Welcome to The Environmental Finance Center, University of Maryland
Our Mission
The Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at the University of Maryland is one of ten University-based centers across the country providing communities with the tools and information necessary to manage change for a healthy environment and an enhanced quality of life. EFC believes that environmental finance can be used to develop a shared community vision. Our focus is protecting natural resources and watersheds by strengthening the capacity of local decision-makers to analyze environmental problems, develop innovative and effective methods of financing environmental efforts and educate communities about the role of finance and economic development in the protection of the environment.
Our Approach
EFC promotes a comprehensive concept of environmental financing where state and federal funding programs are combined with innovative financing techniques to create a sustainable watershed protection financing strategy.
EFC uses a number of tools to help communities identify the financing strategies that best fit their needs including:
- Technical Assistance
- Financing charrettes and seminars
- Conferences and workshop sessions
- Handbooks and publications
- Training programs
- Program facilitation, coordination, and management