What We Learned From YouFeedback from Survey and Interviews

Erik Porse, EFC at Sacramento StateDavid Smith, U.S. EPA

Thank You For Your Excellent Feedback!

Who Are You?Based on 54 Survey Responses, 10 interviews

35%

59%

63%

56% 56%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

All of the above Drinking water Wastewater Watershedplanning

Stormwater

Broad Representation Here Today

• All islands represented• Wastewater, Drinking Water, Stormwater Program municipal managers• Watershed Management and Restoration advocates• Looking for funding for YOUR projects• Local NGOs• Private entities and consultants• Many state/federal agencies that provide funding

How Do You Fund Capital Projects Now?

20%

59% 61%

46%

61%

20%

26%

41%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

SW = Stormwater, DW = Drinking Water, WW = Wastewater

How Do You Fund Program O&M Now?

22%

61%56%

44%41%

22%

31%

41%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

SW = Stormwater, DW = Drinking Water, WW = Wastewater

Messages on Current Funding

• Heavy reliance on general funds and grants, loans for capital• These sources are vulnerable and limited

• But, having multiple sources of funding can increase resilience and ability to respond to changes.

• Always useful to have some funding that is flexible

• Funding vs Finance

Anticipated Future Funding For Capital Projects?

37%

63%

78%

61%

69%

37%44%

54%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

SW = Stormwater, DW = Drinking Water, WW = Wastewater

Future Funding For Program Management?

33%

57%

70%

57%

50%

33%

43%

56%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

All of theabove

General fund Grants Intra-agencycollaboration

Loans SW, DW, orWW fee

Other localfee

Regionalpartnerships

SW = Stormwater, DW = Drinking Water, WW = Wastewater

Messages of Future Funding

• Heavy reliance on grants and loans, which are very competitive

• Differences in capital vs operations costs and funding methods

• Regional partnerships/interagency collaboration- what do you mean?

Key Impediments to Obtaining Funding?

30%

74% 72%

39%

61%

80%

54%

43%

33%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

What Help/Support Are You Seeking?

33%

80%

61%59%

57%

69%74%

50%48%

37%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

All of theabove

Betterinformation on

fundingoptions

Educatepublic/officials

Help apply forgrants/loans |

Increasegrant/loan

opportunities

Help planprojects

Increasegrant/loan

opportunities

Helpstreamlinegrant/loan

management

Estimatingproject costs

Estimatingprogram costs

Other

Takeaways

• Constraints: - Competing priorities, limited staffing/capacity- Burdensome grant/loan processes- No single solution to funding

• Help wanted: - Info on $ sources- More grant/loan opportunities- Streamline grant/loan management - Help educating/motivating public and local officials