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
Region 3 WaterTA Program
The Region 3 WaterTA program offers direct support to municipalities, tribes, and water utilities in US EPA Region 3 to help them access federal and state funding to address water infrastructure needs.
Maryland Local Government Climate Action Support Program
EFC is coordinating with the Maryland Department of Environment to help build the local capacity of Maryland communities to plan, fund, and implement climate projects and community-based climate-related outreach campaigns.
Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Breweries
The 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.
Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Farms
EFC is coordinating with UMD's School of Public Health, Extension, and USDA Agricultural Research Services to help urban farmers harvest and filter rainwater to nourish their crops and create more sustainable farms and resilient communities.
EFC Projects and Publications
See EFC’s work in action by browsing our current and archived (completed) projects below.
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2023 (August)Delaware Tree Stewards Pilot Program Evaluation: Findings and Recommendations
In 2023, UMD EFC assisted the Delaware Forest Service (DFS) in evaluating the pilot phase of the Delaware Tree Stewards program, which offered training on tree science, tree maintenance, and tree planting project development, with the goal of equipping volunteers to plant and care for trees in Delaware communities. EFC's program evaluation consisted of a participant survey, focus group, partners strategy session, and a review of program material.View Project Details for Delaware Tree Stewards Pilot Program Evaluation: Findings and Recommendations -
2023 (April)Broadford Lake Revenueshed Preliminary Report
The purpose of this project was to develop a preliminary revenueshed analysis to frame potential avenues to fund or finance projects that address excess phosphorus in Broadford Lake, located in Garrett County, Maryland. Revenuesheds, conceptualized by the University of North Carolina Environmental Finance Center (UNC EFC), seek to identify the full range of stakeholders that benefit from a healthy watershed. This approach expands the potential opportunities to implement projects that improve water quality.View Project Details for Broadford Lake Revenueshed Preliminary Report -
2023Chesapeake Bay Science and Technical Committee Workshop U.S. Biochar Initiative
Biochar is a carbon-rich (charcoal-like) material formed by “cooking” (thermochemical conversion) waste organic matter, (harvested/waste wood, green waste, manures, etc.) in an oxygen-free environment. It is an ancient technology termed Terra Preta (“Dark Earth”) in ancient Amazon Basin cultures and was principally used to enrich farmlands prior to the advent of modern fertilizers. In the last several decades, biochar has seen a resurgence worldwide due to its ability to address a multitude of environmental objectives.View Project Details for Chesapeake Bay Science and Technical Committee Workshop U.S. Biochar Initiative -
2022 - 2025Mid-Atlantic Climate Action Hub
The Mid-Atlantic Climate Action Hub (MATCH) was established to build connections across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania, targeting communities disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change due to historic disenfranchisement, coupled with proximity to environmental hazards and underlying social, economic and geographic vulnerabilities. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, MATCH was led by the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH).View Project Details for Mid-Atlantic Climate Action Hub -
2022 - 2024Addressing Stormwater and Pollinators in the Route One Corridor
EFC’s Sustainable Maryland (SM) program recently convened staff, elected officials and Green Team members from 14 municipalities along the Route One Corridor in Prince George's County, Maryland, to discuss how they could advance projects and collaborate on a regional basis to address stormwater and flooding issues and the creation of a pollinator corridor.View Project Details for Addressing Stormwater and Pollinators in the Route One Corridor -
2022 - 2024Chesapeake Bay Watershed Tree Canopy Funding and Policy Roundtable
In March 2023, 125 local and state leaders from across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed gathered at the two-day, virtual Chesapeake Bay Watershed Tree Canopy Funding and Policy Roundtable to discuss challenges and opportunities in advancing tree canopy goals. Centered around the themes of equity, climate resilience, and tree loss, this event featured expert presentations as well as facilitated discussions with the aim of helping local and state leaders identify funding, policy, and programmatic solutions to achieve state and regional tree goals.View Project Details for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Tree Canopy Funding and Policy Roundtable