Welcome to 2016! It is hard to believe that the New Year is upon us. A new calendar year is often accompanied by vows for change. People make resolutions to lose weight, quit smoking or to exercise more. You can also make and keep a different kind of resolution with the right tools: Resolve to spend less time worrying about how you are going to pay for your next project.
Whether you have a major infrastructure upgrade that you cannot afford, or a series of emergencies that have depleted your reserves, be assured that you can get it done without raising taxes or rates.
Whether you are a municipality, utility, conservation district or a non-profit organization responsible for water resources, you are one of many industry players struggling to do more with less. Thankfully, that fact has not escaped the notice of a wide array of funders.
You know the work needs to get done, and you also know that you are going to need more funding to make it all happen. Government sources may come first to mind. At SplashLink.com, we track a myriad of funding opportunities from the federal government, regional entities, and all 50 states. But have you considered pursuing capital from the plethora of atypical funders that are also rallying to the water cause? Let me give you a couple of examples from current listings on SplashLink.com:
Financing #2788 is from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. With this funding opportunity, the Mott Foundation “is looking to secure sustainable levels of clean water for people and the environment.” Though the language is fairly broad, this can enable organizations to customize their proposals based on their own needs, as previous grantees have done, including for river restoration, stormwater remediation, or even water management policy reform.
Financing #2642 is from a commercial bank. Key Bank’s Key Equipment Finance Group created a division specifically focused on the water industry. This funding opportunity can help organizations pay for equipment leasing, installation and maintenance, infrastructure engineering and design, or a host of other needs.
The money is out there if you know where to look. Private charitable foundations and commercial banks are just two potential funding sources you can turn to when you need capital to get your projects underway. There are many more, from grants, to loans, and financial assistance to co-ops, cost shares and more; and if you would like details for either of the funding opportunities I mention above, email me and I will send them your way.
Happy New Year and take heart! 2016 can be your year to stop worrying and get more done.
Jason Wuliger is co-founder and vice president of SplashLink.com. Wuliger can be reached at [email protected] or 440.497.0047.
