

How much cash does the Tribe put in?

$125,000 total through a wholly-owned TOE in CD-secured escrow, released in five $25,000 milestone tranches.

Why does the Tribe contribute cash at all?

Aligns incentives, supports pre-development momentum, and helps unlock the broader capital stack while keeping Tribal exposure capped and predictable.

Is SSBCI/CDFI free money?

No — it is repayable financing used to bridge timing gaps and reduce friction. Repaid from project cash flows and/or reimbursements.

Is NMTC guaranteed?

No. NMTC is allocation-based and requires CDE allocation. We model a target net benefit and pursue it at the portfolio level.

How does 48E elective pay work for Tribes?

Eligible Tribal entities can receive the credit value as a refundable payment, subject to wage/apprenticeship rules, domestic content, and compliance.

What if NEVI is not awarded?

Proceed under the battery + targeted energy improvements with EV financing. EV grants can be pursued through other grant programs or later rounds.

Who owns the equipment?

TEN initially owns and operates. TOE receives a contractual share of net operational benefits, with a path to Tribal ownership via capacity certification.

What is capacity certification?

Verification the Tribe/TOE can assume ownership responsibly (operations, maintenance, compliance). TEN facilitates the process.

Do we need to hire staff?

No. TOE incurs no operating expense in the base structure; TEN manages O&M via strategic partnerships.

How is charging margin calculated?

Charging revenue minus energy costs, network/CPO fees, maintenance, and other operating expenses. Transparent waterfall and reporting in the agreement.

How does the battery save/make money?

Reducing peak demand costs, shifting energy usage to lower-cost periods, supporting reliability, and capturing permissible arbitrage/savings depending on tariffs and operating rules.

Is this a microgrid?

Microgrid-ready. True microgrid operation depends on site controls, interconnection permissions, and additional generation/controls.

Does this include LCFS revenue?

Presented before LCFS — treated as incremental upside if captured contractually.

What are the biggest risks?

Grant award uncertainty, reimbursement/credit timing, NMTC allocation availability, operational utilization. Mitigated by portfolio structuring, compliance-first procurement, conservative underwriting.

How long does deployment take?

Day 1 kickoff → Day 90+ submission → Day 180+ award → Day 270+ delivery → Day 360+ substantial completion. Actual timing depends on interconnection and permitting.

Can this scale?

Yes — designed for 2–20 Tribes with standardized package, portfolio procurement, and repeatable compliance.

Is this legal/tax advice?

No. Planning information only. Final structures and eligibility confirmed with qualified counsel and program administrators.