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Smart Management for

Small Water Systems

www.efcnetwork.org

Funding Options: How to Find and

Apply for Grants

Funding Options for Small Water Systems

Stacey Isaac Berahzer

August 14th, 2013

Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN

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8/20/2013

Outline

• Introduction

• How to Pay for Water/Sewer Projects

• Accessing federal grants

• Accessing non-federal grants

• Grants.gov for federal grants

• Grant writing tips

• Getting funded again

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INTRODUCTION

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Dedicated to enhancing the ability of governments and

organizations to provide environmental programs and

services in fair, effective and financially sustainable ways

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Environmental Finance

Center Network

• What is the EFCN?

– A university-based organization creating

innovative solutions to the difficult how-to-pay

issues of environmental protection and

improvement. The EFCN works with the

public and private sectors to promote

sustainable environmental solutions while

bolstering efforts to manage costs.

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Regional EFCs • Region 1: New England Environmental Finance Center at University of Southern Maine

• Region 2: Environmental Finance Center at Syracuse University

• Region 3: Environmental Finance Center at University of Maryland, College Park

• Region 4: Environmental Finance Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Environmental Finance Center at University of Louisville

• Region 5: Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center at Cleveland State University

• Region 6: New Mexico Environmental Finance Center at the New Mexico Institute of

Mining and Technology

• Region 7: Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University

• Region 8: New Mexico Environmental Finance Center at the New Mexico Institute of

Mining and Technology (Branch office)

• Region 9: Environmental Finance Center at Dominican University of California

• Region 10: Environmental Finance Center at Boise State University

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Managerial/Financial Capacity

Project • Asset Management

• Water Loss

• Collaboration and Partnerships

• Fiscal Planning and Rate Setting

• Energy Efficiency Audits

• Access to Funding Sources

• Leadership Training

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Background

• There are several potential funding sources for water projects

• It is hard for small systems to navigate all these different programs

• Applying for funding for one project from multiple programs can be complicated

• Some states have developed unified funding committees to help small water systems in navigating the process

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General Coordination

Objectives

• For Funders - Support funding

program goals and efforts

• For applicants- Improved

customer service experience

• For citizens - Stretches public

funding dollars

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40 Second Introductions

1. Name?

2. Organization?

3. Responsibility?

4. One thing I hope to get out of this

workshop is …

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HOW TO PAY FOR WATER/SEWER

PROJECTS

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How the Payments are Made For

Infrastructure Projects

• Save in advance and pay

• Pay as you go (current receipts)

• Pay afterwards (someone loans you

money)

• Grants

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Where does the money come from?

• Loans

• Grants

• Bonds

• User fees

• Assessments

• Impact fees

• Taxes

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About Grants

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NOT a good way to find a grant!

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Grants Aren’t Completely

Free Money

• Application for the grant can be expensive – staff time and money

• Applications can take months to process

• Often lots of strings attached

• Often require a percentage match

• Lots of competition

• Difficult to sustain

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FEDERAL GRANTS

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Step 1 – Choose Grants

http://water.epa.gov

/grants_funding/ Catalog of Federal Funding

Input:

• Grants

• Local Government

• Wastewater

• Get results in Table Format

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Step 1 – Choose Grants

Results – 7 Programs Matched

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Step 1 – Choose Grants Another way to find EPA Grants

http://water.epa.gov/type/drink/pws/smallsystems/financialhelp.cfm

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Step 2: Find More Information on Those

Grants from CFDA.gov

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NON-FEDERAL GRANTS

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Grants at the State Level -

Examples

• Community Development Block Grant

Program www.tn.gov/ecd/CDBG

• USDA Waste and Water Disposal Direct

Loans and Grants

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/TN-

Utilities.html

• See handout/later presentations for more

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Grants from Private/Non-Profits

• Trusts and charitable foundations offer

some grants, but local governments are

not the main target in most cases

• Partnering with a non-profit or community-

based group may be an option

• Making the case for cultural significance of

your community would be important here

(e.g. historic significance)

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STEP 3: WRITING A GRANT

APPLICATION

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GRANTS.GOV

For federal grants

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Step 3: Apply at Grants.gov

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Grants.gov

• You may need to download special

software on your computer

• Sometimes this is the ONLY way to apply,

paper applications are not accepted

• If you do not get an email confirmation of

receipt, call the RFP contact

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GRANT WRITING TIPS

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Grant Writing Tips

• Read the RFP thoroughly to make sure your project is appropriate for the funding

• Follow the suggested RFP outline, if there is one

• Include maps and photos as appropriate

• Include letters of support (from partner agencies is usually better than from politicians)

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Grant Writing Tips

• Be specific with your work plan and

timeline

• Cite measurable goals

• Focus on the results from this funding

source and not the work of your program

as a whole

• Don’t mention “unfunded mandates”

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Grant Writing Tips

• If you are applying as a group, choose one

agency as the lead agency. Pick either

the agency with the most work or the

agency with the best relationship with the

funder.

• Apply on time

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Grant Writing Tips • Ask the funder any questions you have

during the application process. (But,

beware: your questions may be published

for other applicants to see)

• Look over any sample grant applications

• If you are not funded, ask the funders why

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Smart Management for Small Water Systems

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What are your community’s

unique needs and assets?

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Sample, Annotated Grants • http://www.efc.unc.edu/projects/wetlands/index.htm

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Good Book on Grant Writing

• Grant Proposal Makeover: Transform Your

Request from No to Yes

• By Cheryl A. Clarke &

Susan Fox

• John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

• ISBN: 978-0-7879-8055-9

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GETTING FUNDED AGAIN

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Don’t Burn your Bridge With a

Funder

• If you are funded, report your results

thoroughly and on time

• Give the funder recognition:

– Include credit/logos in your

reports/publications (with permission)

– Invite funder to relevant events (ribbon-

cutting)

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Grant writing

Questions and Answers

Image Source: Utah DEQ

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Contact

Stacey Isaac Berahzer

Senior Project Director

Environmental Finance Center

PO Box 671346

Marietta, GA 30066

berahzer@unc.edu

T: 770.509.3887 F: 770.509.9539

Smart Management for Small Water Systems