|
Beyond information on federal funding sources retrievable from our database, a variety of other resources are available for financial and technical assistance for projects related to water quality. This page lists publications and organizations that might be useful in securing other sources of Funding. They are classified under two main sub-headings: Private, Nonprofit Sources and Other Federal Sources, and are listed alphabetically under each.
- Chronicle of Philanthropy. The Chronicle web site (www. philanthropy. com
 ) includes articles and grant announcements. The Chronicle also maintains the Guide to Grants, an electronic database of all foundation and corporate grants listed in their newsletter since 1995. To search this database users must purchase a subscription – subscription rates are available for terms ranging from one week to one year and start at $29. The Chronicle's site also provides links to information on fundraising, volunteerism, technology, academic centers on philanthropy, and publications for nonprofit professionals.
- Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). CEC is an international organization created by Canada, Mexico and the United States under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). The CEC was established to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts, and to promote the effective enforcement of environmental law. The CEC created the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation (NAFEC) to provide funding for community-based environmental projects in North America. Nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations are eligible to apply for grants. For more information, see
www.cec.org/contact_us/index.cfm.
Contact CEC, 393 St. Jacques
West, Suite 200, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 1N9. Telephone: (514) 350-4300; Fax:
(514) 350-4314; E-mail: info@ccemtl.org.
- Community of Science (COS). The COS Funding Opportunities web site
(www.cos.com ) allows users to search more than 23,000 records, representing over 400,000 funding opportunities, worth over $33 billion. Individuals involved in scientific or scholarly research are invited to join COS’ network of more than 480,000 research professionals worldwide at no cost. Corporations and Universities/Research Institutions are required to purchase a membership. Contact COS, 1629 Thames Street, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21231. Telephone: (410) 563-2378; Fax: (410) 563-5389.
- Environmental Support Center (ESC). The goal of ESC's (www.envsc.org ) is to improve the U.S. environment by enhancing the health and well-being of local, state, and regional organizations working on environmental issues. ESC offers a Training and Organizational Assistance Program, Leadership and Enhanced Assistance Program, Technology Resources Program, Workplace Solicitation Program, Environmental Loan Fund , and State Environmental Leadership Program to help environmental groups become better managed, funded and equipped. Their Environmental Loan Fund is a revolving loan fund intended to stabilize, increase, and diversify an organization's long-term funding base. Contact ESC, 1500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 25, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: (202) 331-9700; E-mail: general@envsc.org.
- Foundation Center (FC). The FC (http://fdncenter.org ) offers a series of on-line resources for people seeking information on grantmakers and grant resources. Their web site offers a Foundation Finder that allows users to search by name for basic information about foundations within the universe of more than 70,000 private and community foundations in the United States (this service is free). They also offer a subscription-based Foundation Directory, an on-line searchable database of foundations (users may choose from 4 subscription levels, starting at $19.95 per month). They also offer Foundation Grants to Individuals on-line, targeted at individuals seeking grant money. The Center also maintains an on-line searchable database of the literature of philanthropy, called the Literature of the Nonprofit Center. It incorporates the unique contents of the Foundation Center's five libraries and contains more than 20,600 full bibliographic citations, of which more than 13,400 have descriptive abstracts. For more information contact FC at 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003. Telephone: (212) 620-4230; Fax: (212) 691-1828.
- Foundations and Grantmakers Directory. Offered by the Northern California
Community Foundation, this web site (www. foundations. org/ grantmakers.html) provides
links to corporate, private, and community foundations.
- Fundsnet Online Services. This web site (www. fundsnetservices. com ) offers
information on funding opportunities, listed alphabetically by geographical location and
topic. Fundsnet also provides information about fundraising and grant writing.
- Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. The Funders' Network supports foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other partners working to solve the environmental, social, and economic problems created by suburban sprawl and urban disinvestment. Although the purpose of the site is to help grantmakers understand the issues and opportunities associated with smart growth and not to facilitate connections between grantmakers and grantseekers, their web site
(www. fundersnetwork. org )offers a searchable database of more than 50 private foundations that support various elements of environmental protection.
- Guidestar. Guidestar's web (www.guidestar.org/) Guidestar's web (www.guidestar.org/) provides nonprofit organizations with the opportunity to register and post information, view on-line newsletters and press releases, and take advantage of other free services. Guidestar maintains a database of nonprofit organizations that potential funders may search for free. Guidestar's mission is to help improve the effectiveness of the nonprofit sector through the collection and presentation of information about nonprofit organizations.
- An Internet Guide to Financing Stormwater Management. This web site
(http://stormwaterfinance. urbancenter. iupui.edu/ ), developed by the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in cooperation with the Watershed Management Institute, Inc., is designed to help communities find ways to pay for stormwater management projects. The site includes: an annotated bibliography of existing stormwater finance materials; an archive that contains selected previously published materials concerning stormwater finance; a manual that discusses the financing options available to communities for stormwater management programs; a set of case studies that describe successful finance mechanisms that have been used in seven communities around the country; and a group of links to other useful web sites about stormwater management.
- Internet Prospector. The Internet Prospector site
(www.internet-prospector.org/index.html) offers information on fundraising and provides
links to various types and sources of funding.
- National Center for Small Communities (NCSC). NCSC (www.natat.org/ncsc/ ) is a national, nonprofit organization devoted to serving the leaders of America's smaller communities. NCSC provides small town decision makers with the tools to govern effectively and the skills to expand local economies, protect natural resources, and preserve community character. Contact NCSC, 444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 397, Washington, DC, 20001-1202. Telephone: (202) 624-3550; Fax: (202) 624-3554;
E-mail: ncsc@sso.org. NCSC offers a series of funding resource publications:
- Action Guide for Source Water Funding: small town and rural county
strategies for protecting critical water supplies summarizes local source water protection responsibilities and strategies; explains the opportunities for local governments available through federal programs; and identifies key points at which input can help determine state-based source water priorities and set-aside funding levels to benefit local and county governments. The guide is available for on-line viewing at
(www.natat.org/ncsc/Pubs/Source%20Water/Action_Guide_Intro.htm )
- Source Water 2000: funding and assistance programs to protect small town and
rural drinking water describes small town and rural county program opportunities and presents a strategy for making rural county and small town voices heard. This publication is available for on-line viewing at
www.natat. org/ ncsc/ Pubs/ Source% 20Water/ source_ water_ 2000.htm .
- Keys to Successful Funding identifies major federal and foundation funding sources and strategies for developing competitive applications. In addition to grant and loan funding, the guide identifies free or affordable sources of planning, technical, and administrative expertise, as well as contacts, hotlinks, and web sites of particular value. This 64-page document may be ordered on-line – $14.95 for NCSC members and $24.95 for nonmembers – at
www. natat.org/ ncsc/Pubs/ Funding2.htm.
- Innovative Grassroots Financing: a small town guide to raising funds and
cutting costs helps community leaders meet the challenges of paying for programs and services in the face of taxpayer resistance and limited public resources. This 80-page document may be ordered on-line – $7.95 for NCSC members and $19.95 for nonmembers – at www. natat.org/ ncsc/Pubs/ Funding2.htm.
- National Network of Grantmakers (NNG). NNG (www.nng.org ) is a membership association of funders committed to supporting progressive social change. NNG provides services to both funders and grant seekers. As an organization, NNG is committed to the goal of increasing resources, financial and otherwise, to organizations working for social and economic justice. NNG's Grantmakers Directory lists more than 200 funders of social and economic justice. The directory is available for order on-line. Contact NNG, 1717 Kettner Blvd, Ste 110, San Diego, CA 92101. Telephone: (619) 231-1348; Fax: (619) 231-1349; E-mail: nng@nng.org.
- Non-profit Resource Center (NRC). The NRC (www.not-for-profit.org ) serves as a
one-stop directory for Internet resources of interest and value to nonprofit organizations.
NRC provides valuable information, including a comprehensive list of fundraising
publications, fundraising software and consultants, fundraising programs, and
information on grants and grantsmanship.
- Resources for Global Sustainability (RGS). RGS (www.environmentalgrants.com )
offers grant seekers a variety of services, including identification of potential funders,
information about colleagues, and custom reports on request. RGS's annual directory,
Environmental Grantmaking Foundations, provides information on more than 900
foundations that fund environmental projects. The directory costs $105 for the print
version and $115 for the CD-ROM (plus shipping). Contact RGS, P.O. Box 3665, Cary,
NC 27519-3665. Telephone: (800) 724-1857; Fax: (919) 363-9841; E-mail:
rgs@environmentalgrants.com.
- River Network. River Network (www.rivernetwork.org ) works to protect and restore
America's rivers by building the capacity of grassroots organizations and acquiring
threatened riverlands. River Network offers publications, fund-raising tips, technical
assistance and resources, and the opportunity to network with other groups across the
country. River Network's Directory of Funding Sources for Grassroots River and
Watershed Conservation Groups (available free to River Network members and $35 for
non-members) provides profiles of more than 300 private, corporate, and federal funding
sources for river and watershed groups, including name, address, telephone number,
contact name, deadlines, and a brief description of each source's particular interests. In
addition, this document provides information on how to write grant proposals and offers a
bibliography of state and local foundation directories. The directory can be ordered online at www.rivernetwork.org/ marketplace/ index.cfm. Contact River Network, 520 SW
6th Avenue #1130, Portland, OR 97204. Telephone: (503) 241-3506, (800) 423-6747; E-mail: info@rivernetwork.org.
- Sustainable Community Network (SCN). SCN (www. sustainable. org/ ) focuses on
using innovative strategies to produce communities that are environmentally sound,
economically prosperous, and socially equitable. The SCN Internet site offers a variety
of information, including funding sources and a comprehensive list of sustainable
development resources.
Other Federal Sources
- American Heritage Rivers' Catalog of Services. EPA's American Heritage River web
site (www.epa.gov/ rivers/ services/ ) offers a comprehensive listing of services (sources of
assistance, helpful documents and guides, etc.) available to those working to improve the
health of rivers across the nation. Topics include communications; data collection and
evaluation techniques; education and outreach; hands-on assistance; financial assistance
and guides (provides funding information); research and development; planning and
management; laws and regulations; and information centers, publications, and maps and
databases.
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). The CFDA is a government-wide
compendium of federal programs, projects, services and activities that provide assistance
or benefits to the American public. The catalog is updated twice a year, in June and
December. The CFDA can be accessed on the web at www.gsa.gov/fdac/ and also at
http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/cfda/. The CFDA is available in hard copy for $63 and may be
ordered online at www.cfda.gov/public/cat-order.htm. Contact General Services
Administration, 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20405. Telephone: (202)
501-0705.
- Environmental Finance Program (EFP). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
developed the EFP to assist communities in their search for creative approaches to
funding environmental projects. Drawing on the financing expertise of staff, the
Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB), and university-based Environmental
Finance Centers (EFC), the EFP seeks to lower costs, increase investment, and build
capacity by creating partnerships with state and local governments and the private sector
to fund environmental needs. The EFP operates a number of funding resource services,
including the following:
- Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Network (www.epa.gov/efinpage/) is a
university-based program that provides financial outreach services to regulated
communities. The Network consists of nine EFCs that share information and
expertise on finance issues and engage jointly in projects. The Network includes
the University of New Mexico, the University of Maryland, Syracuse University,
California State University at Hayward, Cleveland State University, Boise State
University, the University of Louisville, the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, and the University of Southern Maine. A central goal of the EFCs is
to help create sustainable environmental systems in the public and private sectors.
Many EFCs offer funding publications online through the Environmental Finance
Program web site at www.epa.gov/efinpage/efcpub.htm.
- Environmental Financing Information Network (EFIN)
(www.epa.gov/efinpage/efin.htm), an outreach service offering electronic access
to many types of environmental financing information for state and local
environmental programs and projects. EFIN maintains a web site of
environmental financial tools (www.epa.gov/efinpage/efptools.htm), including
publications and links to resources elsewhere on the Internet. Of particular note
among their financing mechanisms on this page is the Guidebook of Financial
Tools, available for viewing at www.epa.gov/efinpage/ guidbk98/ index.htm. The
guidebook, produced by the EFC Network and the EFAB, is intended as a basic
financial reference document for public and private officials with environmental
responsibilities. It provides information on over 340 financing tools that federal,
state, and local governments and the private sector can use to pay for
environmental programs, systems, and activities. Additional publications offered
by EFIN are available for download at www.epa.gov/efinpage/efinpub.htm.
- EPA's State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program (Office of Wastewater Management,
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water). SRFs are available to fund a wide
variety of water quality projects, including all types of nonpoint source, source water
protection, and estuary management projects, as well as more traditional municipal
wastewater and drinking water treatment projects. The Clean Water SRF (CWSRF) and
the Drinking Water SRF (DWSRF) programs are detailed in this Catalog. Please note
that the web sites associated with these programs offer many useful publications and
tools.
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund Publications (CWSRF). The 1987
Amendments to the Clean Water Act replaced the long-standing federal
Construction Grants program with the innovative CWSRF program. More
information about the CWSRF is available at
www.epa.gov/ owm/cwfinance/ cwsrf/index.htm. Fact sheets and other
publications are available (www.epa.gov/ owm/cwfinance/ cwsrf/factsheets.htm)
that relate the CWSRF to various key topics, including biosolids; contamination
cleanup and remediation; decentralized systems (septic tanks); drinking water
protection; nonpoint source, watershed protection, and estuary planning and fund
management; smart growth; and water conservation and reuse.
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The Safe Drinking Water
Act, as amended in 1996, established the DWSRF to make funds available to
drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also
emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to
programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking
water. The DWSRF web site (www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf.html) includes
program information and offers fact sheets and reports explaining how
communities around the country can implement the DWSRF to meet their needs.
- EPA's Clean Water Financing Site. This web page
(www.epa.gov/owm/ cwfinance/index.htm) offers links to the different EPA programs
associated with financing water quality improvement programs, including the Clean
Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), Water Pollution Control Program Grants (for
states), Water Quality Cooperative Agreements (for states, municipalities and others),
Clean Water Indian Program Grants, and others.
- Farm Service Agency Farm Loans
The USDA Farm Service Agency offers direct and guaranteed farm ownership and
operating loans to farmers who are temporarily unable to obtain private, commercial
credit. Often, FSA borrowers are beginning farmers who can't qualify for conventional
loans because they have insufficient financial resources. The Agency also helps
established farmers who have suffered financial setbacks from natural disasters, or whose
resources are too limited to maintain profitable farming operations. Several types of
loans are available. Loans can be used to purchase farmland, construct or repair buildings
and other fixtures (such as manure storage tanks), develop farmland to promote soil and
water conservation and refinance debt. They may also be used to purchase items needed
for a successful farm operation such as livestock, farm equipment (such as no- or low-till
equipment), feed, seed, fuel, farm chemicals, repairs, insurance, and other operating
expenses. For more information see www.fsa. usda.gov/ dafl/ default.htm or contact your
nearest Local USDA Service Centers (listed in your local phone book in the blue pages).
- Merging Currents: Transportation and Water Quality. This EPA-sponsored guidebook
(2000) provides public agencies, private industry, and nonprofit environmental groups
with information on the opportunities that exist under Transportation Equity Act for the
21st Century (TEA-21) to secure funding for transportation-related environmental
programs, and how to approach securing those funds. In particular, the guidebook will
focus on monies that are available to: preserve or restore wetlands or other habitat,
preserve or restore habitat connections that allow for wildlife migration, or address
problems of water quality due to storm water or dry-season runoff. You may order or
view this document on-line at table of contents. html. To
order a hard copy of this document by mail, send $15 (make checks payable to PCL
Foundation) to: PCL Foundation, attn: Publications, 926 J Street #612, Sacramento, CA
95814. For more information e-mail pclmail@pcl.org or call (916) 313-4509. For more
information on the TEA-21 program, please see the description in the Catalog of Federal
Funding Sources for Watershed Protection database (LINK).
- National Agricultural Library (NAL). The NAL (www.nal.usda.gov ) is one of four
national libraries in the United States. NAL is a major international source for
agricultural and related information. Funding resource information is available through
two of the NAL's Specialized Information Centers--the Water Quality Information
Center (WQIC) and the Rural Information Center (RIC). The WQIC offers links to water
quality-related funding information at www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/funding.html. The RIC
offers detailed lists of funding publications and other resources designed for the needs of
rural areas at www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ruralres/funding.htm. Several publications are
available for download, including: (1) Federal Funding Sources for Rural Areas, a
document that lists programs from the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance that target
rural areas; (2) Guide to Funding Resources, which includes available funding,
information on the grant-seeking process, analyses of grant-making programs, tips for
proposal writing and presentation development, and bibliographies of additional
resources; and (3) Building Better Rural Places, which describes federal programs
designed to support sustainable agriculture, forestry, conservation and community
development. For more information, contact National Agricultural Library, 10301
Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705. Telephone: (301) 504-5755.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Services Center
(CSC) Funding Opportunities. The CSC web site
(www.csc.noaa.gov/ text/ grant.html) provides coastal managers with
information on national and regional grant funding opportunities offered by
the CSC and other relevant organizations. This site also provides links to
many free resources, including articles, tutorials, and tips that will help
managers and staff through the grant writing process.
- Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA). The NOFA web site
(http://ocd.usda.gov/nofa.htm) allows users to generate a customized listing of
announcements that appear in the Federal Register. The Federal Register, printed each
business day by the U.S. government, invites applications for federal grant programs.
- Protecting Sources of Drinking Water: Selected Case Studies in Watershed
Management (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Document No. EPA
816-R-98-019, April 1999). Available for viewing at
www.epa.gov/ safewater/ swp/ cstudy.html, this document details the experiences of 17
drinking water suppliers funding and implementing source water protection activities.
- Smart Communities Network. The U.S. Department of Energy maintains a web page
(www.sustainable.doe.gov/ management/ financl.shtml) that lists current funding
opportunities (private and federal) focusing on supporting improvements to communities'
environment, economy, and quality of life.
- United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The Corps (www.hq. usace.army. mil/hqhome/) is the federal government's largest water resources development and management agency, representing federal interests in navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, ecosystem restoration, and a variety of other resource needs. The various missions and authorities of the Corps are explained in the Corps Civil Works Program brochure found at www.iwr. usace.army.mil/ iwr/pdf/ CW2001.pdf
*[PDF, 3500 kb]
.
Although the Corps does not offer grants, it can provide some project or technical assistance through cost-share arrangements. The cost-share percentages that a sponsor must provide are listed in the Corps Civil Works Program brochure (see link above). The process for developing Civil Works projects begins when citizens see a need for flood protection, navigation, or other water-related infrastructure and ask Congress for help. Congress will then direct the Corps to do a study to see if a project is warranted. Corps studies are usually done in 2 phases: (1) an initial reconnaissance to determine if a feasible solution is likely, then (2) a feasibility study to examine alternatives and select the project that best meets national and local needs. Most feasibility studies are cost-shared with a local sponsor. If the project is approved, Congress must first authorize the project and appropriate funds before construction may begin. Most projects are built with a combination of federal funds and contributions by non-federal sponsors. For more information about the steps required to seek the Corps' assistance with a water resources project, refer to the Corps' Partnership Kit, available on-line at www.iwr.usace. army.mil/iwr/pdf/ ppkit.pdf
*[PDF, 825 kb].
- United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS provides funding for research,
water resources data collection, data management, and information transfer activities.
USGS program information is available at www.usgs.gov/ and also at
www.gsa.gov/fdac/ .
- U.S. State and Local Gateway. The Gateway web site
(www. statelocal. gov/ funding.html ) is designed to give state and local government
officials and employees easy access to federal funding information, including grant-writing tools, links to grants, and links to other funding directories.
* About PDF files:
To download a PDF file, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Information on downloading both Adobe Acrobat Reader and a PDF file is provided by EPA at www.epa.gov/ epahome/ pdf.html.
|
