We are looking for collaborators to work with us on a diverse range of community-driven assistance projects through our new consultant pool initiative. Please consider responding to our Request for Proposals if you are a firm, non-profit organization, or individual interested in supporting resilient and equitable environmental infrastructure. We look forward to working together to create sustainable and impactful solutions for our communities.
News
NY Engineers Roundtable | Navigating the Funding Frontiers
Recording, presentation slides, and additional resources from this event are available below.
Date:Tuesday, April 4, 2024 | Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM EDT
Location: Syracuse Center of Excellence, Room 203, 727 E Washington St., Syracuse, NY 13210
Description: Join the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (SU-EFC) to find out how to make your funding applications stronger to support your municipal clients. In this hybrid event, in-depth discussions with state and federal funding agencies will provide information about environmental reviews (e.g. NEPA and SEQR), preliminary engineering reports, dos and don’ts for successful applications, and a primer on the “co-funding” process. SU-EFC, in partnership with the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA), is excited to host municipal engineers and representatives from private consulting firms for our roundtable event. We encourage project managers and grant writers from engineering firms consulting with local governments, municipal town planners, engineers, and water infrastructure managers to attend.
Presenters included representatives from:
- New York State Homes and Community Renewal
- New York State Departments of State, Health, & Environmental Conservation
- New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation
- US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development
Resources for Download:
Presentation Slides:
Discover Funding Opportunities & Experience the Funder Games
We did not record this these meetings, but we encourage you to review the presentation slides provided below.
Date:Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Location: Association of Towns 2024 Annual Meeting & Training School, New York Marriott Marquis, NYC
Part 1: Municipal Infrastructure Funding Experience: Uncover Opportunities
Discover funding opportunities for clean and safe water infrastructure and other community investments in the first part of our Municipal Infrastructure Funding Experience. Meet state and federal agency representatives for valuable information on state and federal funding programs, co-funding opportunities, and a panel discussion. This session is ideal for 2024 grant or financing seekers.
Part 2: Municipal Infrastructure Funding Experience: Welcome to the Funder Games!
Welcome to the Funder Games! Part 2 of our Municipal Infrastructure Funding Experience offers an interactive session where you and your team will tackle challenges in the fictional Town of Calamity Falls. You’ll work directly with state and federal funders to enhance your understanding of funding opportunities and collaborative financing for community investments.
Resources for Download:
NY Funding Roundtable | Explore State and Federal Funding: Municipal Infrastructure Roundtable Discussion
Join the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (SU-EFC), the NYS Tug Hill Commission, Lewis County, and the River Area Council of Governments (RACOG) to learn about funding opportunities for safe and clean water management and other community investments from state and federal agency representatives.
Launching EFCN’s National Water Leadership Program
In April, the Environmental Finance Center Network’s (EFCN’s) Water Leadership Program announced the inaugural cohort of 38 water professionals from around the country who will participate in a three-month professional development program. The program aims to give rising water leaders the training and resources needed to face the challenges of utility management with confidence and improve the quality of life of their residents. Through the pilot program, water professionals will participate in three months of sessions focused on asset and data management, disaster resiliency and planning, environmental justice, strategic communications, culturally responsive leadership, and other subject areas that are critical in an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing water sector.
The program is funded by a grant awarded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program, which launched in 2021. The pilot program is one of several receiving a total of $3.8 million in funding to help build the water workforce and connect individuals to career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector, as well as expand public awareness about job opportunities at drinking water and water treatment utilities.
Improving Water Quality in Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, more than 250,000 residents lack basic access to clean water or sanitation. While there are several barriers, one obstacle is a lack of coordination. How can we make sure all groups can advance community goals of ensuring clean water? One community that is creating a new model for engagement is Las Curias, in greater San Juan.
Hybrid Funding Roundtable | State and Federal Funding, Financing, and Resources for Municipal Infrastructure Roundtable Discussions
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Syracuse Center of Excellence, 727 E Washington St., Syracuse, NY 13210
We did not record the Hybrid Funding Roundtable on March 29th, 2023 but we encourage you to watch the recording from our virtual Fall Funding Roundtable available here.
Are you interested in learning more about funding and financing municipal infrastructure in your town or village? At the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (SU-EFC)’s upcoming hybrid event, you can learn about funding opportunities for safe and clean water management, renewable energy, and other community investments from state and federal agency representatives. Lunch will be provided.
In-person attendance is encouraged, but sessions will be livestreamed for hybrid viewing. If you would like to attend virtually, please indicate so on the registration form.
Presenters will include representatives from:
- New York State Homes and Community Renewal
- New York State Departments of State, Health, & Environmental Conservation
- New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation
- US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development
Resources for Download:
Webinar | Getting Started with NEPA: What communities need to know to engage with the National Environmental Policy Act
Monday, March 6, 2023
Online via Zoom | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST
The National Environmental Policy Act is one the most far-reaching environmental laws in the United States. If you are new to environmental project development and planning, this webinar is a great place to begin learning about NEPA. Join us for a discussion of important NEPA background and processes, knowing when NEPA applies, and what NEPA means for local projects.
This webinar is presented to you by the NYS Tug Hill Commission, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC, and the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center.
Webinar | Knowledge Transfer: How to make sure you know what you don’t know when you experience staffing changes
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Online via Zoom | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM EST
When employees leave their positions, they take with them all of the experience and knowledge that may have been essential to the work they did, and critical to your organization, community, and current and future employees. If that knowledge is lost, it can undermine organizational capacity, and cause disruptions in services and performance.
In this webinar, we will share examples of the impact of when knowledge transfer goals were not met, examples of ways to prevent too much knowledge loss, and will discuss completing a Position Knowledge Inventory. This allows organizations to get an idea of the knowledge and responsibilities required to fulfill all current positions in order to seamlessly transfer key information to future employees.
Resources for Download:
This webinar is presented to you by the NYS Tug Hill Commission, the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, the Northern Oneida County Council of Governments, and the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center.
Community Aqueducts in Puerto Rico Bounce Back from Hurricane Fiona, but Challenges Remain
Check out this blog from the SU Environmental Finance Center! Available in both English and Spanish, this blog discusses the challenges community aqueducts in Puerto Rico face, as well as their resiliency following natural disasters like Hurricane Fiona.