Climate adaptation

The NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP), housed at the Hudson River Foundation, is offering funding to help local governments and nonprofit organizations strengthen community resilience to recurring extreme weather across the Hudson Raritan Estuary watershed. This Request for Proposals supports projects that advance research, planning, and on the ground infrastructure aimed at reducing climate driven risks such as flooding, storm impacts, and related water quality challenges. A total of $350,000 will be distributed across approximately four to six grants for projects that can be completed by June 30, 2027.

Created by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, the Adaptation Workbook provides a structured, five step process designed to help natural resource professionals and landowners translate broad climate trends into specific, actionable management plans. By moving from defining project goals to monitoring long term results, the workbook helps users assess local vulnerabilities and identify custom adaptation tactics. This flexible framework is applicable across diverse landscapes including forests, urban areas, and agricultural lands ensuring that climate data becomes a practical tool for protecting ecosystems rather than just a collection of abstract projections.

This resource page also offers a variety of supporting materials including: the full Forest Adaptation Resources guide, “Quick Guide” versions for rapid assessment, and a library of real-world demonstration projects that showcase successful adaptation in practice.

The “Funding and Financing Coastal Resilience” webinar series from the NOAA Office for Coastal Management offers a comprehensive foundation for understanding how coastal resilience projects are funded and financed. These 30- to 45-minute recorded sessions break down complex approaches into accessible lessons, featuring experts who share real world examples, emerging strategies like environmental impact bonds and tax-increment financing, and ways to overcome common obstacles to funding such work. As a resource, the series is ideal if you’re looking to generate ideas, explore different financing pathways, and build your capacity to access and manage funding for nature-based or infrastructure-driven resilience efforts.

Explore a range of tools and guidance to support climate adaptation planning through EPA New England’s Resilience and Adaptation in New England (RAINE) initiative, which supports users in exploring climate resilience planning across the New England. These resources include more than 1,200 climate adaptation plans. Practitioners can use the Featured Locations Interactive Map to view climate action examples or explore additional climate visualization platforms through the Mapping Climate Change Impacts Tools page. The database also highlights Tribal Climate Adaptation Resources, featuring plans from federally recognized tribes in New England. Users can view recorded webinars and trainings for technical guidance.

Signed into law on November 25, 2024, the bipartisan BEACH Act (BEACH Act; Pub. L. 118-117) reauthorizes the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) and updates maps for 454 coastal units across 13 U.S. states, including Connecticut. The revised Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) maps are now effective and available through the CBRS Mapper

The BEACH Act expands eligibility for federal flood insurance and financial assistance in areas removed from the CBRS, while limiting new federal funding in areas added to the system. It also introduces new requirements for CBRA disclosures during real estate transactions, guidance for emergency coastal projects, and research initiatives on coastal barrier ecosystem dynamics.

Agencies involved:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Geological Survey.

A product of Climate Central’s Sea Level Program, Coastal Risk Finder allows users to get local flood projections, understand who and what is at risk in their communities, and learn about solutions for coastal states, counties, cities, towns, congressional districts, and state legislative districts in the contiguous U.S., with more to come. Users can download data and graphics to further their local adaptation and communication efforts related to coastal flooding. Coastal Risk Finder includes detailed briefs on adaptation efforts in coastal states and territories, providing insights into policies, projects, and key organizations working to mitigate flood risks. By highlighting actionable solutions, we aim to empower communities with the knowledge and tools needed to address coastal flooding challenges.

The accompanying User Guides highlight the most useful features and provide guidance on using the tool for specific applications. A recording of the Launch Webinar featuring expert insights is also available.

The NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) Green Innovation Grant Program (GIGP) supports projects across New York State that utilize unique EPA-designated green stormwater infrastructure design and create cutting-edge green technologies. Competitive grants are awarded to projects that implement one or more of the following green practices: green stormwater infrastructure, energy efficiency, and water efficiency. There is $15 million available this round. Funding is made available through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative is offering no-cost climate change risk assessment technical assistance to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, as well as other water sector stakeholders. Through this technical assistance process, CRWU will assist approximately 75 water sector utilities / communities in identifying long-term climate change adaptation strategies, as well as potential funding options to implement adaptive measures.

In collaboration with CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) requests grant proposals for projects that increase the capacity of vulnerable communities to mitigate, plan for, and respond to climate change impacts. This funding supports the recommendations of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change (GC3).

The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, available through the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and US DOT, makes awards on a competitive basis for projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.

This fact sheet for Conservation Commissions in Connecticut reviews the role of these commissions for enhancing the climate resilience of their communities. The resource was developed by CIRCA and covers the authority and duties of conservation commissions as well as detailing specific strategies and approaches.

The Working Lands Climate Corps will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the country, now and in the future. The Working Lands Climate Corps is part of the American Climate Corps, a workforce training and service initiative that is working to ensure more young people have access to the skills-based training needed for good paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience economy.