GSI Accelerator Resource Library
This 2024 capacity-building sequence is bringing a cohort of municipal & community allies through 3 modules designed to rapidly grow community capacity to implement equity-centered, nature-based climate solutions to some of the most pressing climate challenges facing communities.
The Accelerator focuses on critical knowledge frameworks, assessment and planning tools, implementation resources, and best-in-field practices from national leaders in the field.
The GSI Accelerator is a joint offering of Center for Regenerative Solutions, Trust for Public Land, and the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, funded by the generous support of these partners.
Resource Library
Each sequence within the Accelerator guides communities through the development of locally customized urban nature-based climate strategies in specific climate risk + nature-based solution pairings.
Jump to ☞ Module 1 Resources
Jump to ☞ Module 2 Resources
Jump to ☞ Module 3 Resources
MODULE 1 RESOURCES
Module 1, Session 1 Recording: Next Generation GSI Centering Equity, Broadening Benefits
Instructor Presentations
Alicia Smith’s Slide Deck (forthcoming)
Module 1, Session 2: Public Sector GSI -- Alignment for Success
Instructor Presentations
Kate England: City of Boston Green Infrastructure
Jessica Engel: Building A GSI Program For Your Audience
Roseann Barnhill: Integrating Community and Rainscapes Program
Session 2 Resources
City of Boston Green Infrastructure Policy
Resources and RFP templates Forthcoming
RainScapes Program
Investing in Community Through Environmental Workforce Development
Module 1, Session 3: Community Driven GSI Partnerships
Instructor Presentations
Brad Lancaster: What Green Infrastructure as Equity-centered Climate & Community Action Looks Like in The Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood, Tucson, Arizona
Irene Ogata & Blue Baldwin: Team Up: Collaborations in Tucson Area - Building a Resilient Community with Integration of Rainwaters/Stormwater Harvesting
Roland Jones: Clean Water Partnership—Community-Based Public Private Partnership
Session 3 Resources
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster
City of Tempe Parks & Recreation: SPACES, creating Equity Priority Zones
City of Tucson Climate Action Hub (multiple programs including: Resilient Together, Tucson Million Trees, Storm to Shade, Team Up to Clean Up)
Green Stormwater Infrastructure Maintenance Pocket Guide Published by the City of Tucson Storm to Shade Program
Pima County/City of Tucson Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure Guidance Manual
Prince George County’s & Corvias Infrastructure Solutions - Clean Water Partnership
MODULE 2 RESOURCES
Module 2, Session 1 Recording: Essentials of Equitable Community-driven GSI
Instructor Presentations
Barbara Hopkins: Forthcoming
Gerald W. Bright Jr: The Co-Evolution of PWD Green Stormwater Infrastructure Maintenance and PowerCorpsPHL
Julia Hillengas: PowerCorpPHL - Applying Equity Centered Workforce Development to Green Infrastructure
Session 1 Resources
PowerCorpsPHL: PowerCorpsPHL & Arbor Day Foundation Equity-Centered Workforce Development Roadmap (Implementation Template)
Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)
Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange (GILE)
The Equity Guide for Green Stormwater Infrastructure Practitioners
The State of Public Sector Green Stormwater Infrastructure, 2022
Find more resources here: https://giexchange.org/resources/
To learn more about GILE membership: https://giexchange.org/participation-requirements/
Module 2, Session 2: Equity Centered GSI Workforce Development
Instructor Presentations
Thad Winkle: Growing Blue Green Infrastructure from the Ground Up
Paul Harris & Pastor George Nicholas: Workforce Development Program - Environmental Justice Corps
Session 2 Resources
PowerCorpsPHL: PowerCorpsPHL & Arbor Day Foundation Equity-Centered Workforce Development Roadmap (Implementation Template)
Groundwork San Diego: Resident Empowerment Training Program Packet
Buffalo Sewer Authority
RainCheck Clean Water Buffalo: https://raincheckbuffalo.org/
Green Infrastructure Stewardship Program Request for Proposals
Buffalo Center for Health Equity
HEALTHeWNY Dashboard is a comprehensive, publicly accessible platform designed to provide real-time data and insights into the health status of the Western New York community.
Instructor Presentations
One Water Econ, The Nature Conservancy & Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange: Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Session 3 Resources
GSI Impact Hub: https://gsiimpacthub.org/
GSI Impact Calculator: https://app.gsiimpacthub.org/captcha
GSI Co-benefit Guides: https://gsiimpacthub.org/resources
MODULE 3 RESOURCES
Module 3, Session 1 Recording: Federal Funding Opportunities & Resources
Instructor Presentations
Heather Himmelberger: Where’s the Money? — Paying for Your Green Infrastructure
Robyn DeYoung: Navigating Federal Technical Assistance and Funding
Session 1 Resources
The Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Network
EFC Network: https://efcnetwork.org The Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Network has many resources available as well as trainings and webinars.
EFC Network Get Help: https://efcnetwork.org/get-help/ this link takes you to the form to complete to ask for help from the Environmental Finance Center Network. All eligible entities receive funding for free.
Southwest Environmental Finance Center: https://swefc.unm.edu/home/ The Southwest EFC has many resources available.
Integrated Asset Management Framework: Combining Green and Gray Assets: https://swefc.unm.edu/iamf/ Tool to help communities integrate green assets into an asset management framework.
State Revolving Fund Switchboard: https://swefcsrfswitchboard.unm.edu/srf/ A switchboard to find the contacts for each SRF program in every state and to access documents from the SRF programs.
Funding Sources from Various Agencies:
FEMA BRIC Grants: https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/learn/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities
NOAA Coastal Zone Management Program: https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/
NOAA Estuarine Research Reserve System: https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/
NOAA Coastal Resilience Fund: https://coast.noaa.gov/funding/bil/ncrf/overview.html
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Coastal Resilience Fund: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/national-coastal-resilience-fund
US Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests/ucf
Council of Western States Wildlife Urban Interface Grant Program: https://www.westernforesters.org/wui-grants
USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants/cwdg
Chesapeake Bay Trust: https://cbtrust.org/grants/
William Penn Foundation Environment and Public Space Program: https://williampennfoundation.org/program/environment-and-public-space
PA DEP: Growing Greener Program: https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/GrantsLoansRebates/Growing-Greener/Pages/What-is-Growing-Greener.aspx
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Grants Gateway: https://dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/Pages/funding/grantsgateway.aspx
Water Citizen Water Pitch: https://www.watercitizen.org/waterpitch/
Coca Cola Foundation: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/social/coca-cola-foundation
Western Forestry Leadership Coalition Landscape Scale Restoration Competitive Grant Program: https://www.thewflc.org/landscape-scale-restoration-competitive-grant-program
EPA Funding Opportunities & Resources
Allotment for EPA’s Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program | US EPA
Federal funding and Technical assistance resources across the federal government. Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative | US EPA
Green Infrastructure Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities | US EPA
EPA’s Greenstream listserve: get updates on new EPA resources, webinars and funding. Sign up by email greenstream@epa.gov
Navigating Federal Funding for Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions document here: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-02/navigating-federal-funding-for-gi-and-nbs-master-summary_02_12_2024-508.pdf
Nature-based Solutions Funding Database: National Wildlife Federation’s interactive database for communities interested in pursuing federal funding and/or technical assistance for nature-based solutions.
Module 3, Session 2: Private Funding Resources for GSI
Instructor Presentations
Aaron Birdy: UpstreamPgh, Nine Mile Run Environmental Equity Study
Beth Dutton: Environmental Justice and Pittsburgh Water’s Stormwater Strategic Plan
Sha’kiya Morris: Innovative Strategies for Equitable Stormwater Management
Session 2 Resources
Pittsburgh Water
Pittsburgh Water’s Stormwater Strategic Plan: https://www.pgh2o.com/your-water/stormwater/stormwater-plans/stormwater-strategic-plan
Pittsburgh Water’s Stormwater Strategic Plan Ambassador Project: PWSA Stormwater Strategic Plan Ambassador Project - Grounded Strategies (groundedpgh.org)
UpstreamPgh
RainPlan
Virtual Site Visit Landing Page: https://myrainplan.com/the-virtual-site-visit/
Governmental Accounting Standards Series: https://tapin.waternow.org/gasb-overview/
Financing Fix to Scale https: //tapin.waternow.org/resources/the-financing-fix-to-scale-water-innovation/
How to Finance Green Infrastructure Establishment Cost, (2023): https://waternow.org/2023/05/23/new-report-highlights-how-to-finance-green-infrastructure-establishment-costs/
MMSD: https://tapin.waternow.org/resources/milwaukee-metropolitan-sewerage-district-2/
Module 3, Session 3: Community Advocacy & Creating Local Funding Sources
Instructor Presentations
Jessica Dandridge-Smith: The Water Collaborative Greater New Orleans
Matt Frary: LA Safe Clean Water Program
Session 3 Resources
The Water Collaborative: https://www.nolawater.org/
New Orleans Cultural Fund: https://notcf.com/
Safe Clean Water LA Program