CT Communities Challenge Grant

Overview

CT Communities Challenge Grant

Overview

The Department of Economic and Community Development (“DECD”) is undertaking a competitive grant application process to fund multiple projects under the CT Communities Challenge Grant Program in an effort to improve livability, vibrancy, convenience, and equity of communities throughout the state.  The Program is intended to potentially create approximately 3,000 new jobs.  It is DECD’s goal to allocate up to 50% of the funds to eligible and competitive projects in distressed municipalities.

Successful projects will likely include multiple of the below elements:

  • Transit-oriented development that densifies commercial and/or residential land uses near transit hubs,
  • Downtown / major hub development that improves or reuses existing property (Brownfields remediation may be a component of such application)
  • Essential infrastructure that facilitates future development
  • Housing to support affordability, accessibility and local workforce,
  • Mobility improvements that increase connectivity to transit and promotes economic activity, including pedestrian, ADA, and bicycle improvements
  • Public space improvements that provide amenities to the community, including open spaces, public art projects, wayfinding, and lighting and safety improvements

Other projects that will enhance the livability, vibrancy, convenience, and equity of communities throughout the state are also eligible, provided that other DECD funding does not support such projects through current or future dedicated programs (e.g., Brownfields grants).

 

Grant Size: $1M to $10M per project. Applications requesting grants outside this range are ineligible.

Eligible Applicants:

Municipalities, economic development agencies and regional councils of governments are eligible to be the primary applicants for this Program.  DECD encourages public-private partnerships.  Eligible entities are welcome to partner with one or more of the following types of organizations: private developers, business organizations, other institutions, or each other to apply.

 

**NEW! Round 3 Schedule:

Wednesday, March 1, 2023                       Application/Notice of Funding Availability

Wednesday, May 3, 2023                          Application Deadline

July 2023 (tentative)                                  Announcement of Awards

 

 

Round 3 Materials: Application deadline is 3:00 pm on May 3, 2023.

News & Announcements:

For examples of successful applications, see Governor Lamont’s announcements of CT Communities Challenge Awards:

 
Contact:

Questions regarding the Application should be addressed to CTCommunitiesChallenge@ct.gov.  Any clarification or supplemental information will be added to this webpage. 

 

Mailing List:

Sign up for the Mailing List to receive any notifications on this Program.