CIP Grant Applications

During FY 11, SERRC Facilities Team wrote 44% of all submitted Capital Improvement Project Grant applications and 13 of the 16 projects funded by the Alaska State Legislature.

Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Grant Applications, made to the Alaska Department of Education Early Development, enable school districts to secure funding for planning and construction of vital capital projects.  However, this process is very competitive, and putting together the pieces needed for a successful application can leave district administrators and maintenance staff feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Grant applications must be submitted to EED prior to the first of September each year.  There they are scored by EED staff and the projects placed on one of two ranked CIP priority lists, for either major maintenance or new school construction.  These lists are then submitted to the governor and legislature where the funding level and number of projects in the capital budget will be determined.  

For many years, CIP applications have been the foundation of SERRC Facilities Services.  SERRC has been responsible for the submission of hundreds of applications that have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in funded capital projects throughout the state. This is what we do, and because of our experience, we understand the scoring process and recognize what is required for a successful CIP application.  We’ve had a very good record of success over the years, and applications we prepare have traditionally scored quite well on the state’s CIP priority lists.  Though we cannot control how many projects will be included in the capital budget in any given year, positioning your project high on the CIP priority list is crucial in the quest for funding.

In addition to the CIP grant applications, if you are a city or borough school district with the ability to bond CIP projects, SERRC can also assist you with an Application for State Aid for Debt Retirement.  Under this program, your district can be reimbursed for up to 70% of the cost of repaying voter approved bonds sold to fund your project.  As the level of reimbursement can depend on several factors, we’ll work with you to determine the level of funding that you can expect for your project.  In some cases this program can be used to fund projects that might otherwise be difficult to complete.  Debt Reimbursement applications can be submitted at any time during the year, and generally are not competitive; however, the project does still need to be approved by EED. 

SERRC can also assist your district in obtaining the additional elements required to create a successful application.  We can help prepare Educational Specifications for a new facility, in obtaining a Facility Condition Survey for an existing facility, or in enlisting a design firm to provide preliminary design information for a project.  We can also assist you in meeting the Maintenance Management requirements necessary to even submit a CIP application.