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TRANSCRIPT
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.
Smart Management for Small Water Systems
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8/20/2013
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
T: 770.509.3887 F: 770.509.9539
Smart Management for Small Water Systems