Our mission is to provide innovative financing solutions that help states, tribes, local governments, nonprofits, community-based organizations, and the private sector pay for environmental projects.
About Us
Serving Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and New England’s 10 Federally Recognized Tribes.
Since 2001, the New England Environmental Finance Center (NEEFC) at the University of Southern Maine has worked to build local capacity to pay for the growing cost of protecting critical environmental resources and fostering resilient communities.
Our programs reflect the greatest needs of the 6 New England states including funding and financing of climate adaptation and resilience, stormwater and nutrient management, water infrastructure, and sustainable operating practices.
“High quality water is more than the dream of the conservationists, more than a political slogan; high quality water, in the right quantity at the right place at the right time, is essential to health, recreation, and economic growth.”
— Edmund Muskie, Former U.S. Secretary of State, Senator & Governor of Maine
The NEEFC hosts the Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Network. The SNEP Network provides training and assistance to municipalities, organizations, and Tribes to advance stormwater and watershed management, ecological restoration, and climate resilience in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Network’s mission is to meet communities where they are at, and advance their critical climate resilience projects to the funding and financing phase.
As part of the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN), the NEEFC is one of 10 regional centers supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Together the EFCN is a collaborative of university-based organizations working to create innovative solutions to the difficult how-to-pay issues of environmental protection and improvement.
New & Noteworthy
MA & RI Virtual Funding Workshops March 19 & 21
Bring your questions and project ideas for discussion and feedback from funders at our Rhode Island and Massachusetts Funding Workshops!
Workshops will showcase key state, regional, and federal funding opportunities for projects focused on water quality, water infrastructure, stormwater management, watershed/ecological restoration, and climate resilience. Representatives from each funding agency will provide a brief overview of their programs and answer questions following the presentation in zoom breakout rooms.
- Massachusetts : Wednesday, March 19th, 2025 10:00am-12:00pm
- Rhode Island: Friday, March 21st, 2025 10:00am-12:00pm
Featured Funding Opportunity
Climate Adaptation and Resilience Grants
Climate Smart Communities Initiative
Submission Deadline: 3/3/2025 by 8 p.m
Grant or Loan? Grant
Funding Available: Approximately $100,000 in funding as well as access to training opportunities, technical experts, and cohort support.
Who’s Eligible? Communities on the front lines of the climate crisis in the United States, including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, commonwealths, territories, and Tribal nations. If the proposed work is local in scope, the population of the community should be less than 300,000 residents. If the proposed work is regional in scope, areas with up to 500,000 residents will be considered.
Purpose: To create or advance a climate resilience plan or project in collaboration with a community that is on the front lines of the climate crisis.
Eligible Activities: Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to, resilience planning, climate vulnerability assessments, feasible solution identification, and increasing community engagement.
Project Teams: Applications must be submitted by an application team composed of 1.) an adaptation professional (an organization or sole practitioner that has been accepted into the Registry of Climate Resilience and Adaptation Professionals) 2.) community-based organization (a non-profit organization, local university, informal community leader) and 3.) a government partner (a town, city, county, district, regional or Tribal government.)
Looking for additional funding opportunities?
What We Do
Outreach and Engagement
Community engagement, charrettes, and meeting facilitation that engages all stakeholders and includes their voices in planning decisions.
Technical Assistance
Training and assistance to municipalities, organizations, and tribes to advance stormwater and watershed management, funding and sustainable financing, and improve utility and business operations to achieve resilience to the changing climate.
Education and Training
Capacity building and education of state and local decision makers and utility managers in innovative
financing solutions.
Develop Young Professionals
Engaging student interns in projects to help develop the next generation of environmental finance professionals.