GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RESOURCE GUIDE | 13 PRE-PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT FUNDING CONSIDERATIONS A 2017 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) member survey found that a lack of funding is the greatest barrier that keeps park agencies from implementing green infrastructure and sustainability projects.44 Federal, state, and private grant programs can help seed pilot programs, but long-term funding relies on public-private partnerships and access to upfront capital. The issue of funding is particularly burdensome to distressed or underserved communities. One method park agencies have used to fund green infrastructure projects is to leverage the co-benefits they provide. Many local governments are required to implement stormwater management in response to a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)45 municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit. Other legal and regulatory mandates such as a combined sewer overflow (CSO)46 consent decree or a total maximum daily load (TMDL)47 allocation may also drive stormwater implementation. This can open up partnership opportunities between park agencies and water utilities or other locally regulated entities to implement green stormwater infrastructure practices48, 49. Two EPA resources that provide examples are Getting to Green: Paying for Green Infrastructure and Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Collaboration, Funding, and Community Engagement.50, 51 The EPA also maintains a Water Finance Clearinghouse that provides information on available funding sources for stormwater and other water infrastructure projects as well as reports and information on available financing mechanisms and approaches.52 Park projects in underserved areas targeted for revitalization can spur community and economic revitalization, providing opportunities to coordinate with local departments of housing and economic development as well as the private sector. Green infrastructure enhancements within the public right-of-way surrounding parks and the incorporation of recreational benefits provide opportunities to coordinate and co-fund projects with local departments of transportation.53 Depending on a project’s expense, securing the necessary funding will typically involve a scan of a variety of sources. Opportunities to leverage funding from and with other agencies will depend on its co-benefits. Co-benefits can include additional environmental benefits (such as pollinator gardens, wetland protection, and flood mitigation). They may also include active and traditional transportation projects, green schoolyard retrofits, and urban revitalization projects implemented in conjunction with Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) or other public/private partnerships. Additional information on funding considerations and options is provided in the APA Briefing Paper: Financing Green Infrastructure Projects.54
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