Incentives
Green infrastructure practices, like any other approach in land development, will only be used if it makes financial sense to homeowners, business owners and developers. In addition to encouraging and/or requiring such practices via zoning bylaws and subdivision regulations, municipalities can also promote these practices through the uses of incentives.
Here’s some useful links to explore how some municipalities provide financial incentives to promote Green Infrastructure:
- Green Infrastructure Municipal Handbook: Incentive Mechanisms ( Environmental Protection Agency)
- Encouraging Efficient Green Infrastructure Investment (National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council and the US Forest Service)
- List of Green Infrastructure Incentive Programs (Compiled by Vermont ANR)
- Catalog of Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Finance Publications (University of North Carolina, School of Government, Environmental Finance Center)
Grant Programs
In addition to providing their own grants to incentivize such practices, municipalities can point people in the right direction to access grant funds. Typically, these grants are targeted to support the efforts of non-profit organizations and schools. Check out the links below to explore possible resources:
- Let It Rain Stormwater Program
- Lake Champlain Basin Program
- Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Grant Opportunities (DEC-Division of Environmental Conservation)
- Federal Funding Sources (Compiled by the U.S. EPA)