In August 2012, the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at the University of Maryland began a stormwater financing feasibility study for the City of Bowie. With funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Watershed Assistance Collaborative, the goal of the project was to provide recommendations to the City of Bowie on ways to finance and better manage stormwater protection activities for the long term. The EFC also conducted stormwater related outreach and educational activities targeted to the general public, community leaders, and elected officials.

In the summer of 2011, the Environmental Finance Center began working with the Town of Berlin, MD – an Eastern Shore community with a population of approximately 4,000 – to complete a stormwater financing feasibility study. Along with an analysis of current and emerging funding needs and an assessment of possible revenue that could be collected by the formation of a stormwater utility, the EFC conducted community outreach that included a Stormwater Photo Contest.

The Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at the University of Maryland's Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Financing project was designed to expand the ability and capacity of local governments and communities to achieve water quality restoration goals and priorities through more efficient stormwater financing. Specifically, through this project, the EFC worked with Anne Arundel County as one of three pilot communities on a four-phased process to assess and expand capacity to finance stormwater activities in a way that maximized environmental, economic, and social return on investment.

Local governments are confronted with a multitude of challenges when facing stormwater management responsibilities. Time, funding, and limited capacity are among the common constraints. The MOST Center was created to respond to these challenges by offering free, self-paced, easy-to-access stormwater management training and resources.  Current courses cover regulatory basics, define stormwater terminology, showcase Bay-wide examples, and teach the importance of leadership in developing and financing effective stormwater management programs.