Join experts from the Environmental Finance Center Network for our recorded, 12-part webinar series on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). This series was designed to help communities better understand and navigate the CWSRF funding process.
The CWSRF provides financing for a wide range of wastewater and water-quality infrastructure projects. Through practical guidance from EFCN experts, this series walks communities through key aspects of the program and helps them better prepare to pursue CWSRF funding.
CWSRF Webinar Series:
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The first workshop in the series introduces you to the basic concepts of what the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is and how it might be beneficial for your wastewater system. The webinar will familiarize you with the CWSRF, preparing you for the more in-depth workshops that will be offered later in the series. We will discuss what type of financing is available, how the CWSRF works, types of assistance, state contact information, and resources available.
(January 19, 2023)
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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law brought a massive influx of money to the State Revolving Fund programs: $12.7 billion for Clean Water and $35.7 billion for Drinking Water. With this new money also come regulations to support communities who might previously have been unable to secure SRF funds for critical infrastructure improvements and environmental protection. In session 2 of our CWSRF webinar series, we will discuss what these changes mean, particularly for disadvantaged and low-income communities, and what these communities should expect from SRF loans and grants.
(February 16, 2023)
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This webinar will briefly cover how the CWSRF works and why small communities find it one of the most viable sources of available funding. If you want to learn about some of the advantages of using the CWSRF to fund wastewater improvement, this webinar is for you!
(March 16, 2023)
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In this webinar, we describe low-interest loans, their merits, and demonstrate two tools to help evaluate different loan options and their financial impact. We introduce the Subsidized Loan Calculator, which allows you to compare different loan options and their total and annual debt payments now and 30 years down the road. We also demonstrate the Affordability Tool to illustrate how different customers may be impacted by rate increases necessary to pay back the loans. Finally, we discuss a case study to consider when subsidized loans can be a good option for low-income communities.
(April 20, 2023)
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This session overviews Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) project eligibility. We will demystify some of the most common hang-ups around what projects can be funded by the CWSRF. We also dig into Nonpoint Source, Estuary, and other lesser-known project categories and look broadly at the legislation governing these eligibilities. We intend for participants to walk away from this workshop with a clearer understanding of what projects can be funded through the CWSRF and why.
(May 18, 2023)
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This session will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate your organization’s financial health and readiness when applying for funding through the State Revolving Fund (SRF). In this webinar, we guide you through the essential components of assessing your financial condition and help you better understand the key factors that SRF administrators consider during the application process.
(June 15, 2023)
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This session will give you an overview of how to apply for Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) funding. We will discuss what goes into an application and ways you can make your application more competitive. We will also dig into other policies, documentation, and eligibilities surrounding the application process that you should be familiar with, including Intended Use Plan, Priority Ranking, Loans and Rates, and Additional Subsidies.
(July 20, 2023)
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When applying for CWSRF funding specific documentation is needed. In this webinar we discuss the most commonly required documents, the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and the Environmental Information Document (EID). We also briefly discuss other types of documents that some states may require. This recording will include how to get started with PER development, potential funding sources for the development of a PER, and details on the EID.
(August 17, 2023)
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Understanding what happens “behind the curtain” after states receive your Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) application is key to making sure your application is successful, and in knowing what to expect when you apply for funding. In this workshop, we dive into: SRF Project Priority Lists and how to get on them, Project Ranking Criteria and how they vary state by state, and other topics on how states decide how to prioritize and award funding. We also explore options for creatively incorporating green and natural infrastructure strategies into projects to take advantage of the flexibility of CWSRF funding.
(September 21, 2023)
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Understanding how to manage debt service payments is critical to the successful management of loan funding. How might your debt service payments be structured? And how much might they be? How do you decide if you need to raise rates? If you need to raise rates, how can you effectively communicate the need for that increase? In this webinar, UNC EFC Project Director Hope Thomson presents strategies and tools for healthy debt management, including an overview of debt service coverage ratio, an introduction to debt service covenants, and overviews of UNC EFC’s Rates Analysis and Affordability Tools.
(October 19, 2023)
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The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds, collectively known as the SRFs, are federal funding programs with strong histories of providing highly subsidized loan funds for a variety of water, wastewater, stormwater, and natural infrastructure needs. However, being federal funds, they come with myriad requirements meant to ensure public dollars are spent responsibly. This session provides an overview of the technical loan requirements that must be followed to secure this highly attractive and competitive federal funding.
(November 16, 2023)
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Once you have been awarded funding, you will need to manage your award. During this webinar we’ll walk through managing your project. Topics covered in this session include Project Planning, Working with Engineers and Other Professionals, Setting Project Milestones, and A Little Bit of Finance.
(December 19, 2023)
Please Note: For the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, each state has distinct implementation procedures and funding requirements. To obtain comprehensive details, we recommend checking your state’s website and reaching out to your state contact. Check out EFCN’s Funding Tables resource for a compiled list of your state/territory’s funding sources and contacts.
Need Additional Assistance?
The Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN) provides no-cost technical assistance to help communities address their wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs. EFCN experts can assist with identifying and navigating funding and financing opportunities, financial planning, infrastructure planning, asset management, and other technical, financial, and managerial challenges.
Whether you’re preparing to pursue CWSRF funding or simply trying to determine the best path forward for your community, EFCN is here to help.