Obtaining Infrastructure Funding

• USDA Rural Utilities Service Borrower’s Guide: A How-to for Water and Wastewater Loans from USDA Rural Development
  A how-to for small communities on applying for water and wastewater loans from USDA Rural Development.
• Getting Your Project to Flow Smoothly: A Guide to Developing Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
  A comprehensive guide on all the steps the governing body of a utility should go through in planning, designing and constructing infrastructure. A very detailed how-to on all phases of the process. Includes many pitfalls to avoid.
• How does the Federal Budget Impact Rural Utilities?
  The process of creating the federal budget every year is complex and sometimes confusing, but it should inform your decision-making as you devise strategies to finance your project.
• RCAC: Sustainable Infrastructure for Small System Public Services: A Planning and Resource Guide
  This planning and resource guide will assist a community identify very specific actions that can be taken to choose their next steps as they foster and promote sustainability.
• EPA: Water Finance Clearinghouse
  An easily navigable web‐based portal to help communities locate information and resources that will assist them in making informed decisions for their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs.
• EPA: Effective Financing for Water Infrastructure
  Highlights sources of federal funding for water infrastructure.
• Environmental Finance Center Network: Funding Sources by State and Territory
  This interactive map explains funding sources by state and territory.
• Southwest Environmental Finance Center: State Revolving Fund Switchboard
  This map is a repository of documentation and tools related to State Revolving Funds.
• USDA: Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
  An overview and information on the Water & Waste Disposal loan and grant program.
• EPA: How the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Works
  This document explains how the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund works.
• HUD: Community Development Block Grant
  Provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
• Environmental Financial Advisory Board: A Decision-Maker’s Guide to Alternative Service Delivery Options for Public Utility Projects
  The report provides a step-by-step process to help officials consider and determine an optimal approach to their infrastructure challenges given their individual circumstances.
• CoBank: Drinking Water Financing
  A private lender providing financing to water cooperatives, water companies and not-for-profit and municipal systems throughout rural America.
• Live Oak Bank: Water and Wastewater Funding
  A private lender providing up to 40-year fixed-rate financing for water, waste and stormwater for rural and unincorporated communities.
• Communities Unlimited: Water and Wastewater Loans
  Provides information and access to water and wastewater loans.
• RCAC: Environmental Infrastructure Loans
  Loan program providing the early funds small rural communities need to determine water and waste facility project feasibility and to pay pre-development costs prior to receiving state and federal funding.
• GLCAP: Community Loan Fund
  The GLCAP Community Loan Fund provides loans for facility improvements such as the development and rehabilitation of water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure, parks, buildings, and other needs projects that stimulate and sustain community development and increase access to capital for low-income areas.

Webinars:

• Increasing Your Utility’s Chances to Access Infrastructure Funding through Effective Utility Management
  Right now, small utilities have access to unprecedented levels of infrastructure funding. This webinar will describe how small systems can utilize the principles of Effective Utility Management to increase their chances of accessing this funding through improved operations, planning, and finances. The material in this webinar is best suited for individuals who operate, manage, or own drinking water systems.