Connect with Technical Assistance Providers
The next step in accessing funding for coastal resiliency projects is to connect with technical assistance providers. There is a growing ecosystem of organizations that provide communities with no-cost assistance to facilitate access to federal and other water infrastructure funding.
These federal and state programs offer a range of free services to municipalities from identifying eligible projects to application writing, as well as grant management. Taking advantage of this technical assistance supplements municipalities’ expertise and can lead to highly competitive grant applications.
Click through the sections below to identify the technical assistance providers best suited to meet your communities needs.
National TA Providers
There are a number of technical assistance providers that provide support to municipalities at the national scale. These programs are often funded by federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some focus on particular water management issues, such as water quality improvements or flooding, while others are tailored to particular types of communities, e.g., small or rural utilities.
To streamline access to these resources and help identify which provider is best-suited to your needs, the sections below provide details about these national technical assistance providers, including an overview of the program, the types of assistance they provide, how to access the assistance, easy-access to contact information, and ideas on which grants each TA provider may be able to help with.
Water Finance Centers
The Water Finance Centers (EFC) provide financing information to help local decision makers make informed decisions for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure to protect human health and the environment. Overseen by EPA, there are four national EFCs and 29 regional EFCs.
The sections below provide details on the national EFCs. Click here to access information about the EFCs for EPA Region 5.
Types of Assistance Offered
The four national EFCs are operated by:
- Rural Community Assistance Program
- Environmental Policy Innovation Center
- U.S. Water Alliance
- Moonshot Missions
These EFCs provide objective financial advice to help communities make informed decisions on funding drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects. They also will help communities develop and submit project proposals, including State Revolving Fund (SRF) applications for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.
In addition to hands-on support, the national EFCs maintain a robust library of online resources, support tools, and trainings. These resources cover a range of topics, including implementation and funding for natural infrastructure.
Check out some of these resource below. Additional information can be found at: efcnetwork.org/.
Water Infrastructure Financial Leadership
EPA report offering guidance to local decision makers on funding and financing water infrastructure investments.
Environmental Finance Center Network Resource Library
Environmental Finance Center Network Resource Library compiling extensive set of materials for local water managers on implementing resilient solutions.
Financing Alternatives Comparison Tool
EPA tool for comparing financing alternatives for water infrastructure investments.
How to Access Assistance
The national EFCs assist underserved states, Tribes, and local governments with technical assistance to identify sustainable infrastructure solutions. The communities that qualify as underserved depends the definitions set by each TA provider.
To access assistance from a national EFC jump to the Water TA section.
Contact Information
The contact information for the national EFCs can be found through the below portals.
Website: https://www.epa.gov/waterfinancecenter/efcn
Contact: General Inquiries Questions Form
You can also subscribe to the EFC newsletter to stay up to date on new resources and trainings.
Relevant Funding Options
The national EFCs may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition
- Coastal Habitat Restoration & Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities
- EPA Community Change Grants
- Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
WaterTA
EPA’s free Water Technical Assistance services support communities in identifying water challenges, developing plans, building capacity, and developing application materials to access water infrastructure funding. The EPA and WaterTA providers, generally non-profit organizations and public and private non-profit universities and colleges, collaborate to support communities in taking concrete steps to access water infrastructure funding through a variety of WaterTA programs. This WaterTA program is also integrated with the national and regional EFCs. Accessing WaterTA also puts water managers into the EFC support pipeline.
The sections below provide details on the WaterTA program.
Types of Assistance Offered
WaterTA provides services to communities to address drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater challenges, including:
- Identifying water infrastructure or water quality improvement needs
- Planning for capital improvements
- Building technical, managerial, and financial capacity
- Identifying funding options
- Preparing for and developing applications materials for financing a project through SRFs or other EPA-supported funding opportunities
- Bid Support
- Training and assistance in writing grant proposals
- Navigating federal systems such as grants.gov and sam.gov
The full list of programs can be found here.
How to Access Assistance
WaterTA assistance is open to local governments, water utilities across the drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater spectrum, non-governmental organizations, states, and tribes. If the technical assistance required involves a utility, WaterTA will need cooperation from that utility, especially if the project involves a funding application.
WaterTA is prioritized for disadvantaged and underserved communities, those that have never accessed SRF funding before, and those that are not currently receiving an equivalent kind of technical assistance. Disadvantaged communities are defined according to the definition provided by the state’s Drinking Water SRF and Clean Water SRF.
To request WaterTA services, fill out the simple form found here. The request form will be assessed for which WaterTA program will best fit the community’s project and needs. After submitting a request for technical assistance, an applicant may expect:
- To receive a confirmation email from [email protected]
- The applicant may also receive a follow-up email or call from the EPA, a representative of the EPA, or one of the TA providers to clarify the applicant’s interests and request
The EPA will review the request and respond with potential next steps as soon as possible, depending on the volume of requests received.
Contact Information
The contact information for WaterTA can be found through the below portals.
Website: www.epa.gov/water-infrastructure/water-technical-assistance-waterta
Contact email: [email protected]
Subscribe to the Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center email list to receive WaterTA news.
Relevant Funding Options
The WaterTA program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants
- Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program
- EPA Community Change Grants
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
BRIC Direct Technical Assistance
To support access to FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program, FEMA offers the BRIC Direct Technical Assistance (BRIC DTA) program. This program provides tailored support to communities and tribal nations that may not have the resources to begin climate resilience planning and project solution design on their own.
Through process-oriented, hand-in-hand assistance, BRIC DTA will partner with communities interested in enhancing their capability and capacity to design holistic, equitable hazard mitigation solutions that advance community-driven objectives.
The sections below provide details on the BRIC DTA program.
Types of Assistance Offered
FEMA’s BRIC Direct Technical Assistance program can provide communities with non-financial support, including:
- Climate risk assessments
- Community engagement
- Partnership building
- Mitigation and climate adaptation planning
- Project design (including engineering and cost estimation)
- BRIC grant applicant assistance
- BRIC grant management
Support for BRIC DTA communities can range from pre-application activities to grant closeout.
How to Access Assistance
A broad range of entities are eligible to receive BRIC DTA, including:
- Cities
- Towns/Townships
- Parishes
- Boroughs
- Counties
- Special District Governments
- States
- Federally Recognized Tribal Nations
- U.S. Territories
BRIC grants are administered by FEMA and each state, territory, federally recognized tribal government and the District of Columbia designates one agency to serve as the applicant for BRIC funding. These state applications can include any number of sub-applications from eligible entities. Click here to learn more about BRIC grant requirements and processes.
To receive BRIC DTA, applicants must submit a BRIC DTA Request form during the annual application period to be considered for the next selection cycle. Typically, the application period opens late September and closes late January or February.
A previous BRIC grant sub-application or award, or an approved hazard mitigation plan, are not required to be eligible for BRIC DTA. Completed request forms can also be emailed to the BRIC Direct Technical Assistance email at [email protected].
Contact Information
The contact information for the BRIC DTA can be found through the below portals.
FEMA Region 5 Email: [email protected]
Relevant Funding Options
The BRIC DTA program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Circuit Rider Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Circuit Rider Program provides technical assistance for rural water systems that are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial or managerial issues. The “circuit riders” are experts experienced in managing issues that arise in the day-to-day operations of rural water systems.
The sections below provide details on the Circuit Rider program.
Types of Assistance Offered
Circuit riders can assist with the following types of challenges rural water systems face:
- Management and finance
- Operation and maintenance
- Water treatment
- Leak detection
- Regulatory compliance
- Facility security
- Loan application and reporting
- Disaster and emergency assistance
- Board training
This assistance is provided on an as-needed basis.
How to Access Assistance
To be eligible for Circuit Rider Program technical assistance, the utility or agency must serve an area with a population of 10,000 or less and be a public body, non-profit corporation, or tribe with legal authority to own and operate the water facility.
There is no formal application process or application deadlines. Assistance is provided on an as-needed basis, year round. To get started with Circuit Rider assistance, reach out to your state’s chapter of the National Rural Water Association. A list of each state chapter’s website is here. Additional contact information is listed in the next section below.
The state chapter for Michigan is the Michigan Rural Water Association, which is staffed by nine Circuit Riders. The chapter for Wisconsin is the Wisconsin Rural Water Association, which is staffed by five Circuit Riders.
Contact Information
The contact information for the Circuit Rider programs in Michigan and Wisconsin can be found through the below portals.
Michigan
Website: www.mrwa.net/
Contact: www.mrwa.net/contact-us
Wisconsin
Website: www.wrwa.org/
Contact: www.wrwa.org/contact-us/
Relevant Funding Options
The Circuit Rider program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition
- Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
- EPA Community Change Grants
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
- Michigan Coastal Management Program
- Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Municipal Ombudsman
The EPA Municipal Ombudsman is an independent, impartial, and confidential resource to assist municipalities in navigating EPA’s Clean Water Act programs and serves as a resource for communities seeking to comply with the Clean Water Act. The Municipal Ombudsman coordinates directly with EPA leadership and appropriate offices at headquarters and regional offices. to assist communities in navigating EPA resources.
The sections below provide details on the EPA Municipal Ombudsman program.
Types of Assistance Offered
Consistent with the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, the Municipal Ombudsman will coordinate with the appropriate EPA offices to assist communities in navigating EPA resources. Specific resources include:
- Federal assistance opportunities
- Technical assistance
- Flexibility available under the Clean Water Act, and
- Information on integrated planning and example municipal integrated plans.
How to Access Assistance
A city, town, borough, county, parish, district, association, or other public body created by or pursuant to State law and having jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes, or other wastes, or an Indian tribe or an authorized Indian tribal organization, or a designated and approved management agency may contact the Municipal Ombudsman for support on Clean Water Act concerns.
While the focus of the Municipal Ombudsman is on the Clean Water Act, the Ombudsman may help a municipality make broader connections to Agency experts as resources allow.
Contact Information
Jamie Piziali, Municipal Ombudsman
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 202-564-1709
Annika Nelson, Associate Ombudsman
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 202-578-1826
Subscribe to a weekly list of federal clean water resources with a municipal focus by sending an email with the word “subscribe” in the subject line.
Relevant Funding Options
The EPA Municipal Ombudsman may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these programs:
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Regional TA Providers
There are a number of technical assistance providers that provide support to municipalities in the Great Lakes region. Some programs focus on particular water management issues, such as water quality improvements or flooding, while others are tailored to particular types of communities, e.g., small or rural utilities.
To streamline access to these resources and help identify which provider is best-suited to your needs, the sections below provide details about these regional technical assistance providers, including an overview of the program, the types of assistance they provide, how to access the assistance, easy-access to contact information, and ideas on which grants each TA provider may be able to help with.
Delta Institute
Delta Institute is one of the EPA Region 5 EFCs, the other being the Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center, and provides targeted technical assistance focused on funding for projects that achieve the goals of either the Clean Water Act or Safe Drinking Water Act.
Types of Assistance Offered
Delta Institute technical assistance services aim to engage directly with water utilities and communities to create concrete actions that put communities on the path to receiving SRF funding. The technical assistance services include:
(1) planning and assessment, such as water infrastructure project identification, planning, and set-up;
(2) project development, such as ensuring project readiness for SRF applications;
(3) funding and financing, including application assistance to secure state-based SRF investment and compliance and risk mitigation advisement; and
(4) program management support, such as project maintenance, stewardship, and long-term planning.
How to Access Asssistance
The Delta Institute Water Technical Assistance Request form can be found at the bottom of the page linked here.
Contact Information
Relevant Funding Options
The Delta Institute Water TA program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these opportunities:
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- Sewer Overflow & Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program
- Urban Nonpoint Sourec & Storm Water Management Grant
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center
The Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center is a designated EFC, along with the Delta Institute and Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, for EPA Region 5, located within the Michigan Technological University.
Types of Assistance Offered
GLIEC technical assistance provides access to subject matter experts from Michigan Technological University, including civil, environmental, and geotechnical engineers, as well as experts in finance, economics, ecosystem evaluation, and sustainable energy. In addition, GLIEC project staff includes experts in software engineering, technical writing, technical support specialists, and business and accounting staff. GLIEC team members will provide over-the-phone and on-site engineering research and recommendations on a wide variety of environmental and financial questions. It can also provides the following services:
• Training
• Professional development
• Networking with subject matter experts and other professionals
• Technical assistance
• Access to new technology
• Publications
• Demonstration and research guidance projects
How to Access Assistance
Complete the “Request Technical Assistance” questionnaire.
Contact Information
Relevant Funding Options
The GLIEC program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants
- Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program
- EPA Community Change Grants
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
- Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center
The Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (Great Lakes TCTAC) helps community organizations successfully find, apply for, or manage funding for community-driven climate and environmental justice projects to access the resources they need to lead in the clean energy transition, pollution clean-up, and green workforce development.
Types of Assistance Offered
• Information, Tools, and Trainings – its website and newsletter shares information about key funding opportunities, and can provide tools, templates, and trainings to support communities through the application process.
• Grant Identification and Navigation – its grant navigator will help communities identifies funding opportunities through specialized, one-on-one assistance.
• Project Development – its network of specialists can assist communities with current research, data, or resources and help develop persuasive funding proposals.
• GIS Mapping – it offers GIS mapping services to assist in project design and strengthen funding proposals.
• Engineering Consultation & Analysis – through its partner, the Community Engineering Corp, Great Lakes TCTAC can provide pro bono consultation.
• Budget & Evaluation Planning Support – it can help communities develop budgets, data management plans, evaluation and assessment plans, and other required forms.
• Post-Award Grant Support – it can assist communities in setting up grant reporting systems, deploying best practices for tracking grant metrics, and understanding other post-award forms.
How to Access Assistance
Complete the Great Lakes TCTAC Interest Form.
Contact Information
Relevant Funding Options
The Great Lakes TCTAC program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- EPA Community Change Grants
- Coastal Habitat Restoration & Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities
- Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Programs
- Climate-Ready Workforce
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Michigan Infrastructure Office Technical Assistance Center
The Michigan Infrastructure Office of Technical Assistance Center provides technical assistance, planning, and matching grants to local units of government, planning organizations, and federally recognized Tribal nations to help Michigan communities access federal infrastructure funds.
Types of Assistance Offered
MIO TAC currently offers the following three support services:
1. Grant Identification and Project Matching
• Applicant brings the TAC projects(s) they are interested in finding funding opportunities for, and TAC helps them find an appropriate grant to apply for.
• Services: Workshops and resources tailored to the recipient community’s projects to support grant education, identification, and prioritization.
2. Grant Writing
• Applicant brings TAC a project and a target grant, and TAC helps them apply for the grant with grant writing services to complete the application.
• Services: Narrative grant writing to craft a competitive application, Benefit-Cost Analysis to provide commonly required analysis on quantifiable benefits and costs of the project, and application process management to help develop and keep to effective grant writing timelines.
3. Match Funding
• Applicant brings TAC a project and a target grant with a match funding requirement, and TAC provides them with funding.
• Services: TAC will earmark all or a portion of the match funding required to qualify for grant application. If the application is successful, TAC will disburse match funding. If it is not, earmarked funding will be returned to TAC funding pool. Applicants can apply for only match funding if they do not need grant writing services.
Full guidance on the above services can be found here.
How to Access Assistance
There is a separate application for grant identification assistance, and a separate application for grant writing and match funding assistance. Applicants may apply for more than one type of support and submit more than one application for each type of support.
Contact Information
Relevant Funding Options
The MIO TAC may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
- Michigan Coastal Management Program
- Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
Blacks in Green Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center
The Blacks in Green Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (BIG Justice TCTAC) is a resource center that provides technical assistance services to communities in EPA’s Region 5 territory facing environmental justice issues. It aims to empower communities and help them advance environmental justice by providing tools and resources to address environmental challenges. The center is an important resource for communities to build capacity, identify solutions, obtain relevant training, and foster collaboration to address environmental injustices.
Types of Assistance Offered
BIG Justice TCTAC provides technical assistance, training, and related support to communities and their partners with environmental justice concerns.
How to Access Assistance
Complete the BIG Justice TCTAC Intake Form.
Contact Information
Relevant Funding Options
The BIG Justice TCTAC program may be a good fit for technical assistance to apply for these grants:
- EPA Community Change Grants
- Coastal Habitat Restoration & Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities
- Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Programs
You can find additional funding options at Step 4 – Select Priority Funding Opportunities.
