For more than three decades, the Environmental Finance Center has helped hundreds of local, state, and federal partners throughout the Mid-Atlantic region advance policies, programs, and financing strategies that achieve outcomes for people, places, and the environment. See EFC’s featured work below.
EFC's Featured Work
2024 Annual Report
The Environmental Finance Center worked with communities big and small, rural and urban, red and blue throughout the Mid-Atlantic to advance locally identified environmental priorities.
Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries
UMD EFC’s Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries Program offers free sustainability consultations to help craft brewers assess operations and implement practices related to energy, water, wastewater, air emissions, and cleaning and sanitizing – all while saving costs and improving brand recognition.
Designing a Resilience Action Plan for Maryland’s Coastal Communities
As Maryland’s coastal communities face increasing climate threats, including rising sea levels and severe storms, this initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of eight vulnerable coastal jurisdictions.
Building Climate Resilience in Prince George's County, MD
The Climate Wise Academy aims to strengthen climate resilience in Prince George’s County, Maryland. This program supports local climate preparedness through training and capacity building for Green Teams and community members. The project will enhance local climate resilience by developing a comprehensive climate-specific training curriculum and toolkit.
EFC Projects and Publications
See EFC’s work in action by browsing our current and archived (completed) projects below.
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2023 - PresentGlobal FEWture Alliance
Climate change, population growth, and urbanization are crippling global food, energy, and water (FEW) systems and harming public health. Low-income communities and people of color bear the heaviest burdens. With support from the University of Maryland Grand Challenges Institutional grant, the Global FEWture Alliance will scale technology-based solutions, community-driven capacity building, and experiential education focused at the food-energy-water-climate-health nexus.View Project Details for Global FEWture Alliance -
2023 - PresentRainwater Harvesting for Urban Farms
Urban agriculture is growing quickly across the U.S. to address food insecurity and climate change. Rainwater harvesting could provide reliable, high-quality water for urban farms, yet there is currently low adoption due to water quality concerns and uncertainty about costs and benefits. There is an immediate need to increase rainwater harvesting in urban agriculture to produce safe and nutritious foods for underserved communities and address climate change’s stress on water sources.View Project Details for Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Farms -
2023 - PresentRegion 3 Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) Program
The Region 3 WaterTA program offers direct support to municipalities, tribes, and water utilities in US EPA Region 3to help them access federal and state funding to address water infrastructure needs. This assistance is provided at no cost to recipients, through an award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Assistance is available based on community need and team capacity.Services include assistance identifying water challenges; developing plans; building technical, financial, and managerial capacity; and completing funding application materials (see graphic below).View Project Details for Region 3 Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) Program -
2022 - Present
Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries
UMD EFC’s Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries Program offers free sustainability consultations to help craft brewers assess operations and implement practices related to energy, water, wastewater, air emissions, and cleaning and sanitizing – all while saving costs and improving brand recognition. This work is funded by a US EPA Pollution Prevention grant. We offer:View Project Details for Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries -
2022 - PresentBMP Maintenance in Charles County
Stormwater management is important. But how do we gain buy-in from private property owners? EFC is partnering with Charles County, MD, to map the environmental resources available in the County in order to increase connectivity between private property owners and the entities that can help them meet their stormwater management goals. The team is also developing an education and outreach plan designed to reach all homeowners with rain gardens and porous pavement.View Project Details for BMP Maintenance in Charles County -
2022 - PresentPort Towns Maryland Walkable Watershed
OverviewThe Port Towns Walkable Watershed (WW) project is a community-based, green infrastructure planning tool to address flooding and resilience. The University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, Skeo, Defensores de la Cuenca, and Hirschman Water & Environment are supporting this grant funded effort. The WW planning approach is unique in linking environmental and social equity goals.View Project Details for Port Towns Maryland Walkable Watershed