W&M’s cross-university environmental initiative hosts inaugural conference
The Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative brought together prominent perspectives on important state and local issues.
Panels of specialists from various sectors fielded questions on local government resilience finance, insurance, and multi-sector collaboration. (Photo by Zach McCoy)
The Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative (VCRC) at William & Mary set out with the mission of gathering important voices from community, academic and government partners across the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond to promote and enable scientifically informed, participatory decision-making for resilience finance.
Vital steps towards this goal took place at their inaugural conference, “Securing Virginia’s Future: National Perspectives on State & Local Resilience Finance,” in Williamsburg, Virginia, on Oct. 3, 2025.
W&M Assistant Provost for Coastal Resilience and VCRC Director Thomas Ruppert hosted the conference in collaboration with the Environmental Defense Fund, Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience, W&M’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS, the University of Virginia’s Institute for Engagement and Negotiation and Virginia Tech’s Coastal Collaborator.
The day started with an introduction from Ruppert and was followed by an engaging fireside chat with Alice Hill, senior fellow for energy and the environment with the Council on Foreign Relations, which was moderated by Samantha (Sam) Medlock. One key message from Alice Hill to local governments was to immediately seek out bond financing in the market now before the capital markets fully integrate rising risk, increasing local government borrowing costs.
Last modified: November 19, 2025
