New England Environmental Finance Center
“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, U.S. Senator for Maine & Governor of Maine
About Us
Serving Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and 10 Tribal Nations
Since 2001, the New England Environmental Finance Center (EFC) 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.
The New England EFC delivers targeted technical assistance to, and partners with, states, tribes, local governments, and the private sector to provide innovative solutions to fund and sustainably finance environmental and climate priorities.
The New England EFC’s programs reflect the greatest needs of the 6 New England states including climate adaptation and resilience, stormwater and nutrient management, source water protection and watershed management, and sustainable operating practices.
The New England EFC administers 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 is committed to building capacity in conjunction with EPA’s Southeast New England Program within EPA Region 1.
As part of the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN), the New England EFC 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
The Power of Partnership: Sharing Resources with Neighboring Systems
Free Virtual Training, May 25, 2022 | 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
As part of the Smart Management for Small Water Systems program, this training addresses approaches to collaborating with other utilities to address the challenges of small systems.
The Smart Management for Small Water Systems program is administered by the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN), a university-based organization creating innovative solutions to the difficult how-to-pay issues of environmental protection and improvement.
Conservation Citizen Science: Using your phone to help manage public parks and trails
Free Workshop, June 7, 2022 (Rain date June 8) | 5:30 PM-7:30 PM | Bug Light Park
Join us for this family-friendly conservation citizen science training workshop! We’ll introduce you to the core uses and functions of the apps before you collect and enter some data. These apps can be used by Conservation Commissions, “Friends of” groups, land trusts, and other groups to manage their properties internally or can be opened to the public to help you collect information.
This workshop is part of the Casco Bay Coastal Academy organized by New England Environmental Finance Center, Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, and Greater Portland Council of Governments.
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.