Overview

This tool is an interactive database to help community planners and other stakeholders connect to federal funding resources for projects that include nature-based elements. The site allows users to search and sort through 70+ federal programs using filters to specify any project needs and includes contact information for each program. This database will be continually updated to include new relevant information, as necessary.

As natural hazards, like flooding and drought, grow in intensity and frequency each year, communities face the growing pressure to develop and implement plans that protect vulnerable communities, infrastructure, natural habitats, and farmland. Nature-based solutions offer a cost-effective, long-term approach to addressing environmental issues, like polluted water, eroded soils, or degraded habitats, while simultaneously considering social and economic outcomes. While there are several funding sources for nature-based practices, this database focuses on federal funding and technical assistance programs. 

One of the goals of this database is to raise awareness of the number of federal programs available for nature-based project assistance, particularly those that may not immediately be considered or are lesser known. When the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, enacted in 2021, there was a significant influx of federal funding for nature-based projects; the BIL both supplemented current programs and created new ones to address issues like climate change and environmental justice.

This database captures both new and supplemented programs and will be regularly updated to reflect the current federal funding landscape. Unique to the database is its filter functions, which allows users to search for programs that best meet their needs based on program purpose, recipient eligibility, support type, cost-share requirements, and federal agency. 

Audience

This tool is geared towards communities pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions.

This resource originated with an eye toward the needs of communities in the mainstem Mississippi River States; however, this database is applicable and relevant nationwide for any communities seeking resources to support nature-based solutions across sectors. We hope that it will be a tool for anyone working to navigate the complex federal funding landscape, and that it will assist communities in identifying funding for technical assistance and capacity building needs.