FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
     
    JEANINE BLOMBERG
    Commissioner of Education
     
      
     
     
     
    Division of Community Colleges
     
     
      
    325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 1314 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0407 • www.fldoe.org/cc
     
    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
      
     
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Chairman
    Members
    DONNA G. CALLAWAY
    DR. AKSHAY DESAI
    ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
    PHOEBE RAULERSON
    KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
    LINDA K. TAYLOR
     
     
     
    Memorandum Number 07-11
     
    July 24, 2007
     
     
    M E M O R A N D U M
     
    TO:
    Community College Presidents
     
     
    FROM:
    Dr. Judith Bilsky, Executive Vice Chancellor
     
     
    SUBJECT:
    Requests for Funding Projects Under the Florida Community College System
    Facility Enhancement Challenge Grant Program for 2008-2009
     
     
    To assist the Florida Department of Education in meeting Strategic Imperative Seven, Aligning
    Financial Resources with Performance, the Comm
    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 2008-09 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.

     
    Memorandum Number 07-11
    Page Two
    July 24, 2007
     
     
    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 2008-09 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, 2008. The Division of Community Colleges, with the approval of the
    State Board of Education, will initially request the Legislature to consider all eligible 2008-09
    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, 2008.
     
    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 returned by
    August 16, 2007
    ,
     
    to the following address:
     
    Ron Fahs, Director of Facilities Planning and Budgeting
    Division of Community Colleges
    325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1314
    Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
     
    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 (850) 245-9490 or
    Lisa Cook at (850) 245-9487.
     
    JB/rf
     
    c: Community College Business Officers
    Community College Facilities Directors/Planners
    Community College Foundation Directors
    Community College Reports Coordinator
    Mr. Spessard Boatright, Director, Office of Educational Facilities
    Ms. Charlene Waltz, Budgeting Administrator, Office of Educational Facilities
     
    Mr. Ron Fahs, Director, Facilities Planning and Budgeting
     
     

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