FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
JOHN L. WINN
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
Memorandum Number 06-20
July 24, 2006
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
Community College Presidents
FROM:
J. David Armstrong, Jr.
SUBJECT:
Requests for Funding Projects under the Florida Community College System
Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant Program for 2007-2008
To assist the Florida Department of Education in meeting Strategic Imperative Seven, Aligning
Financial Resources with Performance, the Community College System must allocate resources
used to improve student and institutional performance.
The Community College System Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant Program, under Section
1011.32, Florida Statutes, is a 50/50 capital facilities matching grant program between the state
and private funds, including local governments but not funds from either state or federal sources.
To be eligible for consideration, projects must be plant survey recommended and included in the
5-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Projects must be approved by the State Board of
Education as part of the 2007-08 Fixed Capital Outlay Legislative Budget Request.
The Direct Support Organizations (DSOs) that serve the community colleges must solicit funds
from private or local government sources for the development of high priority instructional and
community related capital facilities. The DSOs must set up a separate capital facilities matching
account for the purpose of receiving and providing matching funds for the projects.
Appropriated matching funds will be transferred to the community colleges after matching funds
(cash) are certified as available by the DSOs and the colleges.
J. DAVID ARMSTRONG, JR.
Chancellor, Community Colleges and Workforce Education
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 1314 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0407 • www.fldoe.org/cc
Memorandum Number 06-20
Page Two
July 24, 2006
As you are aware, the Legislature fully funded the Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant
Program this year. Therefore, there are no carryover projects which need continued funding. At
this time, the colleges must submit a request for new projects for which they plan to seek state
matching funds. Requests for these 2007-08 projects should be limited to those projects for
which it can be reasonably expected that the total required matching funds will be in the DSO’s
accounts by February 1, 2007. The Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education,
with the approval of the State Board of Education, will initially request the Legislature to
consider all eligible 2007-08 projects for a matching appropriation from state funds. This
request will be amended based on a status report of cash actually in the DSO’s separate capital
facilities matching accounts by February 1, 2007.
Requests for new Facility Enhancement Challenge Matching Grant Program Projects must
include the information requested on the CIP-8 Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant Program
Project Explanation form and be included in the college’s CIP. This form has been sent to your
staff and is similar to the other forms used in your Capital Improvement Program. Your
college’s Facilities Director/Planner knows how to fill out these forms. Please coordinate any
project with the facility staff.
All requests for a State Community College System Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant
Program Project should be forwarded to my office to the attention of Ron Fahs by
August 16, 2006
. We will provide this information as an estimate to be included in the
Department of Education’s Fixed Capital Outlay Budget to the Governor’s Office and the
Legislature for the Florida Community College System.
If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Ron Fahs at SUNCOM
205-9490, or (850) 245-9490.
JDA/rff
c:
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Community College Business Officers
Community College Facilities Directors/Planners
Community College Foundation Directors
Community College Reports Coordinator
Mr. Spessard Boatright
Ms. Charlene Waltz
