Announces Plan for Additional Round of Funding

(HARTFORD, CT) – Joined by board members and executives from provider agencies, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that 146 projects have been selected to receive a total of $20 million in awards as part of the state’s Nonprofit Grant Program.

“Partnering with these organizations is a smart fiscal investment to ensure that these agencies can continue to provide services while doing so in an efficient, cost-effective way,” said Governor Malloy, who made the announcement at Chrysalis Center, a provider agency slated to received funding to provide job training, employment services and conference space. “This is the largest commitment our state has made to support and invest in these community-based organizations that provide critical services to individuals in every city and town in our state.”

Under Section 13 of Public Act 13-239, adopted last June, the purpose of the NGP is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, safety and/or accessibility of health and human services being delivered by nonprofit organizations. The program was designed to invest in nonprofit providers that have contracts or agreements with state agencies.

Terry Edelstein, the Governor’s Nonprofit Liaison, stated, “The many organizations that submitted proposals demonstrated loud and clear that nonprofit organizations continue to face challenges in providing services and supports for individuals with disabilities and those with significant challenges. And yet their project proposals reflected the creativity, ingenuity and strategic approaches necessary to continue to fulfill their missions. I herald our administration for initiating the bond program, the legislature for supporting the program and the nonprofit community-based providers for articulating their needs so well.”

Grants will be awarded to 81 nonprofit agencies in 38 cities and towns.

Description of Awards:

Renovations, Improvements and Health and Safety Projects – $10,874,563

• ·         Improving program accessibility, including compliance with ADA requirements, for disabled and other clients, many with special needs.
• ·         Improving the health and safety for program clients through building security systems, fire safety improvements, code work and other improvements.
• ·         Modifications, improvements and expansions to meeting growing demand for community services and to more effectively meet the needs of existing clients.
• ·         Purchase and installation of generators to prevent service disruption to vulnerable clients with special needs and to avoid the need for alternative housing and lost food supplies during power outages.
• ·         Addressing deferred maintenance and building capital needs, including roofs and other renovations, to ensure safe and efficient service delivery of services and prevent the need for greater expenditures in the future.

Information Technology/Emergency Medical Records – $3,688,775

• ·         A number of IT projects involved new telecommunication systems and other information technology projects to improve client services and provider efficiency.
• ·         Emergency Medical Records (EMR) projects will result in better information and decision making when caring for clients, increased productivity for clinical and other staff, reduced paperwork and more efficient compliance with federal and state reporting requirement.

Vehicle Purchases – $3,036,302

• ·         Vehicle purchases help replace aging vehicles with safer, more reliable and energy efficient and accessible vehicles. Vehicles are often an important component of service delivery in terms of getting clients to appointments, educational opportunities and employment.

Energy Upgrades/Improvements – $2,400,360

• ·         Energy upgrades include HVAC projects, installation of energy efficient windows, conversion, and other projects.

A second round of funding will be announced when additional funding is available afterJuly 1. In addition, Governor Malloy’s budget proposal recommends an additional $30 million for nonprofit organizations in FY15 bringing the total funding amount that year to $50 million.

More information is available on the OPM website.

**Download: List of 146 projects awarded funding as part of the 2014 Nonprofit Grant Program Awards