Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) surveys federal funding and technical assistance available to state and local governments, tribes, non-governmental organizations, universities, and individuals to implement nature-based solutions for climate resilience. It details various programs across agencies including the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS, highlighting their eligibility requirements and providing real-world examples of projects such as wetland restoration, green infrastructure, and urban forestry.

• Nature-based solutions—projects that restore or emulate natural systems—can reduce damage from natural hazards as effectively as or better than traditional engineered projects, often at a lower cost. These solutions, which include living shorelines, reforestation, and green roofs, provide co-benefits such as carbon sequestration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers several resources for nature-based solutions: the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities provides technical assistance for flood resilience and green buildings; Section 319 of the Clean Water Act funds nonpoint source water pollution management; the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) provides low-interest loans for water infrastructure; the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) prioritizes wetland restoration and green stormwater infrastructure; the Greening America’s Communities program supports sustainable design in cities; the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI) incorporates climate resilience into contaminated site cleanup; and Urban Waters Small Grants provide up to $60,000 for urban water quality projects.
• FEMA provides funding to reduce flood and disaster risks through the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant, which targets repetitive flood damage to buildings, and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant, which funds resilient infrastructure before disasters occur. The PDM program is being replaced by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.
• Other federal agencies provide targeted support for nature-based solutions: HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds urban tree planting and green infrastructure to create jobs and mitigate flooding; NOAA's Community-based Restoration Program funds coastal and marine habitat restoration; the USDA Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program helps communities conserve and enhance urban forests to manage stormwater and reduce energy use; and the USFWS Coastal Program provides assistance for conservation in 24 priority coastal areas, leveraging $8 from partners for every $1 spent.

APA

Bertrand, S., & Schneer, K. (2020). Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-federal-resources-for-nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change

Chicago

Bertrand, Savannah, and Katie Schneer. Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2020. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-federal-resources-for-nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bertrand |first1=Savannah |last2=Schneer |first2=Katie |title=Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=19 February 2020 |url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-federal-resources-for-nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bertrand2020federal, author = {Bertrand, Savannah and Schneer, Katie}, title = {{Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-federal-resources-for-nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }