Current funding sources
Campus RainWorks Challenge
EPA is registering student teams from colleges and universities to participate in its new design competition, the Campus RainWorks Challenge. Participating teams will compete to develop innovative approaches to stormwater management. To compete, student teams, working with a faculty advisor, must submit design plans for a proposed green infrastructure project on their campus.
EPA's list of funding opportunities for Green Infrastructure projects
A list of federal, non-profit and local resources available to help communities explore the available funding options for stormwater projects.
Contain the Rain in Johnson County
A stormwater improvement reimbursement program. JOCO homeowners in participating cities could receive up to 50% reimbursement
by completing eligible landscape projects.
Other Possible Funding Sources
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program is a federal-state partnership that provides communities low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects. A presentation by Cara Hendricks (Kansas Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (KWPCRF) Non-Point Source Program Coordinator) on this funding source can be viewed as a PDF.
EPA watershed funding programs
Find a list of potential funding opportunities for your watershed.
EPA's Municipal Handbook: Funding Options
This chapter of EPA's Municipal Handbook identifies and discusses two of the most common funding options that communities are using to fund green infrastructure - stormwater fees and loan programs.
EPA Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities
Many communities around the country are asking for tools to help them achieve their desired development goals, improve quality of life, and become more economically and environmentally sustainable. In response to this demand, EPA developed the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program.
Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected local and/or tribal governments using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. The purpose of delivering these tools is to stimulate a discussion about growth and development and strengthen local capacity to implement sustainable approaches.
Past Funding Sources
Urban Waters Small Grants
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Urban Waters Program is to help local residents and their organizations, particularly those in underserved communities, restore their urban waters in ways that also benefit community and economic revitalization.
Since its inception in 2012, the program has awarded approximately $5.3 million in Urban Waters Small Grants to 92 organizations across the country and Puerto Rico. The grants are competed and awarded every two years, with individual award amounts of up to $60,000.
Clean Water Act section 319 grant program
EPA released final Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories for the Clean Water Act section 319 grant program on April 12, 2013. These guidelines are applicable for FY 2014 grant awards and subsequent section 319 grant awards, and replace guidelines that had been in effect since the 2004 grant cycle. These revised guidelines provide states and territories with a framework to use section 319 Clean Water Act grant funds to effectively implement their state nonpoint source management programs. These final guidelines are posted at www.epa.gov/nps/319.
2014 U.S. Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program
The USDA National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council seeks grant proposals to address the following priority issues: 1) Making Urban Trees and Forests More Resilient to the Impacts of Natural Disasters and the long-term Impacts of Climate Change; 2) Green Infrastructure Jobs Analysis; 3) Utilizing Green Infrastructure to Manage and Mitigate Stormwater to Improve Water Quality. Potential grantees should work collaboratively with other organizations and entities not traditionally involved in urban and community forestry. Application due: July 15, 2013
Water Quality Education Grants (Greater Kansas City area)
Mid-America Regional Council, on behalf of the Water Quality Education Committee, requests proposals from nonprofits and community groups to implement education activities, events or projects promoting actions to improve water quality in the Greater Kansas City area. Project funding varies, but will not exceed $5,000 per project. Proposals due: April 2, 2013. View more information and the proposal application here [PDF].
Project for Public Spaces
In partnership with the members of their Livability Solutions coalition, Project for Public Spaces is offering free technical assistance workshops on a wide variety of topics, including street audits, transit-oriented development planning, green infrastructure valuation guides, and form based codes. Project for Public Spaces expects to select 6 to 12 communities nationally for assistance. Applications are due November 2, 2012.
EPA Green Infrastructure Program
EPA is accepting letters of interest from communities interested in receiving direct assistance for projects that facilitate the use of green infrastructure to protect water quality. Technical assistance will be provided through EPA contract support, and will be directed to watersheds/sewersheds with significant water quality degradation associated with urban stormwater. The total EPA assistance available is approximately $950,000, and will be distributed among 10 to 20 projects. The value of the assistance available to each project will be approximately $50,000 to $100,000.
Due date: April 6, 2012
Other Resources
Case studies in and around Kansas