Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change

The document outlines federal resources for nature-based solutions (NbS), which include green and natural infrastructure designed to increase resilience to climate impacts like flooding and extreme heat. It details specific programs from agencies such as the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS, highlighting their eligibility criteria and providing real-world examples of projects, such as wetland restoration in California and urban forestry in Oregon. The text emphasizes that NbS can be more cost-effective than traditional engineered projects and provide co-benefits like carbon sequestration and improved water quality.

• Nature-based solutions, which 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.
• Federal support for nature-based solutions is categorized into green infrastructure (hybrid systems combining gray infrastructure with nature), natural infrastructure (restoring existing landscapes like forests and wetlands), and urban-focused solutions such as increasing tree canopies.
• The EPA provides multiple funding streams for nature-based solutions, including the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for low-interest loans and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) which prioritizes wetland restoration and green stormwater infrastructure.
• FEMA offers grants for disaster mitigation, such as the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) programs, the latter of which is being replaced by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.
• Other federal agencies provide specialized NbS support: HUD's CDBG program funds urban tree planting and stormwater management; NOAA's Community-based Restoration Program focuses on coastal and marine habitats; and the USDA's Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program assists in conserving and enhancing urban forests.
• The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Coastal Program provides assistance for coastal ecosystem resilience and demonstrates high leverage, averaging $8 from partners for every $1 spent by the program.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2020). Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Nature-Based_Solutions_Funding.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change. 2020. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Nature-Based_Solutions_Funding.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change |date=February 2020 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_Nature-Based_Solutions_Funding.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2020federal, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, 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/files/FactSheet_Nature-Based_Solutions_Funding.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }