Barona Group Of The Capitan Grande Band Of Mission Indians Of The Barona Reservation

Barona Group Of The Capitan Grande Band Of Mission Indians Of The Barona Reservation operates as a tribally owned, federally recognized Indian tribe that acts as a prime recipient of federal grants focused on community infrastructure, renewable energy, cultural preservation, and library services, with no federal contracts. The entity is headquartered in Lakeside, California, and classifies as a Tribal Government and Indian Tribe (Federally Recognized) under its organizational structure.

Barona's grant portfolio spans multiple federal agencies and programmatic areas, with the strongest concentration in library and cultural services. The top five funding agencies account for 70% of recent awards, led by the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (11 awards) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (10 awards), followed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Public and Indian Housing Office (5 awards), the Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (3 awards), and the Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation (2 awards). The portfolio totals 44 prime grant awards obligating $63.1 million across 18 distinct customer agencies.

Recent work centers on four concrete capability areas. Barona is the recipient of a $12.3 million Department of Energy Renewable Energy Research and Development award (CFDA 81.087) for the Barona Solar Power Project, involving installation of approximately 2.8 megawatts of carport-mounted solar photovoltaic systems expected to generate 5,686 megawatt-hours annually and reduce electric bills by more than $31.2 million over the project's 25-year lifespan (award date September 1, 2025; completion August 30, 2028). Barona also received a $21.9 million Bureau of Reclamation Domestic Water Supply Projects award (CFDA 15.577) on August 18, 2025, to design and construct a potable water pipeline importing reliable supplies from the Ramona Municipal Water District, addressing groundwater depletion exceeding 500 feet during drought periods and eliminating dependence on expensive water trucking (completion December 1, 2027). A related $398,500 Bureau of Reclamation water line mapping study (CFDA 15.519, awarded April 17, 2025) supports planning and infrastructure upgrade decisions across the reservation. Institute of Museum and Library Services grants fund sustained improvement to the Joan Phoenix Library and the Barona Cultural Center, including collection expansion, digital offerings through the Libby reading app, community programming, and staff professional development; the most recent library services award runs through July 31, 2027. Additional awards from the Department of Energy fund the Barona Scalable Community Microgrid Project (1.5 megawatts of solar, 2,000 kilowatt-hours of battery storage; awarded July 1, 2024; completion June 30, 2027) and the Barona Community Microgrids Project (921 kilowatts of solar; awarded May 1, 2024; completion April 30, 2027), both designed to provide autonomous power for critical tribal facilities. The EPA awarded $901,348 in Drinking Water State Revolving Fund formula grant support (CFDA 66.468) for asbestos cement pipe replacement in the tribal water distribution system (awarded February 1, 2024; completion September 30, 2028). Additional grants from the Department of Treasury (Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (Economic Development Initiative), and the Department of Energy (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grid resilience) support broadband infrastructure, community capital projects, and electric grid resilience initiatives.

Activity has grown from two awards in 2022 to five in 2024, with a smaller volume in the current year. Seven awards face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, representing a recompete window for renewal or follow-on funding in library services, water infrastructure, and renewable energy deployment. Barona operates as a 100% prime recipient with no subcontracted grant work.