Stephanie Pendergrass Dalke Email and Phone Number

At the Environmental Finance Center, I help build communities' capacity to protect and improve their natural resources and to adapt to climate change.

Building capacity among partner organizations to develop and implement a climate adaptation program for the Upper Delaware watershed. Raising funds and aligning partner interests for joint projects. Creating publications and communications materials that serve as some of the first climate adaptation material for the region. Focusing on translating broad projections and recommendations into specific local strategies.Worked on creating the Common Waters Fund, a pilot "Forest-to-Faucet" program to finance forest conservation and management in the Upper Delaware River watershed in order to protect drinking water for both upstream and downstream communities. This was a pilot "PES" or "PWS" program (payments for ecosystem services or payments for watershed services). I developed relationships with key water users, including water utilities, electricity generators, agencies, and corporate/industrial entities, and assessed the risks they face in order to structure a financing mechanism that best meets stakeholders' needs. I also manage the Common Waters partnership, a 40+ member landscape-scale collaborative working together on issues such as water, open space, sustainable economic development, forest management, and climate change adaptation.

Developed the Common Waters Fund, a pilot "Forest-to-Faucet" program to finance forest conservation and management in the Upper Delaware River watershed in order to protect drinking water for both upstream and downstream communities. Researched existing conservation cost-share and incentive programs, convened working groups to lay out program structure, and created administrative processes for managing subcontractors and grantees.

I managed the Coral Reef Conservation Fund and marine mammal partnerships, which included scheduling grant cycles, assembling review committees, ranking applications, and communicating with grantees, funders, and agency partners. Led partners and grant applicants through strategic planning and evaluation processes at the programmatic and project level.

Managed portfolio of ~200 grants, primarily in western U.S.

Conducted research on the environmental and employment benefits of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Helped organize field tours of restoration and other ecological projects.

Helped with research and other tasks to facilitate environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) practices within governments and other large institutions. Researched environmental/green certification standards.

Helped plan content and speakers for 2004 annual conference (topic of water). Updated online library of topical Congressional Research Service reports. Tracked foundation and corporate development opportunities.