MOCR and EDC hosted a panel discussion on Funding and Financing Resiliency in Lower Manhattan on April 13, 2021. The City shared an overview of resiliency projects across the city, calling out specific case studies to highlight ongoing work and demonstrate precedents for how resiliency projects have been funded in New York City. An overview of key funding and financing sources that are available for resiliency projects and the different benefits and tradeoffs associated with each was also discussed.
The panel featured key experts in financing resiliency and large-scale infrastructure projects:

• Amy Chester, Managing Director of Rebuild by Design
• Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President, Program Strategy and Chief of Staff at the Rockefeller Foundation, and
• Tom Rousakis, Senior Managing Director at Ernest & Young Infrastructure Advisors.

The panel was moderated by Eric Clement, Senior Managing Director of Strategic Investments Group at NYCEDC. Panelists were asked questions about their experiences financing resiliency projects, the different roles that federal, state, and private sector play, the challenges with securing funding and financing for resiliency projects, and more.

The event drew thought leaders and experts in this space, along with members of the Climate Coalition of Lower Manhattan—a forum of individuals and groups who have expertise on Lower Manhattan’s complex context and are invested in the climate resilience of Lower Manhattan.