Financial Tools for Working Waterfronts

Across the nation there are financing tools in play that have a proven track record in addressing working waterfront and waterway issues, and some that could be used for that purpose, but haven’t been to date. The Financing section is meant to be a central inventory of summarized information about these tools, with links to learn more about each program or benefit

The Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit: Final Report

Working waterfronts and the waterways that connect them are an important component of the U.S. economy. Working waterfronts provide critical access for water-dependent activities. They also create dedicated space for those engaged in tasks like cleaning and storing gear, loading and unloading materials or the day’s catch, and conducting related land-based operations. Frequently, efforts to preserve a particular working waterfront from the threat of conversion to non-working waterfront use occur in a piecemeal fashion and on a parcel-by-parcel basis. In many cases, the rate of loss and conversion to non-working waterfront uses has outpaced community action to address the issue. In order for working waterfronts to remain economically vibrant, coastal and riparian communities need to increase their capacity to withstand changing demands on the waterfront and develop creative solutions to maintain water access for businesses and users. Understanding the historic changes and trends of the nation’s working waterfronts, as well as the contribution of these working waterfronts to local and regional economies, is critical to informing decision-makers, business owners, and others about the importance of protecting and maintaining working waterfront infrastructure. In order to equip communities, states, and regions with the ability to develop creative solutions to address their specific issues, decision-makers must have access to strategies and tools that have been used in the past to successfully preserve working waterfronts

The Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit: Executive Summary

Working waterfronts and the waterways that connect them define the culture and character of many of our nation’s coastal communities, large and small. Working waterfronts provide a space for water-dependent businesses to exist and support important jobs in our nation’s coastal zones, and as such represent an important component of the U.S. economy. The Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit was developed by a subcommittee of the National Working Waterfront Network with the generous financial support of the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Project Team involved staff from seven partner institutions: Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Florida Sea Grant, Island Institute, Maine Sea Grant, the National Sea Grant Law Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law, the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Virginia Sea Grant. The Island Institute, Maine Sea Grant, and the National Sea Grant Law Center provided project leadership and coordination