Native Sun Community Power Development

Native Sun is a Native-led nonprofit partnering with Tribal Nations and rural communities to build locally controlled clean energy, clean transportation, and workforce pathways.

Mission: Native Sun Community Power Development advances energy sovereignty, climate resilience, and economic justice in Tribal communities by delivering community-led clean energy and demonstration projects, building clean energy career pathways, investing in youth and community education grounded in culture and tradition, and advancing advocacy and food sovereignty as part of a just energy transition.

Vision: A future where Tribal Nations across Turtle Island lead a just transition rooted in culture and tradition, returning power, resources, and decision-making to Tribal communities while advancing energy sovereignty, thriving local economies, and healthy lands and food systems.

About us: Native Sun Community Power Development is a Native-led nonprofit based in Minneapolis partnering with Tribal Nations and rural communities across Turtle Island, with deep roots in Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest.

Our Guiding Principles: We are guided by the Anishinaabe principle of seven generations. These principles guide our relationships, decision-making, and accountability as we advance energy sovereignty and a just transition.

1. Community-led power: We walk alongside Tribal communities as we build collective power through community-led decision-making and partnerships. We lead with love, humility, respect, and truth, and we stay honest about where power sits and who benefits. 
2. Tribal sovereignty and self-determination:Tribal Nations lead the vision and set the direction. We work in relationship, take time to build shared understanding, speak honestly about tradeoffs, and follow through with clear communication and accountability, slowing down or stopping when needed. 
3. Culture and tradition: Culture and tradition guide how we design, share, and deliver our work. We honor traditional knowledge, language, and community teaching as living guidance, and we hold ourselves accountable to showing up with respect, humility, and care.
4. Environmental justice, Equity and a Just transition: Equity and environmental justice are at the center of every project, partnership, and policy position we take. We tell the truth about harm and exclusion, challenge systems that block access and community benefit, and support solutions led by those most impacted.
5. Partnership and reciprocity: We believe in the collective power of partnerships built on trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. We practice reciprocity by staying engaged, following through, recognizing contributions, and ensuring the work leaves lasting value and community benefit over time.
6. Practical demonstration and learning: We test ideas in real community settings, learn from results, and share knowledge through teaching and hands-on learning so communities can build capacity and collective benefit. We build with safety and quality in mind and stay grounded in real outcomes and responsibility to future generations.
7. Accountability to community and future generations: We are responsible with how resources are managed, taking only what we need to do the work well and directing the rest toward community benefit. We meet required audits and reporting, share results honestly, and make decisions with responsibility to future generations.

Our Goals: Native Sun Community Power Development’s goals are to advance energy sovereignty, economic justice, and long-term resilience for Tribal Nations and Native communities. We aim to ensure Native communities have the authority, resources, and capacity to lead their own clean energy transition.

Our goals include reducing energy poverty, lowering household energy burdens, and improving access to clean, affordable energy and transportation.

Native Sun works to shift systems and policies so Tribal priorities are reflected in energy, climate, transportation, and workforce decision-making we work to protect land and food systems, and support solutions that hold up over time for future generations.

Native Sun advances its goals through community-led projects, workforce development, education, technical assistance, and advocacy. We partner with Tribal Nations, Native-led organizations, schools, and community-based groups to design and implement clean energy and demonstration projects that reflect local priorities and build practical experience.

Our Work: Native Sun Community Power Development serves Tribal Nations and Native communities across Turtle Island, with core work in Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest. We partner with Tribal governments, Tribal departments, Native-led organizations, schools, and community-based groups in both rural and urban settings to advance energy sovereignty, economic justice, and long-term community well-being.

Our approach supports locally defined priorities and strengthens self-determination, resilience, and community benefit for future generations.

Native communities face persistent energy inequities rooted in historic displacement, underinvestment, and exclusion from energy decision-making. Many Tribal and urban Native households experience energy poverty, high utility costs, aging infrastructure, limited access to clean energy, and disproportionate environmental harm.

Native communities are often left out of clean energy investment, workforce opportunities, and policy processes shaping the energy transition. Our work prioritizes communities most impacted by climate change, environmental injustice, and energy inequity.

The populations and communities we serve include:

• Tribal Nations and Native communities in rural, reservation-based, and geographically isolated areas (serving 5–15 Tribal communities annually through projects, planning, and technical assistance)
• Urban Native communities experiencing energy insecurity and high housing and utility costs, including Native households in metropolitan areas such as Minneapolis–Saint Paul
• Native households experiencing energy poverty, including families with disproportionate energy burdens and limited access to energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy
• Native youth and young adults are engaged through education, career exploration, and workforce development programs they participate in clean energy training, credentialing, and employment pathways

Our Programs: Native Sun’s programs are designed to work together as a system. Community-led clean energy and transportation projects create real-world learning sites that inform workforce training, youth education, and policy advocacy. Technical assistance supports Tribal readiness and capacity, while advocacy helps remove barriers and shift systems so community-defined solutions can scale. Across all programs, knowledge sharing and accountability ensure benefits remain in community and hold up over time.

Electric Nation™ advances clean transportation access and energy sovereignty in Tribal and Native communities through electric vehicle infrastructure, planning, and workforce development. The program supports Tribes in planning for long-term transportation electrification aligned with community priorities.

Green Pathways Workforce Initiative: The Green Pathways Workforce Initiative builds clean energy career pathways for Native people through culturally grounded workforce training, credentialing support, and connections to employment. The program trains participants in solar installation, energy efficiency, EV charging infrastructure, and electrical pre-apprenticeship skills using a flexible hybrid model that blends online learning, in-person instruction, and hands-on experience. Participants receive technical certifications and wraparound support such as stipends, transportation, childcare assistance, and one-on-one coaching.

Solar Cub (Youth Education)Solar Cub is a youth-focused education program that introduces Native youth to clean energy, climate justice, and energy sovereignty through culturally grounded, hands-on learning. The program blends traditional knowledge, storytelling, Ojibwe language, and STEM concepts to help young people understand energy systems, land stewardship, and future career pathways. Solar Cub supports early learning, leadership development, and long-term community resilience by equipping the next generation with the knowledge and confidence to lead a just energy transition.

Policy Advocacy and Tribal Energy Leadership: This program advances Tribal leadership in energy, climate, transportation, and workforce policy at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Native Sun represents Tribal priorities in advisory bodies, policy tables, and government-to-government forums, ensuring policies reflect real community conditions and support Tribal sovereignty, equity, and community benefit.

Agrivoltaics and Food-Energy Systems:This program integrates renewable energy development with food systems, education, and land-based community priorities. Native Sun supports Tribal-led agrivoltaics planning and implementation that allows solar infrastructure and food production to coexist on the same land. Projects serve as community learning spaces, strengthen food sovereignty, improve local food access, and connect clean energy infrastructure to agriculture, education, and workforce development.

8th Fire Solar: 8th Fire Solar is Native Sun’s solar thermal social enterprise dedicated to reducing energy poverty in low-income households. Through this work, we help Native families access solar thermal heating, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and lower household energy costs. The program prioritizes households facing high energy burdens and limited access to affordable heating options, while also supporting workforce training and local economic opportunity.