Smart Growth National Funding Opportunities
EPA developed this guide of national funding resources to assist local and state governments, communities, and nongovernmental organizations who are addressing the varied aspects of smart growth. Find regional, state, and local funding opportunities.
This list is not an exhaustive compilation of all possible funding resources in the smart growth arena. It lists federal resources and directories of funding sources maintained by outside organizations.
For all available federal grants, see www.grants.gov, and for all federal funding programs, see the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
- Affordable Housing and Community Development
- Brownfields
- Energy
- Environmental Justice
- Foundations
- General Smart Growth or Environmental
- Historic Preservation
- Land Preservation and Conservation
- Rural and Agricultural
- Transportation (includes trails, bike, pedestrian)
- Water Quality, Wetlands, and Coasts
Affordable Housing and Community Development
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Community Development
Includes links to several HUD funding programs, including Community Development Block Grants, the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program, to address locally identified community needs.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME)
Formula-based block grant program to build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rental or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people.
U.S. Department of the Treasury: Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Provides small infusions of capital to institutions that serve distressed communities and low-income individuals.
Brownfields
EPA Brownfields Program: Types of Brownfields Grant Funding
EPA's Brownfields Program provides direct funding for brownfields assessment, cleanup, revolving loans, and environmental job training and provides technical information on brownfields financing matters.
Energy
U.S. Department of Energy: Funding from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Lists funding available to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency Exit
Links to federal and state incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Environmental Justice
EPA Office of Environmental Justice: Environmental Justice Grants, Funding, and Technical Assistance
Links to grants and other resources for environmental justice efforts.
Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice: Guide to Finding Federal Assistance and Resources for Environmental Justice Efforts
Offers general guidance and tips on searching for funding opportunities.
Foundations
Environmental Grantmakers Association Exit
Coalition of more than 225 foundations that give environmental grants.
The Funders' Network Exit
Lists member foundations that support various elements of smart growth.
General Smart Growth or Environmental
Council of Development Finance Agencies Exit
CDFA lists resources on tools including tax credits, bonds, and tax-increment financing.
National Endowment for the Arts: Our Town Grant Program
Annual grant program supporting projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration: Funding Opportunities
Funding available from EDA for economic development.
Historic Preservation
National Park Service: Tax Incentives for Preserving Historic Properties
Preservation Tax Incentives encourage private investment in rehabilitating historic properties to generate jobs and low- and moderate-income housing.
National Park Service: Historic Preservation Fund Grants
The HPF provides matching grants to encourage private and non-federal investment in historic preservation efforts nationwide.
National Trust for Historic Preservation: Find Preservation Funding Exit
Links to funding resources for a wide variety of historic preservation projects.
Land Preservation and Conservation
National Park Service: Land and Water Conservation Fund
LWCF grant funds can be used for state planning and for acquisition and development of state and local recreational facilities.
Rural and Agricultural
Local Foods, Local Places Toolkit
Appendix H of the Local Foods, Local Places Toolkit lists many funding and technical assistance resources to help communities develop local food systems.
U.S. Department of Agriculture:
- Agricultural Marketing Service Grants and Opportunities
Links to grant programs including the Farmers Market Promotion Program, Local Food Promotion Program, and Organic Cost Share Programs, as well as to resources to help you decide which grant programs are right for you. - Farm Service Agency: Farm Loan Programs
Links to a variety of loan programs to help family-sized farmers and ranchers. - Food and Nutrition Service: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Has resources for farmers markets and retailers interested in accepting SNAP benefits. - National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Home page has a funding opportunities search function that can help find grants for a variety of topics. Specific programs that might be of interest include the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development, Community Food Projects Competitive Grant, and Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant programs. - Natural Resources Conservation Service: Financial Assistance
Links to programs that provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that can save energy and improve soil, water, plant, air, animal, and related resources on agricultural lands. - Rural Development Programs and Services
Funding opportunities for rural development.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Rural Gateway
Links to funding programs to support housing and economic development in rural areas.
Transportation (includes trails, bike, pedestrian)
American Trails: Federal Funding Resources Exit
Federal funding programs relevant to trails and greenways.
Federal Highway Administration: Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding
Lists federal funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Federal Highway Administration: Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program (CMAQ)
CMAQ funds are awarded through states or metropolitan planning organizations in air quality non-attainment areas for projects that reduce transportation-related emissions, including transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities.
Federal Highway Administration: Transportation Alternatives Program
The Transportation Alternatives Program funds projects that expand transportation choices. It replaces programs including Transportation Enhancement Activities, Recreational Trails Program, and Safe Routes to School Program.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center: Resources Exit
Provides funding sources and strategies for planning and design of pedestrian and bicycle activities.
Safe Routes to School Exit
Lists places to obtain funds for safe routes to school programs.
U.S. Department of Transportation: BUILD Grants
Through Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Grants program, the Department of Transportation provides funding for road, rail, transit and port projects across the nation.
Water Quality, Wetlands, and Coasts
EPA: Urban Waters Small Grants
Grants to help protect and restore urban waters, improve water quality, and support community revitalization and other local priorities.
EPA: Water Finance Clearinghouse
Searchable database of financial assistance sources (grants, loans, cost-sharing) to fund watershed protection projects.
EPA: Watershed Funding
Tools, databases, and information about sources of funding to protect watersheds.
EPA: Wetlands Funding
Financial assistance opportunities to help states and tribes protect and manage wetlands.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coastal Management: Funding Opportunities
Funding opportunities from NOAA's Office of Coastal Management.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program
Provides matching grants to states to acquire, restore, manage, or enhance coastal wetlands.