Resources for

nature based solutions

$75K-$115K

Climate Smart Communities Initiative

The Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) provides funding, expertise, training, and other resources to help communities advance climate resilience plans and projects, with a focus on frontline and climate-vulnerable communities. Funding supports activities such as risk and vulnerability assessments, community engagement, project prioritization, and early implementation actions.

Applicants must apply as a partnership that includes a community-based organization, a local, regional, or Tribal government entity, and an adaptation practitioner. Communities without an established practitioner may access the Registry of Adaptation Practitioners to identify partners.

An informational webinar will be held on November 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM ET. Program details are available at climatesmartcommunity.org

New York State
Connecticut State
Flooding
Nature-based Solutions
Sea Level Rise
Planning
Extreme Weather & Storms
Community Engagement
Green Infrastructure

Training

Dodge Paddock & Beal Preserve Marsh Restoration Field Trip and Workshop

On October 16, 2025, the Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) team of the Long Island Sound Partnership hosted a field trip featuring the Dodge Paddock and Beal Preserve Marsh Restoration Project in Stonington Borough. The day started with a presentation outlining the history and current state of the site, followed by a walk to Dodge Paddock and Beal Preserve where there was a guided tour led by Connecticut Sea Grant, Avalonia Land Conservancy, and local volunteers. The day included a deep dive into the invasive species removal process, plantings to accommodate marsh migration, and a close up look at what has grown since then. Special thanks to our partners with Avalonia Land Conservancy, Connecticut Sea Grant, and the Stonington Community.

A group of people standing near a rock wall and rocky shoreline with grass and shrubs in the background. The sky is clear and blue and the water is calm.

Connecticut State
Habitat
Land Use
Nature-based Solutions
Sea Level Rise
Recreation & Access
Extreme Weather & Storms
Wetlands
Connecticut Sea Grant logo Logo with an angled line that is green fading to blue with the work "AVALONIA" underneath.

Events

Living Shoreline Learning Session

Northeast Regional Ocean Council, The Nature Conservancy, and Consensus Building Institute invite you to join us for a lunch-and-learn Living Shorelines Webinar. We look forward to sharing key insights from our recent living shorelines training workshops in Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts, where we explored how site suitability, design, regulatory considerations, community outreach, and adaptation all contribute to the success of living shorelines in New England. This webinar is geared towards planners, engineers, consultants, and coastal practitioners.

Connecticut State
Habitat
Nature-based Solutions
Infrastructure
Green Infrastructure

Funding

: Nov 19 – Mar 21, 2025

Climate Smart Communities Initiative

The Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) provides funding, expertise, training, and other resources to help communities advance their climate resilience plans and projects while also developing the strategies and capacities that communities nationwide will need as climate impacts intensify.

New York State
Connecticut State
Flooding
Nature-based Solutions
Sea Level Rise
Planning
Extreme Weather & Storms
Community Engagement
Green Infrastructure

Report

Level of Effort:

The Fifth National Climate Assessment

The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. It is a congressionally mandated interagency effort that provides the scientific foundation to support informed decision-making across the United States.

New York State
Connecticut State
Flooding
Nature-based Solutions
Environmental Health Hazards
Sea Level Rise
Economic Impacts
Infrastructure
Extreme Weather & Storms

typically $150,000-350,000

DEEP Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grants

Grants are awarded for projects that address Nonpoint Source impacts in surface waters including creation and implementation of approved Watershed Based Plans.

Connecticut State
Erosion
Flooding
Habitat
Land Use
Nature-based Solutions
Environmental Health Hazards
Sea Level Rise
Stormwater Management
Water Quality
Infrastructure
Planning
Extreme Weather & Storms
Wetlands
Waste Management
Green Infrastructure

Resilience Steps

Connect

LISP
EPA Sea Grant New York Sea Grant Connecticut