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New England Environmental Finance Center

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

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 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 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

Climate Funding Manager 

This position will work to build community capacity to navigate funding opportunities (i.e., grants, loans, and other financing mechanisms), develop strong proposals, and effectively manage funding for climate action.                 

Senior Program Manager, SNEP Network

This position will lead the SNEP Network, which provides community training and technical assistance to advance stormwater and watershed management, ecological restoration, and climate resilience in RI and MA. 

Water Infrastructure Specialist

This position will apply technical training and hands-on work experience to help water systems address the capital, operational, managerial, and financial challenges they face.

 

 

Featured Funding Opportunity

Healthy Communities Grant Program

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 – New England

Submission Deadline: 11/01/24, at 11:59 p.m 

Grant or Loan? Grant 

Funding Available: Applicants can request up to $40,000. EPA anticipates making approximately 15 awards. 

Who’s Eligible? State and local governments, public and private nonprofits, federally recognized Indian Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and grassroots and community-based organizations. Applicants are not required to be located in New England but must propose projects located in and/or directly benefiting one or more of the Target Investment Areas within New England 

Purpose: To work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health, advance resilience, and preserve or restore important ecosystems. 

Eligible Activities: Eligible projects include but are not limited to projects that address food insecurity, food waste, food supply resilience, energy inefficient housing, environmental health triggers (such as Asthma,) and residential lead contamination through community lead efforts. 

  

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.