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