How To

Grant Commitments

There are two ways to receive a commitment for a school construction grant from the State of Connecticut:

• Authorization by the Connecticut General Assembly through the annual Priority List
• Authorization by the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services for projects pursuant to C.G.S. 10-283(b) Opens in a new window

 
The Office of Grants Administration strongly encourages towns and districts seeking a grant to prepare as much required documentation as possible before submitting an application.  

Documentation and approvals required in addition to the grant application include:

• Education specifications with written approval by the local or regional board of education or governing body 
  • Sec. 10-287c-11 Opens in a new window
• Local Legislative Resolutions 
  • C.G.S. 10-283(a)(1) Opens in a new windowOpens in a new window
• Proof of Local Authorized Funding Opens in a new window
  • C.G.S. 10-283(d)

 
Listed below are additional submissions that may be required depending on the project type:

• Enrollment projection report supporting the highest eight-year projected enrollment for all projects except for code violation, roof replacement, Board of Education space, vocational agricultural equipment, and certified indoor air quality emergency projects.
• FORM DAS-053 submitted to the Office of Grants Administration.
• Formal approval(s) by the State Department of Education (Vocational agricultural, interdistrict magnet, regional special education center projects), if applicable.
• Renovation status approval. A copy of the written approval from the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services awarding Renovation Status as defined under C.G.S. 10-282 (18) Opens in a new window.
• Roof sketch and key consistent with education specifications and labeled with programmatic areas for all projects including roof replacement work.
• Vocational Agricultural equipment list, if applicable.

 
Authorization by the General Assembly – Priority List

 

All projects are required to be authorized through the legislature except for those described under C.G.S. 10-283(b) Opens in a new window. Important dates and timing regarding the Priority List project authorization timeline is listed below:

 

• June 30th – Annual Application Deadline 
• December 15th – DAS submits Priority List to Governor and Education Committee
• February 1st – Education Committee submits approved or modified Priority List to Governor and General Assembly
• Spring/Summer – General Assembly authorizes the Commissioner of DAS to enter into grant commitments on behalf of the State.  DAS notifies applicants of grant commitments.

 
Authorization pursuant to C.G.S. 10-283(b) – Non-Priority List

 

Pursuant to C.G.S. 10-283(b) [Opens in a new window], Non-Priority List projects are, “(A) To assist school building projects to remedy damage from fire and catastrophe, (B) to correct safety, health and other code violations, (C) to replace roofs, including the replacement or installation of skylights as part of the roof replacement project, (D) to remedy a certified school indoor air quality emergency, (E) to install insulation for exterior walls and attics, (F) to purchase and install a limited use and limited access elevator, windows, photovoltaic panels, wind generation systems, building management systems, a public school administrative or service facility or portable classroom buildings, provided portable classroom building projects shall not create a new facility or cause an existing facility to be modified so that the portable buildings comprise a substantial percentage of the total facility area, as determined by the commissioner, or (G) for school security projects, including, but not limited to, making improvements to existing school security infrastructure or installing new school security infrastructure.”  

Non-priority projects are not subject to the Priority List schedule prescribed above, and are approved for grant commitments by the Commissioner of Administrative Services.

Please note that the issuance of state grant commitments is not to be confused with the approval to begin construction.  The licensed architects within the Office of Grants Administration oversee all public school construction plan approval requirements for projects seeking state grant assistance.  Each project requires plan approval of each relevant phase prior to the work being publicly bid.  Construction costs expended on projects that have not received plan approval to be publicly bid will be ineligible for grant assistance.