EF@N

environmental finance center network

Recently Developed Tools and Resources

(March 2022)

The Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) enhance the ability of communities to tackle
environmental finance challenges. Through trainings, applied research, resource and tool
development, direct technical assistance and other services, the EFCs' help communities assess
complex financial questions and develop sustainable and equitable financing solutions, as well
as support utilities in improving the efficiency of operations and financial management.

This table highlights some examples of the tools and resources available from the EFCs. With
additional funds, the EFCs are able to update and enhance these tools, customize and apply
these offerings to expanded geographies, and create new tools and resources in response to
emerging needs.

Region 1: New England Environmental Finance Center, University of Southern Maine
neefc.org

Stormwater
Management
Optimization Tool
(Opti-Tool)

Opti-Tool is a spreadsheet-based optimization tool that assists New
England stormwater managers and consulting engineers in preparing
technically sound, cost-effective stormwater management plans that
achieve needed pollutant and volume reductions. New England EFC
supports EPA Region 1 in Opti-Tool refinement and rollout in the region.
www.epa.gov/tmdl/opti-tool-epa-region-ls-stormwater-management-

optimization-tool

Stormwater Story Maps

Interactive story maps designed as education and outreach materials to
help inform the public about stormwater issues and provide small steps
to reduce runoff and pollution. Storv maps include What Is
Stormwater?, Limitina Chemical and Fertilizer Use. and Capturina
Rainwater.

Drinking Water
Program Funding
Matrix for Source
Water Protection

This resource highlights collaborative relationships and financial
resources to help Maine's public water systems supply clean, safe
drinking water and achieve clean water goals by protecting the land
surrounding drinking water sources.
neefc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Collab-for-Clean-

Water 3.19.198.pdf

Climate Resilience
Prioritization Toolkit

This Toolkit builds community and utility resilience by helping to
identify valued assets; understand climate-related hazards, risks and
vulnerabilities affecting those assets; and weigh and prioritize actions.
Read more about application of this Toolkit in coastal Maine here.


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Region 2: Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center
efc.svr.edu

Sustainable Materials
Management
Stewardship Program
(SMM Stewardship
Program)

The SMM Stewardship Program offers students in New York and Puerto
Rico the opportunity to learn fundamental concepts and principles of
sustainable materials management (SMM). Through this program,
students deepen their understanding of SMM, apply theoretical
knowledge from the classroom, develop leadership skills, and gain
professional experience. New York State SMM program, Puerto Rico:
GREEN-PR

SMM Funding Database

Online local, state, and federal funding database for SMM related
projects in New York and Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Recycling
Partnership (PRRP)

The PRRP was created in 2010 to connect SMM professionals
throughout Puerto Rico, with the goal of spurring initiatives that would
increase waste diversion from landfills and increase reduction, reuse,
and recycling efforts.

Outreach Education
and Training Program

SU-EFC developed the OETP with the help of municipal recycling
managers to provide professional development training on a variety of
needed topics and skill-development (e.g., communications, outreach,
public engagement, grant writing, etc).

Recycle Right NY

A campaign that prioritizes reduction of wasted materials and promotes
reuse and repair, with the goal of improving the quality of recyclables
collected, increasing the rate of recyclables captured, and growing the
demand for recycled products. Efforts include: NYS Recvclopedia Tool, a
searchable recvclopedia; Check Your Local Guidelines Tool to search
local recycling guidelines in Counties, Towns, and Villages; and social
media content available on Facebook and Instagram.

Region 3: University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center
efc.umd.edu

MOST Center

The Municipal Online Stormwater Training Center (MOST Center) is an
online education and training platform designed to help communities
build, enhance and better communicate about local stormwater and
resilience challenges, www.mostcenter.umd.edu

CLASIC

The Community-enabled Lifecycle Analysis of Stormwater Infrastructure
Costs (CLASIC) provides communities across the U.S. with an open-
source online tool that enables informed decisions regarding
stormwater management. It is the first national, online tool to
incorporate: planning level stormwater BMP performance; feasibility
level cost estimates of implementation and maintenance: and relative
cobenefits of green infrastructure.

arch.umd.edu/research-creative-practice/centers/environmental-

finance-center/proiect-areas/communitv-lifecvcle-cost-analvsis-

stormwater-infrastructure-clasic


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Accounting for Urban
Forestry

This tool offers a standardized accounting framework for the urban
forest community to holistically measure the benefits and costs of
urban and community forest investments. The system helps urban
forest managers collect information to justify budget requests as well as
improves the effectiveness and efficiency of obtaining resources.
arch.umd.edu/research-creative-practice/centers/environmental-

finance-center/proiect-areas/standardizing-return-investment-urban-

and-community-forestry-resources

Region 4: Environmental Finance Center at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
efc.sos.unc.edu/

Water and Wastewater
Rates Dashboards

These dashboards are interactive tools designed to assist water,
wastewater, and stormwater utility managers and local officials
benchmark rates/fees and financial performance of the utility based on
comparisons to utilities of similar characteristics.
efc.sog.unc.edu/dashboards/

Water and Wastewater
Residential Rates
Affordability
Assessment Tool

This newly redesigned tool has a user-friendly Tableau interface and
incorporates Census data with rates data to provide a broader
perspective of affordability. UNC EFC commonly uses this tool as part of
technical assistance, but the Tableau-interface ensures this tool is easy
for utility professionals to use without assistance.
efc.sog.unc.edu/resource/water-and-wastewater-residential-rates-

affordability-assessment-tool-2021/

Financial Health
Checkup for Water
Utilities Tool

This tool assists users in assessing the financial performance of water or
wastewater utility funds by computing key financial indicators. UNC EFC
commonly uses this tool as part of technical assistance, but it is publicly
available for download as well. UNC EFC is currently seeking funding to
update this tool to Tableau to make it more user-friendly.
efc.sog.unc.edu/resource/financial-health-checkup-water-utilities/

Water and Wastewater
Rates Analysis Model

This tool helps users forecast end-of-year fund balances for the next
two decades based on rates, water use, and expenses. Commonly used
for direct technical assistance, it is also publicly available for download.
efc.sog.unc.edu/resource/water-and-wastewater-rates-analysis-model/

Bill Payment Assistance
Program Cost
Estimation for Water
Utilities

This tool guides water/wastewater utilities in estimating the costs of
low-income residential bill paying support programs.
efc.sog.unc.edu/resource/bill-pavment-assistance-program-cost-

estimation-water-utilities/

Region 6: Southwest Environmental Finance Center at University of New Mexico
www.swefc.unm.edu

Asset Management
Switchboard

Compiles asset management resources from a variety of sources into
one place to help systems find what they need.
swefcamswitchboard.unm.edu/am/




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Water Loss
Switchboard

Compiles water loss control resources from a variety of sources into
one place to help systems find what they need.
swefc.unm.edu/wlswitchboard/

State Revolving Fund
Switchboard

Gathers information on SRF programs in one place.
swefcsrfswitchboard.unm.edu/srf/

Integrated Asset
Management
Framework: Combining
Green and Gray Assets

This resource combines green and gray assets into one unified
framework to help put green solutions on the same page as gray
solutions. The framework can be used for green assets, gray assets, or a
combination of both green and grav solutions, swefc.unm.edu/iamf/

Water Utility Financial
Analysis - WUFA

This tool will help an organization assess its financial health. This is the
generic version of a tool created for Idaho that collects financial health
information on all systems that can be used by the SRF program.
swefcapps.unm.edu/wufa/Start

Water Shutoff
Alternatives for
Nonpayment

This paper explains alternatives to water shutoffs.
swefc.unm.edu/home/resource/water-shutoff-alternatives-for-

nonpavment-affordabilitv/

Energy Project Decision
Matrix

This decision matrix helps utilities assess projects for energy.
swefc.unm.edu/home/resource/energv-proiect-decision-matrix/



Region 7: Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center
www.wichita.edu/efc

Community
Sustainability Tool

A tool to assess financial sustainability of water and/or wastewater
infrastructure investments. Tool developed for 6 states and can be
expanded to other states with additional funding.
www.wichita.edu/communitysustainabilitytool

Assessing Water
Infrastructure Needs
(AWIN)

A tool for the State of Nebraska helping to assess community
demographic trends and the long-term financial capacity of
communities to sustain wastewater services. Can be expanded to other
states with additional funding.
deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/OnWeb/AWIN

Asset Management
Trainings and
Resources

Training templates, videos, handouts, etc. for water and wastewater
operators, managers, administrators, decision makers and boards.
www.wichita.edu/amboards

Region 9: Environmental Finance Center at Sacramento State
www.efc.csus.edu

Stormwater: www.efc.csus.edu/stormwater-funding-and-financing/

Stormwater Asset
Management Toolkit

A Toolkit for Stormwater Asset Management and Funding.

Stormwater Funding
Storyboard

Interactive storvboard with tools and information that stormwater
utilities can use to create sustainable stormwater programs.


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Stormwater Cost and
Benefit Resources

Two resources on Estimating Benefits and Costs of Stormwater
Management:

Part 1: Benefit-Cost Analysis
Part 2: MS4 Spending in California

Resiliency: www.efc.csus.edu/resiliency/

Resilience Planning

Tools and resources for communities to assist local agencies and
communities with resilience planning.

Region 10: Environmi
htt ds ://www. rca c. or

sntal Finance Center at RCAC
K/environmental/environmental-finance-center/

Asset Management
Programs and GIS Hub
for Very Small Systems

A system-specific GIS Hub, smart phone data collection app, and Excel
spreadsheets to produce a simple asset management plan for the very
smallest utilities.

https://www.rcac.org/environmental/environmental-finance-

center/gis-hub-small-system-asset-management/

Infrastructure
Assistance Coordinating
Council (IACC) Tribal
Outreach

Outreach to Tribes in the state of Washington to encourage
participation in the IACC Infrastructure Funding Conference to foster
infrastructure finance and sustainability dialog.
https://www.rcac.org/environmental/environmental-finance-

center/iacc-tribal-outreach/

Alaska Village and Rural
Community Decision
Tree and Financial
Modules

Adapt-in-Place vs. Relocate? A culturally considerate decision tree and
more detailed infrastructure-specific financial modules for communities
impacted by adverse environmental conditions who are making the
adapt-in-place vs. relocation decision. This work focuses on community
infrastructure finance decisions for location of origin including
restoration, relocation and clean up and relocation/site expansion
needs including infrastructure options and development.
https://www.rcac.org/environmental/environmental-finance-

center/decision-tree-financial-module/

Tribal Source Water
Protection

A Tribal Source Water Protection Plan template, template trainings
hosted by Native American Water Masters Association (NAWMA) and
direct technical assistance for Tribal systems to complete source water
protection plans.

https://www.rcac.org/environmental/environmental-finance-

center/tribal-source-water-protection/

Agency and Small
Utility Source Water
Protection Watershed
Workshops

Facilitation of workshops in EPA Region 10 to bring agency landowners
and planners together with small rural water systems, and Tribes that
rely on drinking water from the watershed.
https://www.rcac.org/environmental/environmental-finance-

center/source-water-protection-watershed-workshops/


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