HUD Technical Assistance

HUD Technical Assistance

HUD's technical assistance is designed to provide resources, tools, and support for recipients of HUD funding, such as state and local government grantees, public housing authorities, tribes and tribally-designated housing entities, Continuums of Care, and nonprofits.

HUD's technical assistance resources include:

1. Information and "how to guides" through online resources, guidebooks, FAQs, and other information
2. Training and knowledge-building through online courses and webinars
3. Responses to basic program, policy and system questions via the Ask A Question virtual help desk
4. In-depth, program assistance and capacity building to improve the design and delivery of programs and services funded by HUD

Click the link below to learn more about technical assistance HUD provides for communities considering leveraging HUD funding for water infrastructure investments.

Environmental Finance Centers

Environmental Finance Centers

The Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) deliver targeted technical assistance to, and partner with states, tribes, local governments, and the private sector in providing innovative solutions to help manage the costs of environmental financing and program management. Each of the 10 EPA regions has a dedicated EFC with a focus area for that region. For example, the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland for EPA Region 3 serves Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and focuses on offering technical assistance through direct community engagement; policy analysis and decision support tools; communications and outreach; and experiential learning and leadership development to strengthen the capacity of local decision-makers to manage change for a healthy environment and an enhanced quality of life.

 

 

Click the link below to learn more about each region's EFC.

EPA Municipal Ombudsman

EPA Municipal Ombudsman

The Municipal Ombudsman serves as a resource for communities seeking to comply with the Clean Water Act and works directly with EPA leadership and appropriate offices at headquarters and regional offices. Specific resources include:

1. Federal assistance opportunities
2. Technical assistance
3. Flexibility available under the Clean Water Act, and
4. Information on integrated planning and example municipal integrated plans.

Contact the Ombudsman:

Jamie Piziali, Municipal Ombudsman
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 202-564-1709

Click the link below to access more information about resources and assistance the Ombudsman provides.

Water Finance Clearinghouse

Water Finance Clearinghouse

The Water Finance Clearinghouse is an easily navigable web‐based portal to help communities locate information and resources that will assist them in making informed decisions for their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs. The Water Finance Clearinghouse includes two searchable databases: one contains available funding sources for water infrastructure and the second contains resources, such as reports, weblinks, webinars etc. on financing mechanisms and approaches that can help communities access capital to meet their water infrastructure needs.

The Water Finance Clearinghouse was developed by EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Resiliency Center, an information and assistance center identifying water infrastructure financing approaches that help communities reach their public health and environmental goals.

Click the link below to access the clearinghouse.

State Revolving Fund Switchboard

State Revolving Fund Switchboard

The Southwest Environmental Finance Center's State Revolving Fund Switchboard is a repository of all 51 State Revolving Funds' rules, regulations, intended use plans, and other policies that inform how that state administers its SRF. The interactive map, previewed below, allows users to choose which state is of interest and access a compiled set of resources all in one place.

Click the link below to access the resource.

Rural Community Assistance Corporation

Rural Community Assistance Corporation

Founded in 1978, RCAC is a nonprofit organization that provides training, technical and financial resources and advocacy so rural communities can achieve their goals and visions. RCAC envisions vibrant, healthy and enduring rural communities throughout the West. Among is broad programmatic work, RCAC works with rural water, wastewater and solid waste systems to make them sustainable. The organization's environmental services are directed to small, low-income communities in rural areas and Indian Country to ensure that they comply with state and federal regulations, and include:

1. On-site support to rural water and wastewater staff and boards to build, improve, finance, operate and manage systems, and solid waste management technical assistance and training
2. Water and wastewater training that provides a comprehensive array of training for rural water and wastewater staff and boards
3. Agua4All that brings safe drinking water to schools and public places in communities throughout rural California
4. Facilitation for regionalization that brings multiple small systems together to become more sustainable

Click the link below to learn more about RCAP and its array of programs.

How Distributed Water Infrastructure Can Boost Resilience

How Distributed Water Infrastructure Can Boost Resilience in the Face of COVID-19 and Other Shocks  

COVID-19 — and the ensuing economic crisis — is affecting all sectors of society, including water. Across the country, water utilities are facing lower revenues, more unpaid and late water bills, and higher costs to protect essential staff from COVID-19. These financial challenges are affecting much-needed investments in water infrastructure, both now and in the future. A recent Pacific Institute and WaterNow article summarizes the financial impacts of COVID-19 on water utilities, examines how this may reduce or delay water infrastructure investments, and explores how investments in innovative distributed water infrastructure can address some of these issues while also fostering economic recovery, system flexibility, and long-term resilience.

Click the link below to read Pacific Institute and WaterNow's September 2020 article.

River Network

River Network

River Network empowers and unites people and communities to protect and restore rivers and other waters that sustain all life by connecting local water organizations and empowering organizations and individuals with the tools, training, and resources needed for success, among other strategies.

The Network is aligned around 4 key issues: (1) Safe, Clean, Affordable Drinking Water, (2) Resilient Cities and Communities, (3) Healthy Rivers in Agricultural Landscapes, and (4) Robust & Effective Water Laws and Policies.

As a Tap into Resilience Partner, WaterNow is actively working with River Network on an initiative to identify best practices for building trust-based relationships between water utilities and community groups, and to put these practices into action.

Click the link below to learn more about River Network.

Environmental Water Resources Projects NOFO

Download the Environmental Water Resources Projects Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to learn more about the EWRP application evaluation criteria and application requirements.

The evaluation criteria can be found in the FY22 EWRP Funding Opportunity Announcement linked here.

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life for people living in the Southeast United States by bringing safe drinking water to low-income rural residents, sanitary water disposal, and structurally sound housing to 450,000+ households across a seven state region. SERCAP provides a wide array of resources and tools for communities, including:

Technical Assistance for Community Water/Wastewater Systems and Communities: Community planning program that delivers technical expertise and training support to elected officials and government leaders as they plan for their community’s long-term water, wastewater and housing success

Water/Wastewater Operator and Management Training: Training program that delivers technical assistance and training to rural community and utility leaders so that they meet and maintain compliance with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies and strengthen utility infrastructure efficiency and sustainability

Facilities Development Grant Program: Grant program that provides grant funds for community development projects focused on water and wastewater infrastructure projects

Click the link below to learn more about SERCAP.