The Thriving Communities Webinar Series is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Prairie Rivers Network's collaboration to build capacity for technical assistance and education aimed to help communities navigate energy- and environment-related federal grant application systems, provide guidance on community inclusion, and lead community-specific strategic planning. This outreach should help communities secure and administer funding to address legacy pollution and invest in clean energy technologies. 

Explore how your community can access funding opportunities for its next water project. IEPA and USDA experts will join us to explain the State Revolving Fund and SEARCH Grant.

The Illinois State Revolving Fund provides low-interest loans for stormwater/wastewater and drinking water projects. These funding cycles run annually from July to June and comprise the state Water Pollution Control Loan Program (WPCLP) and the Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP).

  • The Water Pollution Control Loan Program (WPCLP) funds stormwater and wastewater infrastructure projects that reduce the pollution released into our state waterways.

  • The Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) funds drinking water infrastructure projects that ensure communities have access to clean, affordable, and equitable drinking water.

The USDA SEARCH Grant offers predevelopment feasibility studies, design, and technical assistance for proposed water and wastewater disposal projects in small, financially distressed rural communities.

Speakers:

Nidhan Singh serves as the Deputy Section Manager of State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan programs for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). He holds a degree in Finance from St. Louis University and a M.B.A from DePaul University. He has an extensive background in finance, having worked in the banking sector for 11 years, performing data analysis, budgeting/forecasting, and financial reporting. Nidhan joined the IEPA in 2021 as a Finance manager of the State Revolving Fund, ultimately transitioning to the program side of the SRF. Outside of work, he enjoys running, staying current on world affairs, going to the ball game, and cheering on the Cubs. 

Nichole Mason (bio pending)

Randa Watts joined Prairie Rivers Network in January as the Clean Water Organizer. She focuses on water quality, infrastructure funding, education & outreach. Originally from Nebo, IL, Watts served in the Illinois Air National Guard and earned her bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Illinois Springfield.

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Past Sessions:

Technical Assistance and Funding Opportunities for Thriving Communities (Recording | Jan 30): State and federal funding for community infrastructure projects is currently at unprecedented levels, particularly for energy and environmental projects.  At this webinar, panelists will provide an overview of open opportunities and share resources available to help communities plan and apply for these grant funds, including resources for disadvantaged communities, such as grant application support and some limited pro bono engineering services. Future webinars in this series will provide specific resources for funding opportunities. | Presenters: Amanda Pankau, Director of Energy and Community Resiliency, Prairie Rivers Network; Urszula Parfieniuk, Grants Navigator, Great Lakes TCTAC; Noor Shahzad, Community Outreach Associate, Environmental Protection Network; Ellie Carley, Program Manager, Community Engineering Corps

Community Change Grants (Recording | Feb 20): The Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program funds environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments are focused on community-driven initiatives that are responsive to community and stakeholder input and are designed for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments. This session covered the program requirements, eligibility, application information, and available resources for this funding opportunity, which is currently open from now until November 2024. | Presenters: Amanda Pankau, Director of Energy and Community Resiliency, Prairie Rivers Network; Lisa Merrifield, Community and Economic Development State Specialist, Illinois Extension; Joseph Malual, Community and Economic Development Regional Specialist, Illinois Extension; Urszula Parfieniuk, Grants Navigator, Great Lakes TCTAC; Dvanina Resto, Environmental Protection Network

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant Programs (Recording | Apr 16) This webinar will focus on the future hazards Illinois will face due to climate change and how you can use the BRIC/FMA federal grant to fund projects in your community to mitigate these natural hazards. Our presentations will include Dr. Trent Ford's research on Climate Change in Southern Illinois and a discussion of the next round of the Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities grant. | Presenters: Dr. Trent Ford has been the Illinois State Climatologist since 2019. Trent is an expert in climate and climate change and its interactions and impacts, especially as they relate to water. Trent leads climate monitoring and data collection and provision for the state of Illinois. He and his team provide information online, through traditional and social media, and by speaking to interested groups across the state. A native of Roanoke, Illinois, Ford earned a bachelor's in geography from Illinois State University before completing his master's and Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. | Jeff Thompson, State Hazard Mitigation officer, serves the states, counties, and local jurisdictions, working directly with FEMA and their Hazard Mitigation grant programs managers to help ensure communities get the support and information needed to apply for BRIC/FMA grants. Jeff assists communities in grant management after they have been awarded. He has worked with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for 3 years and briefed multiple counties, cities, and agencies about FEMA grant opportunities. He has 20 years of Active-Duty Air Force service working heavily in risk management (ret. 2019). | Randa Watts started with Prairie Rivers Network in January as the Clean Water Organizer. Her focus is on water quality, water infrastructure funding, education & outreach. Originally from Pittsfield, IL, Watts served in the Illinois Air National Guard and earned her bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Illinois Climate Bank (Recording | May 21):  Illinois Climate Bank provides funding and programs for communities to advance clean energy and climate resilience. This webinar covered the following opportunities: Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) Program, which allows building owners to borrow money for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other projects and make repayments via an assessment of their property tax bill; Grid Resilience Grants Funding Opportunity, which can cover a variety of investments, including microgrids, weatherization, and automation; Illinois Climate Bank Bridge Loan program for solar and energy efficiency; Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program Funding for Illinois; State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), which assists small businesses, particularly Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (“SEDI”) & Very Small Businesses (“VSBs”) in financing small-scale climate projects, including renewable energy, clean air/water, EV charging, and more by offering up to $2 million of the loan at a very low-interest rate.