BUILDING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
WITH NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
A GUIDE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
JUNE 2021
Natural hazards pose a serious risk to states, localities, tribes and territories throughout the United States. These hazards
include ooding, drought, hurricanes, landslides, wildres and more. Because of climate change, many natural hazards are
expected to become more frequent and more severe. Reducing the impacts these hazards have on lives, properties and
the economy is a top priority for many communities.
Nature-based solutions are sustainable planning, design, environmental management, and engineering practices that weave
natural features or processes into the built environment to promote adaptation and resilience. Such solutions enlist natural
features and processes in efforts to combat climate change, reduce ood risks, improve water quality, protect coastal
property, restore and protect wetlands, stabilize shorelines, reduce urban heat, add recreational space, and more.
Nature-based solutions offer signicant benets, monetary and otherwise, often at a lower cost than more traditional
infrastructure. These benets include economic growth, green jobs, increased property values, and improvements to public
health, including better disease outcomes and reduced injuries and loss of life.
The implementation strategies for nature-based solutions are diverse;
one size does not t all. Choosing a solution depends on a number of
factors, including the level of natural hazard risk reduction, land use
planning, economics and more. The following are examples of nature-
based solutions:
• In Tucson, Arizona, almost 45% of the city’s water is used for
outdoor (non-potable) purposes. The city of Tucson’s Commercial
Rainwater Harvesting Ordinance aims to reduce this demand. It
requires commercial property developers to harvest rainwater for
at least 50% of their landscaping needs.
• The GreenSeams program in greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin, permanently keeps oodprone lands in high-growth areas
from being developed. Since 2001, the program has preserved more than 3,000 acres of land that can store 1.3 billion
gallons of water.
• Los Angeles, California, saw an increase of more than 2,000 jobs from its $166 million investment in nature-based
solutions from 2012 to 2014. Many of these jobs are local, providing an extra boost to the local economy.
• The Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs serve 2.5 million people in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Water Resources
Authority has spent $130 million over the past 20 years on nature-based solutions. These solutions protect
22,000 acres of the watershed that drains into nearby reservoirs. A water ltration plant would have cost $250 million
to build and $4 million annually to operate and maintain.
The primary goal of this guide is to help communities identify and engage the staff and resources that can be used to
implement nature-based solutions to build resilience to natural hazards, which may be exacerbated by climate change.
At the Department, we must — and
we will — do more to address the
climate crisis. DHS will implement a
new approach to climate change
adaptation and resilience, and we will
do so with the sense of urgency this
problem demands.
– Secretary of Homeland Security
Alejandro N. Mayorkas
LEVERAGING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
IN AN ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
Goal of the Guide ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Structure of the Guide .......................................................................................................................................... 3
WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS? .................................................................................................................... 4
Types of Nature-Based Solutions .......................................................................................................................... 5
Watershed or Landscape Scale ............................................................................................................................. 6
Neighborhood or Site Scale .................................................................................................................................. 7
Coastal Areas ....................................................................................................................................................... 8
THE BUSINESS CASE .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Hazard Mitigation Benefits .................................................................................................................................... 9
Community Co-Benefits .......................................................................................................................................11
Community Cost Savings .................................................................................................................................... 13
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE .................................................................................................................. 14
Land Use Planning ...............................................................................................................................................14
Hazard Mitigation Planning ................................................................................................................................. 15
Stormwater Management .....................................................................................................................................16
Transportation Planning .......................................................................................................................................17
Open Space Planning.......................................................................................................................................... 18
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE ......................................................................................................................................... 19
Boosting Public Investment ................................................................................................................................. 19
Incentivizing Private Investment .......................................................................................................................... 22
FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ........................................................................................................................ 25
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES ............................................................................................................ 28
RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................................................. 29
FEMA would like to express appreciation to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) nature-based solutions
and coastal community resilience subject matter experts who provided their valuable and constructive suggestions during the
development of this resource. Their willingness to devote their time and expertise so generously to enhance the impact of this
resource for communities is greatly appreciated.
COVER PHOTO: Buffalo Bayou Park in Houston, TX. The park serves as both critical flood infrastructure and an important recreational and cultural
asset for the downtown area. The popular park stretches 2.3 miles along the floodprone Buffalo Bayou and includes trails, public art installations,
gardens, two festival lawns, a skate park, and a restaurant. In the park’s first year, a survey counted nearly 150,000 trail users in a single month.
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Hatteras, NC. The Durant’s Point living shoreline project protects the shoreline from storm surge while providing habitat for many species. Since its
construction, the project has weathered hurricanes, a summer of drought, and tropical storms. Photo: N.C. Coastal Federation
Nature-based solutions weave natural features and
processes into a community’s landscape through planning,
design, and engineering practices. They can promote
resilience and adaptation while being integrated into a
community's built environment (for example, a stormwater
park) or its natural areas (for example, land conservation).
While nature-based solutions have many hazard mitigation
benets, they can also help a community meet its climate,
social, environmental, and economic goals. Communities
across the country are nding nature-based solutions to be
a highly effective way to provide public services that were
traditionally met with structural or “gray” infrastructure.
Local ofcials and their partners are using nature-based
solutions to improve water quality in Lenexa, Kansas; to
reduce ood risks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; to limit erosion
in coastal North Carolina; and to provide neighborhood
amenities in Houston, Texas.
FEMA and its federal partners produced the
National Mitigation Investment Strategy to increase
our nation’s resilience to natural hazards. Its
purpose is to coordinate the use of federal, state,
local, and private resources to help communities
survive and thrive in the face of natural disasters.
This Guide builds on the three key goals of the
Investment Strategy.
1. To motivate communities to invest in mitigation (for
example, by showing how to measure its value);
2. To shrink barriers to investing in mitigation (for
example, by improving access to risk information
and funding); and
3. To make investing in mitigation standard practice
(for example, by considering mitigation in all
investment decisions for public infrastructure).
Flooding, high wind, drought, landslides, and other natural hazards pose major threats to communities
across the United States. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more costly as a result
of climate change. Reducing the threats these disasters pose to lives, properties, and the economy
is a top priority for many communities. The National Mitigation Investment Strategy identies nature-
based solutions as a cost-effective approach to keep natural hazards from becoming costly disasters.
The promise of nature-based solutions comes from the many benets they offer and the many partners
they can draw to the table.
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INTRODUCTION
GOAL OF THE GUIDE
The key goal of this guide is to help communities identify and engage the staff and resources that can be used to
implement nature-based solutions to build resilience to natural hazards, which may be exacerbated by climate change.
Planning and building cost-effective nature-based solutions will require collaboration. Many departments may need to be
involved in planning and carrying out the strategies in this guide. Consider including the following local government partners:
In addition, non-governmental community partners like civic associations, watershed groups, and non-prot organizations
should be involved in the planning process. They may have the capacity to customize and implement nature-based solutions.
The focus of this guide is local communities, but many of the ideas and advice may also apply to state, territorial, and
tribal governments.
STRUCTURE OF THE GUIDE
Some local communities may use this guide to learn about nature-based solutions and weigh their value for the community.
Others may be ready to move from planning to action. The guide includes six sections, and users can jump in at any point,
depending on their current knowledge base and interests. The six sections are described below.
WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
Describes three broad categories of nature-based solutions.
Identies types of nature-based solutions in each category.
THE BUSINESS CASE
Outlines the many hazards that can be mitigated with nature-based solutions.
Discusses the multiple benets of nature-based solutions, in addition to hazard mitigation.
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
Identies planning processes and programs that can help users invest in nature-based solutions.
Discusses how plans and policies can be updated to allow and encourage nature-based solutions.
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Reviews how local resources can be mobilized to preserve, restore, and build nature-based solutions.
Discusses innovative ways of promoting private investment.
FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Outlines federal funding sources for nature-based solutions.
Emphasizes FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs.
KEY TAKEAWAYS AND RESOURCES
Summarizes key points for communities.
Provides additional resources.
• Parks and Recreation
• Public Works
• Planning and Economic Development
• Environmental Protection
• Utilities
• Transportation
• Floodplain Administration
• Emergency Management
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WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development
Some organizations use the term green infrastructure
to capture the value and functions of natural lands. For
example, the Conservation Fund denes green infrastructure
as “a strategically planned and managed network of natural
lands, working landscapes, and other open spaces that
conserves ecosystem value and functions and provides
associated benets to human populations.”
Other organizations use the term green infrastructure for
nature-based solutions to urban stormwater pollution. These
organizations emphasize solutions that protect water quality
and aquatic habitat. The other outcomes, such as mitigating
natural hazards, are seen as co-benets. Low impact
development is another term that is often used to describe
nature-based solutions for urban stormwater. In the eld of
stormwater management, “green infrastructure” and “low
impact development” are sometimes used interchangeably.
Natural Infrastructure
The term “natural infrastructure” is often used to describe
natural or naturalized landscapes that are actively
managed to provide multiple benets to communities.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development,
a think tank, notes that active management is what sets
natural infrastructure apart from nature. For example,
a managed wetland is a type of natural infrastructure.
Manipulating water levels and cleaning out plant growth
can enhance a managed wetland’s water quality, habitat,
and ood storage benets.
Engineering with Nature
Organizations that design and operate water infrastructure
projects may also refer to Engineering with Nature®, a
term that comes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’
(USACE) Engineering with Nature Initiative. This term
refers to water resources projects that use collaborative
approaches to project design and operation to create
multi-functional infrastructure. Engineering with Nature®
can result in projects that deliver a broader range of
economic, ecosystem services, and social benets.
Bioengineering
Bioengineering is a term that is used to describe projects
that mimic natural processes in order to reduce hazards.
An example of bioengineering would be using a combination
of natural and manmade materials to stabilize a slope,
giving vegetation a chance to become established to
reduce future erosion.
Tying It All Together
The common thread among these terms is that
nature-based solutions often provide more value than
single-purpose gray infrastructure. Gray infrastructure
refers to public works structures that are engineered to
provide a specic level of service under specic scenarios.
In the context of drinking water and wastewater, gray
infrastructure includes water and wastewater treatment
plants, pipes, catch basins, and stormwater basins. In
the context of coastal communities, gray infrastructure
This guide defines nature-based solutions as sustainable planning, design, environmental management,
and engineering practices that weave natural features or processes into the built environment to build more
resilient communities. While this guide uses the term nature-based solutions, other organizations use related
terms, such as green infrastructure, natural infrastructure, or Engineering with Nature®, a program of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. As a best practice, use the term that best resonates with your target audience.
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WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
CATEGORIES OF NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
This guide categorizes nature-based solutions practices based on scale and location:
• WATERSHED OR LANDSCAPE SCALE: Interconnected systems of natural areas and open space. These are
large-scale practices that require long-term planning and coordination.
• NEIGHBORHOOD OR SITE SCALE: Distributed stormwater management practices that manage rainwater
where it falls. These practices can often be built into a site, corridor, or neighborhood without requiring
additional space.
• COASTAL AREAS: Nature-based solutions that stabilize the shoreline, reducing erosion and buffering the
coast from storm impacts. While many watershed and neighborhood-scale solutions work in coastal areas,
these systems are designed to support coastal resilience.
The illustrations on the following pages are examples of nature-based solutions and do not cover all options.
Rain Garden — City Hall in Bay Village, OH
includes sea walls, groins, and breakwaters. While gray
infrastructure provides only the service for which it
was designed, nature-based solutions yield additional
community and ecosystem services benets.
Ecosystem services is a term used to describe
all of the benets that we get from the environment
— everything from air, food, and water to the
enjoyment of nature and natural resources.
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WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
WATERSHED SCALE
LAND CONSERVATION
Land conservation is one way
of preserving interconnected
systems of open space that
sustain healthy communities.
Land conservation projects begin
by prioritizing areas of land for
acquisition. Land or conservation
easements can be bought or
acquired through donation.
GREENWAYS
Greenways are corridors of protected
open space managed for both
conservation and recreation.
Greenways often follow rivers or other
natural features. They link habitats
and provide networks of open space
for people to explore and enjoy.
FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION
Undisturbed oodplains help
keep waterways healthy by
storing oodwaters, reducing
erosion, ltering water pollution,
and providing habitat.
Floodplain restoration rebuilds
some of these natural functions
by reconnecting the oodplain
to its waterway.
WETLAND RESTORATION
AND PROTECTION
Restoring and protecting wetlands
can improve water quality and
reduce ooding. Healthy wetlands
lter, absorb, and slow runoff.
Wetlands also sustain healthy
ecosystems by recharging
groundwater and providing
habitat for sh and wildlife.
STORMWATER PARKS
Stormwater parks are recreational
spaces that are designed to ood
during extreme events and to
withstand ooding.
By storing and treating oodwaters,
stormwater parks can reduce ooding
elsewhere and improve water quality.
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WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
NEIGHBORHOOD OR SITE SCALE
RAINWATER HARVESTING
Rainwater harvesting systems
collect and store rainfall for later
use. They slow runoff and can reduce
the demand for potable water.
Rainwater systems include rain
barrels that store tens of gallons
and rainwater cisterns that store
hundreds or thousands of gallons.
GREEN ROOFS
A green roof is tted with a planting
medium and vegetation. A green roof
reduces runoff by soaking up rainfall.
It can also reduce energy costs for
cooling the building.
Extensive green roofs, which have
deeper soil, are more common on
commercial buildings. Intensive green
roofs, which have shallower soil, are
more common on residential buildings.
TREE TRENCHES
A stormwater tree trench is a row
of trees planted in an underground
inltration structure made to store
and lter stormwater.
Tree trenches can be added to
streets and parking lots with limited
space to manage stormwater.
GREEN STREETS
Green streets use a suite of green
infrastructure practices to manage stormwater
runoff and improve water quality.
Adding green infrastructure features to
a street corridor can also contribute to
a safer and more attractive environment
for walking and biking.
TREE CANOPY
Tree canopy can reduce stormwater
runoff by catching rainfall on
branches and leaves and increasing
evapotranspiration. By keeping
neighborhoods cooler in the summer,
tree canopy can also reduce the
“urban heat island effect.”
Because of trees’ many benets, many
cities have set urban tree canopy goals.
PERMEABLE PAVEMENT
Permeable pavements allow more
rainfall to soak into the ground.
Common types include pervious
concrete, porous asphalt, and
interlocking pavers.
Permeable pavements are most
commonly used for parking lots
and roadway shoulders.
RAIN GARDENS
A rain garden is a shallow, vegetated
basin that collects and absorbs
runoff from rooftops, sidewalks,
and streets.
Rain gardens can be added around
homes and businesses to reduce
and treat stormwater runoff.
VEGETATED SWALES
A vegetated swale is a channel
holding plants or mulch that treats
and absorbs stormwater as it ows
down a slope.
Vegetated swales can be placed along
streets and in parking lots to soak up and
treat their runoff, improving water quality.
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WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
DUNES
Dunes are coastal features made
of blown sand. Healthy dunes
often have dune grasses or other
vegetation to keep their shape.
Dunes can serve as a barrier
between the water’s edge and
inland areas, buffering waves
as a rst line of defense.
WATERFRONT PARKS
Waterfront parks in coastal areas
can be intentionally designed
to ood during extreme events,
reducing ooding elsewhere.
Waterfront parks can also absorb
the impact from tidal or storm
ooding and improve water quality.
LIVING SHORELINES
Living shorelines stabilize a shore
by combining living components,
such as plants, with structural
elements, such as rock or sand.
Living shorelines can slow
waves, reduce erosion, and
protect coastal property.
COASTAL AREAS
COASTAL WETLANDS
Coastal wetlands are found
along ocean, estuary, or
freshwater coastlines.
They are often referred to as
“sponges” because of their ability
to absorb wave energy during
storms or normal tide cycles.
OYSTER REEFS
Oysters are often referred to as
“ecosystem engineers” because
of their tendency to attach to hard
surfaces and create large reefs made
of thousands of individuals.
In addition to offering shelter and
food to coastal species, oyster reefs
buffer coasts from waves and lter
surrounding waters.
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THE BUSINESS CASE
THE BUSINESS CASE
HAZARD MITIGATION BENEFITS
Nature-based solutions can help reduce the loss of life
and property resulting from some of our nation’s most
common natural hazards. These include ooding, storm
surge, drought, and landslides. As future conditions, like
climate change, amplify these hazards, nature-based
solutions can help communities adapt and thrive.
Riverine Flooding
Communities can mitigate riverine ooding by investing in
watershed-scale practices. Land conservation, oodplain
restoration, and waterfront parks can keep development
out of harm’s way. They also store and slow oodwaters.
Urban Drainage Flooding
When the amount of stormwater owing into a community’s
storm sewer system exceeds the system’s capacity, water
can back up and ood streets, basements, and homes. This
type of ooding is most common where new development
and changing rainfall patterns produce more runoff than
the system was designed to handle. While urban drainage
ooding is often less damaging than riverine ooding,
it also tends to be more frequent. Over time, repeated
minor oods can cost a community more than the extreme
oods. They can also decrease real estate values and drive
businesses away. Communities can mitigate this type of
ooding by encouraging or requiring neighborhood- and
site-scale nature-based solutions like bioretention systems.
Bioretention systems include practices such as rain
gardens, rainwater harvesting, green roofs, and more. These
practices soak up runoff from hard surfaces and reduce the
amount of stormwater owing into the storm sewer system.
The GreenSeams program in greater Milwaukee,
Wisconsin permanently keeps oodprone lands
in high-growth areas from being developed. Since
2001, the GreenSeams program has preserved
more than 3,000 acres of land that can store
1.3 billion gallons of water.
In Huntington, West Virginia, many neighborhoods
experience ooding after heavy rainfalls. The
city’s comprehensive plan recommends using
nature-based solutions that manage stormwater
onsite to reduce the burden to the storm sewer
system and reduce ooding.
In response to natural hazards and to proactively address climate related risks, many communities
are looking for ways to build resilience that yield the most benet for the least cost. This section builds
the business case for nature-based solutions by summarizing their potential cost savings and their
non-monetary benets. Thoughtfully planned nature-based solutions can contribute to a community’s
triple bottom line, providing social, environmental, and nancial value.
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THE BUSINESS CASE
Coastal Flooding and Storm Surge
Coastal ooding can be caused by unusually high tides,
strong winds, or storm surge. As future conditions lead to
more intense storms and rising sea levels, coastal ooding
is becoming more frequent and storm surges are becoming
more severe. Communities can mitigate coastal ooding
by investing in nature-based shoreline stabilization. Living
shorelines, reefs, and dunes can slow waves, reduce
wave height, and reduce erosion. At the same time, these
practices benet the ecosystem by ltering and cleaning
water and providing habitat.
Drought
Droughts are also expected to be amplied by future
conditions. As precipitation patterns become more
unpredictable, communities can increase their resilience.
Two options are conservation and rainwater harvesting.
Conservation is a watershed-scale approach. It preserves
or restores rainwater inltration to increase groundwater.
At the site scale, rainwater harvesting can help. It offsets
some of the demand for non-potable water. This demand
can be further reduced by xeriscaping, or drought-tolerant
landscaping.
Landslides
Landslide hazards tend to be highest in steeply sloped
areas. They are particularly high when soils are saturated
and vegetation has decreased, or as a result of res
and droughts. At the watershed scale, communities can
reduce landslide threats through conservation aimed at
steeply sloped land. At the neighborhood and site scale,
communities can invest in green stormwater infrastructure
and bioretention systems. This includes trees, rain gardens,
bioswales, inltration basins, and pervious pavement. These
stabilize slopes by keeping them drier and adding vegetation
and root structures.
In Tucson, Arizona, almost 45 percent of the city’s
water is used for outdoor (non-potable) purposes.
The City of Tucson’s Commercial Rainwater
Harvesting Ordinance aims to reduce this demand.
It requires commercial property developers to
harvest rainwater for at least 50 percent of their
landscaping needs.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
lists stabilizing slopes using native vegetation and
drainage improvements as one way to mitigate
landslide hazards.
According to a 2014 journal article in Ocean &
Coastal Management, North Carolina properties
with natural shoreline protection measures
withstood wind and storm surge during Hurricane
Irene (2011) better than properties with seawalls
or bulkheads. The storm damaged 76 percent of
bulkheads surveyed, while there was no detected
damage to other shoreline types.
Mud slide with rock, boulders, and debris
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THE BUSINESS CASE
COMMUNITY CO-BENEFITS
The biggest selling points for nature-based solutions are
their many benets beyond mitigating the effects of natural
hazards. Nature-based solutions can provide short- and
long-term environmental, economic, and social advantages
that improve a community’s quality of life and make it more
attractive to new residents and businesses. Unlike gray
infrastructure, a single nature-based project can yield a
variety of community benets that fulll many departments’
goals. Local leaders can highlight these co-benets to
encourage collaboration and make nature-based solutions
standard practice. The bottom line is that collaboration on
nature-based solutions can help communities survive in the
long-term and thrive day-to-day.
Ecosystem Services
• Improved water quality: Nature-based solutions can be
used to lter pollutants from stormwater runoff and to
reduce the volume of polluted water owing into rivers,
lakes, and coastal waters. In older cities with combined
sewer systems, they can also reduce the untreated
sewage going into community waterways. Combined
sewer systems send all stormwater and sewage to a
wastewater treatment plant before releasing the treated
wastewater into waterways. When it rains, these systems
sometimes carry more water than the treatment plant can
handle. As a result, some of the mixed stormwater and
sewage will be released untreated into waterways. These
events are called combined sewer overows (CSOs).
By lowering the volume of rainwater owing into a
combined sewer system, Nature-based solutions can
reduce CSOs and improve water quality.
•
Cleaner water supplies: Nature-based solutions that
protect the land around drinking water reservoirs can
keep polluted runoff away from a community’s water
supply. New York City has high-quality tap water because
the city invested in nature-based solutions around its
19 reservoirs. The city’s $600 million investment to
conserve and restore the land keeps the water draining
into the reservoirs clean. It provided the same level of
service as the $6 billion water ltration plant that the city
would have needed otherwise.
•
Improved air quality: Trees, parks, and other plant-based,
nature-based solutions can absorb and lter pollutants
and reduce air temperatures. Doing so reduces smog and
improves air quality.
•
Healthier wildlife habitats: Watershed and shoreline
nature-based solutions preserve open space and
natural environments. If thoughtfully designed, they
can also connect habitats to give plants and animals
more space to move across the landscape. Both types
of nature-based solutions protect aquatic and wildlife
habitats by improving water quality.
Economic Benefits
• Increased property values: If a property is near a park
or has more landscaping, it generally has a higher value.
A study of 193 public parks in Portland, Oregon found
that parks had a signicant, positive impact on nearby
property values. A park within 1,500 feet of a home
increased its sale price by $1,290 to $3,455 (adjusted
to 2020 dollars). As parks increased in size, their impact
on property value grew.
• Improved property tax base: Nature-based solutions
can improve the tax base in both high-growth and
low-growth communities. In high-growth areas,
nature-based features translate into a higher property
tax base. In low-growth communities, nature-based
solutions can stabilize property values in areas with
high vacancies.
The City of Lenexa, Kansas focuses on
nature-based solutions to prevent stormwater
pollution and reduce stormwater runoff.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, vacant lots were
found to deate neighborhood property values
by as much as 20 percent. The Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society initiated a program to green
and maintain vacant lots. This program now
maintains about 7,000 parcels totaling 8 million
square feet. A 2012 study of the program found
that homes within a quarter mile of a greened lot
increased in value by 2 to 5 percent annually –
generating $100 million in additional annual
property taxes.
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THE BUSINESS CASE
• Green jobs: Green stormwater infrastructure creates
new job opportunities in sectors like landscape
design, paving, and construction. It also opens new
job opportunities in emerging industries.
•
Improved triple bottom line: The triple bottom line is
an accounting framework that measures the value of
social and environmental benets, as well as nancial
benets. Nature-based solutions often provide more
triple bottom line benets than traditional, gray
infrastructure. As a result, they increase a community's
return on investment, an especially important factor
when considering climate change.
Social Benefits
• Cooler localized temperatures: Built-up areas tend to be
hotter than nearby rural areas, particularly on summer
nights. The “urban heat island effect” can lead to higher
rates of heat-related illness. Adding trees and vegetation
can help reduce these effects on hot days by providing
shade and cooling through evapotranspiration.
•
Improved public health: Many of the environmental and
social benets of nature-based solutions also benet
public health, including mental health. Improved air and
water quality reduce exposure to harmful pollutants.
Cooler summer temperatures reduce the risk of
heat-related illness. Additional recreation spaces increase
opportunities for physical activity and social engagement.
•
Added recreational space: Nature-based solutions
that preserve and enhance open space provide more
areas for recreation. In addition, nature-based solutions
such as greenways and green streets can increase
opportunities for active transportation, such as biking
and walking. These spaces can also provide aesthetic
benets that contribute to improved mental health and
physical well-being.
Los Angeles, California saw an increase of more
than 2,000 jobs from its $166 million investment
in nature-based solutions from 2012-2014. The
best part about this job growth is that many of
these jobs are local, providing an extra boost to
the local economy.
Hunter’s Point South Park in Queens, New York
City gives residents a new space to play and relax
outdoors, while also mitigating ood risk along
the East River. Nature-based features include
bioswales and street-side stormwater planters
to slowly absorb and release stormwater, and
1.5 acres of new wetlands to shield upland areas
from storm surge.
Hunter's Point South Park, a part of Gantry Plaza State Park, NY
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THE BUSINESS CASE
COMMUNITY COST SAVINGS
The nal piece of the business case for nature-based solutions
is the potential for cost savings. Savings may come when
nature-based solutions cost less than alternative investments,
avoid the need for certain infrastructure altogether, reduce
the cost of rebuilding and repairs after a disaster, and help
mitigate the impacts of future conditions like climate change.
It is important to emphasize that it is often, but not always,
possible to identify nature-based approaches that are
cheaper than gray infrastructure alternatives.
Avoided Flood Losses
Nature-based solutions can also help communities save
money by reducing losses from future oods and other
natural disasters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) studied this issue in a landmark 2015 study. The study
estimated the ood losses that would be avoided nationwide
by adding requirements to manage stormwater onsite. It
found that, over time, using nature-based solutions in new
development and redevelopment could save hundreds of
millions of dollars in ood losses.
Reduced Stormwater Management Costs
Using nature-based infrastructure can reduce the cost
of stormwater management for new development because
material costs are lower. Nature-based solutions can
reduce the need for expensive below-ground infrastructure.
They can also reduce the number of curbs, catch basins,
and outlet control structures required. Nature-based
solutions can save money on site preparation because
they requires less land disturbance.
In older cities with combined sewer systems, using both
green and gray infrastructure can reduce combined sewer
overows (CSOs) at a lower cost. The traditional, gray
infrastructure approach is to install below-ground tanks and
tunnels and expand existing facilities. This process has
extremely high capital costs. It also delays water quality
improvements until the end of a decades-long design and
construction process. Many nature-based solutions practices
have lower capital costs and begin to provide benets in a
few years. New York City developed a plan to reduce CSOs
using both green and gray infrastructure. The nature-based
solutions component will eventually capture runoff from
10 percent of the impervious areas of the combined sewer
watersheds. While the gray infrastructure option would
cost about $3.9 billion in public funds, the nature-based
alternative will cost about $1.5 billion.
In older cities with combined sewer systems, using both
green and gray infrastructure can reduce combined sewer
overows at a lower cost. The traditional, gray infrastructure
approach is to install below-ground tanks and tunnels and
expand existing facilities. This process has extremely high
capital costs. It also delays water quality improvements until
the end of a decades-long design and construction process.
Many NBS practices have lower capital costs and begin to
provide benets in a few years. New York City developed a
plan to reduce CSOs using both green and gray infrastructure.
The NBS component will eventually capture runoff from
10 percent of the impervious areas of the combined sewer
watersheds. While the gray infrastructure option would cost
about $3.9 billion in public funds, the NBS alternative will
cost about $1.5 billion.
Reduced Drinking Water Treatment Costs
Watershed-scale conservation practices can keep drinking
water clean. They are often more cost-effective than building
ltration plants to treat polluted water.
The Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs serve 2.5
million people in central Massachusetts and the
Boston area. Over 20 years, the Massachusetts
Water Resources Authority spent $130 million on
nature-based solutions. The nature-based solutions
protect 22,000 acres of the watershed that drains
into these reservoirs. A water ltration plant would
have cost $250 million to build and $4 million
annually to operate and maintain.
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14
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
LAND USE PLANNING
The Land Use Element of a community’s Comprehensive
Plan (sometimes called a Master or General Plan) typically
guides land use planning. It sets goals for where and
how land will be developed and preserved over the next
20 to 30 years. It also identies strategies to support
these goals. The Land Use Element provides the basis
for the community’s land use regulations, including
zoning ordinances and subdivision and land development
ordinances (SALDOs).
ENGAGE: Planning staff typically develop the Comprehensive
Plan in coordination with other government and public
stakeholders. For coordinated investments in nature-based
solutions, planning staff should invite other departments to
help develop the Land Use Element. Include staff with roles
in parks and recreation planning, public works, environmental
protection, utilities planning, transportation planning,
oodplain management, and emergency management.
ASSESS: The land use planning process can help drive
investments in nearly every type of nature-based solution.
To prioritize nature-based solutions, consider the community’s
most pressing issues, including development or hazards and
risks. For communities approaching build-out, for example,
preserving parks and greenways before all remaining land is
developed may be most important.
Communities may choose to restore natural ecosystems like
wetlands, and reconnect natural areas. This can help native
plants and animals compete against invasive species and
resist other stressors.
UPDATE: The land use planning process should begin
with the goals and principles in the Land Use Element.
This will provide the rationale and stimulus for ordinance
improvements, policy and procedure changes, and training.
Once the Land Use Element is updated, make more
detailed updates to zoning ordinances and subdivision and
land development ordinances. Depending on the type of
nature-based solutions prioritized by the community, update
ordinances and procedures to:
•
Establish riparian buffers and protect stream corridors;
• Direct development to previously developed areas and
areas with existing infrastructure;
• Promote compact (e.g., mixed-use and transit-oriented)
development;
• Reduce impervious cover; and
• Modify landscape requirements, including tree protection
requirements.
The goal of this guide is to help communities identify and engage the staff and resources that can be
used to implement nature-based solutions to build resilience to natural hazards, which may be exacerbated
by climate change. Planning and carrying out nature-based solutions requires an integrated approach that
works across agencies and departments. This section provides tips for adding nature-based solutions to
traditional community planning processes and programs. For each program area, this section recommends
which ofcials to engage (ENGAGE); which types of nature-based solutions to consider (ASSESS); and
how to update plans, policies, and ordinances to drive those solutions (UPDATE).
Like any other project, nature-based solutions must
follow local, state, and federal regulations and
permit requirements. This usually includes environ-
mental and historic preservation (EHP) review.
Reaching out to EHP authorities early in project
design can help communities identify potential
benets and limitations of the proposed solution,
and avoid delays in implementation.
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15
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING
Hazard mitigation activities are typically guided by a Hazard
Mitigation Plan (HMP), which is updated on a ve-year
cycle. The HMP identies specic risk reduction projects
as mitigation actions. Each action is linked to a plan that
describes how and when the project will be completed.
ENGAGE: A Steering Committee typically leads the
development of the HMP. The committee often includes
planners, emergency managers, and other local ofcials.
To enable joint investments in nature-based solutions,
invite other departments to help dene the HMP’s goals
and mitigation actions. Include staff with roles in parks
and recreation, public works, planning, environmental
protection, utilities management, and transportation
planning. They can participate in both the ve-year plan
update process and the annual reviews and updates.
ASSESS: Hazard mitigation planning can drive investments
in nearly every type of nature-based solution. To prioritize
nature-based solutions, consider the community’s most
pressing hazards. For example, addressing droughts may be
most important for communities in arid environments with high
water demand. FEMA’s Local Mitigation Planning Handbook
specically identies projects that protect natural systems as
important mitigation activities. These actions minimize losses
and preserve or restore the functions of natural systems.
UPDATE: Nature-based solutions can be integrated into HMPs
through both long-term goals and specic mitigation actions.
Mitigation actions may include nature-based projects, but they
should also promote nature-based solutions more broadly.
Consider policies and regulations, education and outreach, and
incentive-based programs. Develop these projects, policies,
and incentives with relevant departmental staff so that they
can also integrate nature-based solutions into their programs
and planning processes.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Stormwater management programs typically aim to reduce
water pollution, preserve aquatic ecosystems, and protect the
public from stormwater ooding. Many must also comply with
federal and state stormwater management regulations. These
regulations are designed to reduce pollutant discharges from
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) and CSOs.
Communities with MS4s typically base their program on a
Stormwater Management Program Plan (SMPP). Those with
CSOs typically use a local Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP).
These plans are carried out by various local programs,
ordinances, and development procedures.
ENGAGE: Stormwater or public works departments typically
develop the SMPP or LTCP. To coordinate investments in
nature-based solutions, invite others to help develop the
plan and put it into action. Include staff with roles in parks
and recreation planning, environmental protection, utilities
planning, transportation planning, oodplain management,
and emergency management.
ASSESS: Stormwater management programs are best
suited to drive investments in neighborhood- or site-scale
nature-based solutions that retain and treat stormwater
onsite. To choose which nature-based solutions to
emphasize, consider the community’s most pressing
stormwater issues and priorities. Communities with a lot
of existing development and limited new development
might emphasize tree trenches, green roofs, and rainwater
harvesting. These nature-based practices have smaller
footprints and are easily integrated into tighter spaces.
If that community also had limited water supplies, it might
prioritize rainwater harvesting; if it did not have enough
tree cover, it might prioritize tree trenches.
UPDATE: Updating a community’s stormwater management
program should begin with its SMPP or LTCP. To encourage
the use of nature-based solutions, many communities
are adding stormwater retention standards to their
post-construction stormwater programs. According to
an EPA summary, 28 states and two territories have
post-construction retention standards. This type of standard
requires some runoff volume to be managed onsite. This
reduces both pollutant loads and erosive peak ows.
Communities can also develop a hierarchy of acceptable
nature-based solutions. For example, the Philadelphia Water
Department divides these practices into three preference
levels: Highest, Medium, and Low.
The Capital Region Council of Governments
in Connecticut established the following goal
in its 2019-2024 HMP: Increase the use of
natural, “green,” or “soft” hazard mitigation
measures such as open space preservation and
green infrastructure. Specic mitigation actions
encouraged adopting regulations to promote low
impact development and nature-based techniques.
They also supported education initiatives to help
municipal staff and elected ofcials understand
nature-based solutions practices.
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16
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
Once the SMPP or LTCP is updated, make more detailed
updates to stormwater management ordinances and
procedures. Depending on the type of nature-based solutions
prioritized by the community, update ordinances and
procedures to:
•
Include nature-based solutions in proposed capital
projects for stormwater management for public projects;
•
Make nature-based solutions legal and preferred for
managing stormwater runoff for private projects;
•
Have stormwater management plan reviews take
place early in the development review process
for private projects;
•
Provide other ways for developers to meet stormwater
requirements when onsite alternatives are not
feasible, such as “payment-in-lieu of” programs for
private projects;
•
Emphasize collaboration between the stormwater
management department, streets department,
and private developers to build green streets;
•
Ensure that local building and plumbing codes allow
harvested rainwater for exterior and non-potable
uses; and
•
Include effective monitoring, tracking, and maintenance
requirements for stormwater management.
Rain Garden — Greenbriar Middle School in Parma, OH
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17
PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
The Transportation Element of the local Comprehensive
Plan, the regional Long-Range Transportation Plan, and
the Transportation Improvement Program typically guide
transportation planning. These plans set goals for a
community’s transportation system over the next 20 to
30 years. They also identify strategies and projects to
support these goals. The plans provide the basis for local
codes related to transportation and for local investments in
transportation infrastructure.
ENGAGE: Planning staff typically develop the Comprehensive
Plan, with input from local staff and the public. To
coordinate investments in nature-based solutions, planning
staff should invite other departments to help develop the
Transportation Element. Include those with roles in parks
and recreation planning, public works, environmental
protection, utilities planning, oodplain management, and
emergency management.
ASSESS: Transportation and land use planning are closely
linked and often interdependent. As with the land use
planning process, the transportation planning process can
help drive investments in nearly every type of nature-based
solution. To prioritize nature-based solutions, consider the
community’s most pressing issues. For communities with
limited options for pedestrians, retrotting streetscapes to
increase walkability may be most important.
UPDATE: Updating the transportation planning process
should begin with the goals and principles in the
Transportation Element. These provide the rationale and
stimulus for ordinance improvements, policy and procedure
changes, and training. Once the Transportation Element
is updated, make more detailed updates to the policies,
procedures, and ordinances on street and parking design.
Communities can update their street design standards to
provide clear direction on the appropriate installation of
nature-based solutions. They can adopt a complete streets
policy that encourages designs including nature-based
solutions. And they can create a green streets manual that
provides guidance on designing nature-based solutions.
Local ordinances and procedures related to street design and
parking can also be updated. Use this process to minimize
impervious cover and promote nature-based solutions.
Depending on the type of nature-based solutions prioritized
by the community, update ordinances and procedures to
encourage or require:
•
Adding nature-based solutions to proposed transportation
projects in the Transportation Improvement Plan and
capital improvement plan;
•
Making street trees a part of public capital improvement
projects;
•
Making streets no wider than is necessary to move trafc
effectively;
•
Using pervious materials for lower-trafc paving areas,
including alleys, streets, sidewalks, driveways, and
parking lots;
•
Providing alternative parking requirements (e.g., shared
or offsite parking), and varying requirements by zone to
reect places where more trips are by foot or transit;
•
Using alternative measures to reduce required parking,
such as transportation demand management; and
•
Using nature-based solutions to strengthen the resilience
of transportation infrastructure to natural hazards.
For an excellent model of how to systematically
incorporate nature-based solutions into the
transportation planning process, communities
should review the “Eco-Logical” Approach promoted
by the Federal Highway Administration.
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PLANNING AND POLICY-MAKING PHASE
OPEN SPACE PLANNING
The Open Space and Recreation Element of a community’s
Comprehensive Plan typically guides open space planning. This
element establishes a policy framework and action program.
These are used for maintaining, improving, and expanding the
community’s open space and recreational facilities.
ENGAGE: Planning staff typically develop the Comprehensive
Plan with government and public stakeholders. To
coordinate investments in nature-based solutions,
invite other departments to help develop this element.
Include staff with roles in hazard mitigation, public works,
environmental protection, utilities planning, oodplain
management, and emergency management.
ASSESS: The open space planning process can help drive
investments in nearly every type of nature-based solution. At
the watershed scale, it can support interconnected systems
of greenways and parks. These mitigate natural hazards and
provide co-benets to the community. At the neighborhood
scale, open space planning can incorporate nature-based
solutions into local parks and recreational facilities. This
helps reduce and treat neighborhood stormwater runoff. In
coastal areas, open space planning can drive investments
in living shorelines, waterfront parks, and other coastal
nature-based practices.
UPDATE: Updating the open space planning process should
begin with the Open Space and Recreation Element of the
Comprehensive Plan. Once the plan is updated, consider
more detailed updates to facilities management programs,
park planning and design, and local ordinances.
Facilities management programs can add neighborhood-scale
nature-based solutions to existing parks and playgrounds.
As local governments retrot existing facilities, they can
incorporate nature-based solutions to reduce impervious
cover, enhance tree cover, and treat and soak up stormwater
runoff. Park planning and design are also opportunities.
Communities can apply nature-based practices and principles
as they expand their network of parks and trails and design
each park site. Using nature-based solutions for retrotting
existing parks or acquiring and designing new parks can
mobilize new partners and funding sources. Finally, updating
local ordinances can help to preserve watershed-scale
nature-based solutions. Based on the needs of the
community, ordinances can be updated to:
•
Protect natural resource areas and critical habitat;
• Establish no-development buffer zones and other
protections around wetlands, riparian area, and
oodplains; and
•
Limit development and land disturbance in source water
protection areas.
FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) allows
participating communities to earn lower ood
insurance rates for property owners, renters,
and businesses. They get credit for actions that
reduce risk under the National Flood Insurance
Program. FEMA recently elevated the potential
CRS credit values for nature-based solutions.
Credit is given for actions such as preserving
open space, restoring wetlands, and developing
a living shoreline. The number of points awarded
for preserving open space is now among the
highest given in the program. Credits are awarded
according to the percentage of preserved open
space in a community’s oodplain. The larger
the percentage, the more credit is awarded,
accompanied by potentially higher insurance
discounts. Folly Beach, South Carolina incorporated
nature-based solutions into their CRS program and
received a 30-percent reduction in premiums.
Folly Beach, SC
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IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
To build a network of nature-based solutions, communities should encourage both public and private
investments. This section provides tips for boosting public investment and incentivizing private
investment. Many of these tips rely on the diverse benets of nature-based solutions. Recognizing these
diverse benets can help pool resources from public and private partners to mobilize more funding for
nature-based solutions. This section is aligned with the third goal of the National Mitigation Investment
Strategy — to make mitigation investments standard practice.
BOOSTING PUBLIC INVESTMENT
Diversifying Local Resources
Traditional local funding sources for public infrastructure include general funds, bond proceeds, taxes, and fees. Support for
nature-based solutions investments could come from taxes levied on property, special or business improvement districts, or
tax increment nancing (TIF) districts. Local fees could include development impact fees, fee-in-lieu payments, or utility fees
(including stormwater utilities). Pooling resources is also a way to integrate NBS practices into planned or ongoing capital
improvement projects. Consider NBS when creating or improving roads, streetscapes, stormwater management projects,
parks, and parking areas. Incorporating NBS into public improvements is an opportunity to lead by example and to educate
other departments, private developers, and the public.
While each funding source has pros and cons, communities should use more than one internal resource. Pooling resources is a
more cost-effective and scally responsible funding choice. Pooling resources is also a way to integrate nature-based solutions
practices into planned or ongoing capital improvement projects. Consider nature-based solutions when creating or improving
roads, streetscapes, stormwater management projects, parks, and parking areas. Incorporating nature-based solutions into
public improvements is an opportunity to lead by example and to educate other departments, private developers, and the public.
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
GENERAL FUNDS BOND PROCEEDS TAX AND FEE REVENUES
PROS
• Financial exibility
CONS
• Funds can be reassigned
• Inuenced by changes
in community, including
political climate
PROS
• Dedicated and consistent
source of funding
CONS
• Could increase local taxes
and fee rates
• Inuenced by credit rating
• Repayment often includes
interest
PROS
• Dedicated and consistent
source of funding
CONS
• Lack of nancial exibility
• Could increase local taxes
and fee rates
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20
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Attracting Grant Funding
To maximize public investment in nature-based solutions,
communities should creatively combine local and external
resources as often as possible. Since nature-based solutions
provide many different co-benets, a single project may
be eligible for a variety of private, state, and federal grant
programs. The key to leveraging These resources is to think
outside the box when applying for funding, and to apply to
diverse programs. For example, a coastal community may
seek grant funding for a ood risk reduction project that
uses nature-based approaches. In addition to applying for
hazard mitigation grants, this community could apply for
habitat conservation grants, water quality grants, and coastal
resilience grants. The nal section of this guide lists some
of the most common federal grant funding opportunities for
nature-based solutions. Communities should also identify
and leverage the nancial assistance available through
state-specic programs. Other potential sources are non-prot
organizations, special districts, and private foundations.
Building Nature-Based Solutions into the
Capital Improvement Plan
The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process is another tool
for increasing investments in nature-based solutions. Many
communities use a CIP to plan the timing and nancing of
public improvements over the medium term (approximately
ve years). Agencies submit projects to be evaluated and
included in the CIP, and the CIP team analyzes and ranks
submitted projects. Ultimately, highly ranked projects
are funded rst. Rankings often consider how the project
advances mandated activities and community priorities. They
are also based on whether the project is scally responsible.
Including a nature-based component can help increase a
project’s ranking, as nature-based solutions may contribute
toward federal Clean Water Act requirements, hazard
mitigation, and other community priorities. It is important to
emphasize the multi-functional nature of these solutions and
how they can provide more bang for the public’s buck.
Funding Nature-Based Solutions with
Stormwater Utility Fees
Stormwater utility fee programs are designed to pay for the
cost of managing stormwater runoff. Typically, stormwater
fees are collected in a fund dedicated to the stormwater
management program and stormwater-related projects.
This can be a good, steady source of funding that does
not compete with other community priorities.
Many stormwater utilities are structured to charge users
based on their property’s stormwater runoff volume.
For example, communities can charge a fee based on a
property’s impervious area, rather than its total area. For
this type of fee structure, communities need to have a
good understanding of their impervious cover. Stormwater
utilities are also able to collect fees from all property owners,
including those otherwise exempt from property taxes.
The 2017 Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility
Survey identied 1,639 stormwater utility programs in
40 states. The smallest program served a population of 88.
As a growing suburb of Kansas City, Lenexa,
Kansas is managing the effects of increased
impervious cover through nature-based solutions.
To integrate nature-based solutions into major
capital projects, such as rebuilding roads and
parks, Lenexa is using funds from several internal
and external sources:
1. sales tax revenues;
2. stormwater utility fees;
3. new development fees; and
4. state and federal grants.
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21
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Financing Nature-Based Solutions with the Clean Water
State Revolving Fund
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a nancial
assistance program established through the Clean Water Act.
It provides low-interest loans for water infrastructure projects
(including nature-based solutions) that address water quality.
The EPA provides funding to all 50 states and Puerto Rico
to operate CWSRF programs. States provide a 20-percent
match for all federal funds. Since the CWSRF was established,
it has supplied more than $43 billion to state programs.
With that support, states have given $133 billion in loans
to communities.
For most projects, public, private, and non-prot entities
get an average interest rate of 1.4 percent. The loan period
must not exceed 30 years. A key benet of the program’s low
interest rate is that communities may be able to cover debt
service payments without raising the rates for local taxes or
fees. By further reducing operation and maintenance costs
for infrastructure, nature-based solutions help communities
meet their loan repayment terms.
The Camden County Municipal Utility Authority
was awarded a $5.4 million loan from the New
Jersey Infrastructure Bank, the state’s CWSRF,
to fund a city-wide nature-based solutions project.
The project has an estimated cost savings of
$3.1 million over the 30-year loan. It involves
building nature-based solutions throughout the
City of Camden, including rain gardens and porous
concrete sidewalks. The project also has a green
jobs component. In the past 3 years, Camden
trained about 240 youths in nature-based
solutions maintenance.
Managed dune on Long Beach Island, NJ. Dune restoration is an
example of nature-based solutions that can be funded by many
federal funding sources.
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IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
INCENTIVIZING PRIVATE INVESTMENT
While public investment in nature-based solutions is critical
and continues to evolve, communities should also investigate
ways to incentivize nature-based solutions on private
property. One option is to make these investments more
appealing to homeowners, businesses, and developers.
Incentives typically use public funds to seed additional
investments by private parties. Innovative incentive-based
programs can create unique ways to fund and build
nature-based projects. Some examples are public-private
partnerships, rebates and nancing programs, grants, and
cost-share arrangements. Banking or credit trading programs,
development or redevelopment incentives, local fee or tax
discounts, and community awards and recognition programs
have also been useful. Such voluntary programs can increase
the use of nature-based solutions on private land, where
most traditional development takes place. They can balance
regulations and may relieve some of the administrative
burden that communities carry when adopting and managing
their own nature-based policies or projects.
Public-Private Partnerships
Through partnerships, local governments and private-sector
parties can invest together in public asset or service projects.
These long-term partnerships are most successful when they
have shared goals and benets. Private partners may have
more exibility than a public agency. Linking any partnership
with performance-based payments can encourage
efciencies in time and cost.
Local ofcials can work with private partners to develop and
nance nature-based solutions in many ways. One key step
is to demonstrate the benets of nature-based solutions – to
make the business case locally. Another is to offer continued
technical assistance and coordination for nature-based
projects. This may include policy support, training, or other
ways to build capacity. Finally, seek long-term agreements
with any private stakeholders that would provide these
services traditionally delivered by the public sector. Above all,
communities should create partnerships with private parties
for specic projects.
Green Certification Incentives
Certications such as LEED and SITES offer guidance
for developers to incorporate sustainability when
designing buildings and landscapes. States and
communities can provide incentives to developers to
incorporate these certications into new development
and redevelopment projects.
Rebates and Financing Programs
Rebates, tax credits, or low-interest loans can encourage
nature-based solutions and practices. For example, Tucson
Water sponsors a Rainwater Harvesting rebate program. It
provides rebates of up to $2,000 to single-family residential
or small commercial customers who install a rainwater
harvesting system. Eligible options include passive rainwater
harvesting, which directs and retains water in the landscape,
and active rainwater harvesting, such as tanks that store
water for later use. Often, participants in this kind of program
need capital at the beginning of a project. Since residents
may not want or be able to fund improvements on their
own, many communities target their rebates and loans at
businesses. Philadelphia, for example, offers low interest
(1 percent) loans for nature-based solutions retrots on
non-residential property.
Another nance option for promoting nature-based solutions
is the Department of Energy's Property Assessed Clean
Energy (PACE). Communities can use PACE to help property
owners nance nature-based solutions. It also applies to
installing renewable energy or energy-efcient assets on
private properties. Depending on state laws, communities
can create PACE programs by issuing a revenue bond to the
property owner. PACE borrowers can benet immediately
from new nature-based solutions and repay their debt by
increasing property taxes. For example, increases are at a
set rate for an agreed-upon term, typically 5–25 years. The
PACE assessment is attached as a tax on the property, not
the property owner. Because PACE is funded through private
loans or municipal bonds, it creates no liability to local
government funds.
In Prince George’s County, Maryland, a new water
resources plan proposed extensive stormwater-
related restoration. Also, 20 percent of the
county’s impervious surfaces needed to be
replaced. Recognizing its challenges in volume and
timing, the county built a public-private partnership.
A private party was contracted to restore 2,000
acres, with the potential for extending the contract
to an additional 2,000 acres if it met performance
metrics. This partnership met its project costs and
deadlines. It was also recognized for meeting social
goals such as hiring and training minority-owned
businesses and focusing on projects in
lower-income areas.
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IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Grants and Cost-Share Agreements
Communities can also encourage nature-based solutions
by directly funding property owners or groups. Onondaga
County, New York has a Green Improvement Fund that
funds nature-based solutions on private commercial and
non-prot properties. Applicants in the target sewer districts
can choose their own nature-based solutions techniques,
but grants are determined by the amount of stormwater
the project captures. The Green Improvement Fund has
awarded 88 grants since 2010, for a total of nearly $11
million. Nature-based solutions projects have included the
installation of porous pavement, added green space, rain
gardens, green roofs, and inltration projects. Together, the
completed projects can capture more than 38 million gallons
of stormwater runoff per year. Philadelphia manages a similar
voluntary retrot grant program. It covers the upfront costs
of typical nature-based solutions on private property if the
owner agrees to maintain it.
Banking or Credit Trading
Banking or credit trading programs can help developers meet
onsite stormwater retention requirements when nature-based
solutions are not feasible onsite. They create a mechanism
for developers to pay the community to build nature-based
solutions off site. This concept is like that of wetland
mitigation banking.
Environmental Impact Bonds
Several traditional debt nancing tools are available to
communities. However, environmental impact bonds (EIBs)
are a recent innovation. EIBs can help communities obtain
upfront capital for hard-to-nance environmental projects.
These bonds link project performance incentives to desired
environmental outcomes. In practice, most EIBs function like
traditional bonds, with a xed interest rate and term. Unlike
normal bonds, they offer investors a “performance payment”
if projects perform better than expected. The primary benet
of this model is that it shifts the project performance risk to
a private party and ties borrowing costs to the effectiveness
of a project. If a project underperforms, investors must
reimburse the borrowing entity; if it overperforms, the entity
pays the investors. This model has potential applications for
multiple areas of environmental restoration and resilience,
including nature-based solutions.
Washington DC's Stormwater Retention Credit
(SRC) Trading program allows large-scale
development and redevelopment projects to
meet stormwater management requirements
by buying credits from properties with voluntary
nature-based solutions improvements. The credit
trading program encourages developers to choose
cost-effective, nature-based solutions. It also
creates an incentive for other property owners to
integrate green stormwater practices. Through
this program, properties that use nature-based
solutions or reduce impervious cover can earn
and sell credits to the Department of Energy
and Environment or in an open market.
Environmental Impact Bonds have already been
issued in several cities, including Washington, DC and
Atlanta, Georgia, where they are funding a range of
nature-based solutions projects to reduce stormwater
runoff and address critical ooding issues.
Modern rooftops, Brooklyn Heights, New York City
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IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Development or Redevelopment Incentives
Communities can update their land use, zoning, or other
local regulations to provide incentives for using nature-based
solutions. Zoning incentives can allow a greater height,
density, or intensity of development if a developer uses
nature-based approaches. One common zoning incentive
is an increased oor-to-area ratio (FAR), which regulates
the density of development on a site. The City of Portland,
Oregon offers increased FAR as an incentive for installing
green roofs. Communities can also exempt green roofs
or pervious pavements from any regulations that apply to
impervious cover.
More incentives for adopting nature-based solutions
approaches can be used in the development application
and review period. These include discounted application
fees and discounted or waived maintenance bonding
requirements. The City of Chicago, Illinois waives permit fees
for developments that meet specic nature-based solutions
thresholds. For redevelopment, communities can also give a
one-time tax credit for using nature-based approaches that
benet the public.
More communities are moving from strict standards to
more exible instruments that include incentives. They are
encouraging developers to use nature-based solutions through
unied development ordinances. They are providing options for
exibility and creativity during the site plan review process.
Stormwater Utility Incentives
Communities can use a local stormwater utility fee program
to establish a dedicated funding stream for nature-based
solutions. This type of program can offer incentives for
property owners to incorporate nature-based solutions.
For example, a program that charges users based on their
property’s impervious area could offer discounts when
property owners “disconnect” some of their impervious
area from the storm sewer system by adding nature-based
solutions. Other incentives may be offered for creating more
buildings with green roofs and other retention or inltration
systems, or for rainwater harvesting.
The City of Norfolk, Virginia recently created a
“resilient quotient system.” Developers earn points
for adopting measures that reduce ood risk, manage
stormwater, and increase energy resilience. Under
this system, new developments must meet different
resilience point values. The points are based on
the size and type of development (residential,
non-residential, mixed-use). Developers get points
for installing green roofs, rain gardens, or other
stormwater inltration systems; using pervious paving
systems; providing a community garden space;
preserving natural, native vegetation; planting trees;
and preserving large, non-exotic trees.
In Nashville, Tennessee, properties in a combined
sewer overow area may receive a discount on their
sewer fees if nature-based solutions are incorporated.
Similar incentives are part of stormwater utility
programs in Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, stormwater credits
available to all property owners can reduce fees by
up to 50 percent a year. To qualify, owners must use
nature-based solutions on the property.
Father and toddler examining plants in a park in Norfolk, VA
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FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
As governments have become more aware of the many benets and nancial value of nature-based
solutions, federal agencies have provided more funding opportunities. Each year, the federal
government provides millions of dollars in grants for nature-based infrastructure projects. These projects
lead to safer, more resilient communities. Other levels of government and private organizations also fund
and invest in nature-based solutions.
Some common nationally available federal grant funding opportunities for nature-based solutions are
summarized below. This is a starting point, not a complete list. Additional funding may be available from
other federal programs, state agencies, non-prot organizations, conservation districts, universities, and
private foundations.
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)
COMMUNITY-BASED RESTORATION PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION PROJECTS
NOAA’s Community-Based Restoration Program provides
funding for coastal and marine habitat restoration projects.
The program supports projects that use a habitat-based
approach to rebuild productive and sustainable sheries,
contribute to the recovery and conservation of protected
resources, promote healthy ecosystems, and yield
community and economic benets.
Typical habitat restoration projects include hydrologic
reconnection of wetlands, coral reef restoration, and
bivalve shellsh habitat restoration that includes some
form of protection from harvesting. Feasibility, design,
and implementation projects are all eligible.
NATIONAL COASTAL RESILIENCE FUND
DESCRIPTION PROJECTS
The National Coastal Resilience Fund, a public-private
partnership between the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, NOAA, Shell, and TransRe, provides grants to
support natural infrastructure. Established in 2018, the
Fund invests in projects that protect coastal communities
from extreme storm and ood events while enhancing
natural habitat.
Community capacity-building and planning, engineering,
design, and construction projects such as living shoreline,
oodplain-habitat restoration design, marsh and wetland
habitat restoration, and natural channel design.
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FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The City of Cuyahoga Falls,
Ohio used Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program funding to
buy and remove four homes
that had ooded repeatedly.
The resulting open space
was used to create The Rain
Garden Reserve, a beautifully
landscaped public space.
The Reserve also serves
as a stormwater retention
area, reducing ood risk for
neighboring homes.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) –
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)
HAZARD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE
DESCRIPTION PROJECTS
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) includes three
funding programs for risk reduction activities. They are
the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Flood Mitigation
Assistance Program, and Building Resilient Infrastructure
and Communities (BRIC). States, territories, tribes, and
local communities may apply for HMA funding if they meet
all eligibility criteria for each program, including having a
FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan.
Note: BRIC replaces the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program.
HMA funds projects for a broad range of hazards, including
drought and ood risk reduction projects, such as aquifer
storage and recovery, oodplain and stream restoration,
and ood diversion and storage. Reforestation projects in
wildre-affected areas may also be eligible.
BRIC Prioritizes projects that mitigate the risk to public
infrastructure and community lifelines, incorporate nature-
based solutions, and support modern building codes.
Public Assistance (PA) is FEMA’s largest grant program,
providing funds to assist communities responding to and
recovering from declared disasters. The program provides
funding for both restoring community infrastructure and
increasing resilience of disaster-damaged facilities. Funding
is not awarded on a competitive basis and there is no
upper limit on available support.
Primarily erosion control projects, such as bank or slope
stabilization. There are many opportunities to expand the
use of nature-based solutions with PA mitigation projects
provided they meet the eligibility requirements.
Rain garden in Euclid Creek Watershed, OH. Photo: Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
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FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
SECTION 319 NONPOINT SOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION PROJECTS
The Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program
(Section 319) was established under the Clean Water Act.
It helps focus efforts to address nonpoint source (NPS)
pollution caused by land runoff from rainfall and snowmelt.
Section 319 funds can be used for technical assistance,
nancial assistance, education, training, technology
transfer, demonstration projects, and regulatory programs.
Contact your state-designated NPS Program Coordinator
for more information.
Nature-based solutions demonstration projects related
to water quality improvements may also provide hazard-
reduction co-benets; these may include stream
restoration, riparian buffer creation, wetland creation,
rain gardens, and other bio-retention projects.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD)
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
DESCRIPTION PROJECTS
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Program provides funding to ensure decent affordable
housing, provide services to the most vulnerable in our
communities, and create jobs through expanding and
retaining businesses. Since 2001, the CDBG-Disaster
Recovery Program has provided additional assistance
to areas affected by Presidentially declared disasters.
This program supports disaster recovery activities such
as housing redevelopment and rebuilding, infrastructure
repair, and economic revitalization.
In August 2019, HUD announced its rst allocation of
CDBG-Mitigation funds. Nearly $7 billion was made
available to 14 grantees affected by recent Presidentially
declared disasters, solely for the purposes of mitigating
future disasters.
CDBG-Disaster Recovery: Infrastructure, housing, and
economic development projects may incorporate nature-
based solutions, usually at the neighborhood or site scale.
CDBG-Mitigation: In addition to infrastructure, housing,
and economic development projects, planning and
administration projects can reduce regulatory barriers
to nature-based solutions and help make mitigation
investments standard practice.
CDBG Funding is unique in that it may be used as a
non-Federal match for other mitigation programs, such
as HMA and PA Mitigation.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Communities that invest in nature-based approaches to reducing disaster risk can save money, lives,
and property in the long-term AND improve quality of life in the short term. The key takeaways from
this guide are:
1. Building the business case for nature-based solutions can generate widespread interest among diverse organizations.
Nature-based solutions can reduce the loss of life and property from some of our Nation’s most common natural hazards,
such as ooding, storm surge, drought, and landslides. The biggest selling point for nature-based solutions, though, is
the many ways it can improve a community’s quality of life and make it more attractive to new residents and businesses.
Unlike gray infrastructure, nature-based solutions projects serve multiple functions and goals.
2. To build resilience with nature-based solutions, diverse partners must collaborate. Planning and carrying out nature-based
solutions requires many departments and processes to work together. Departments will need to cooperate to reduce the
barriers to nature-based solutions and make using nature-based solutions a standard practice.
3. Scaling up nature-based solutions will require communities to align public and private investments. Communities can
get more bang for their buck by using a range of strategies to enable public investment in nature-based solutions and
incentivize private investment.
4. Many types of grant programs can be leveraged to fund nature-based solutions. Since nature-based solutions provide
a variety of co-benets, a single project may be eligible for many different private, state, and federal grant programs. The
key to leveraging these resources is to think outside the box when applying for funding, and to apply to diverse programs.
Volunteers planting sea grass on a beach in Florida.
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RESOURCES
RESOURCES
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