6 funding sources for charter school construction

Editor's note: This article was published as part of our April 2013 report on "23 things you need to know about charter schools."

Competition for grants, loans, and bond financing among charter schools is heating up, so make your clients aware of these potential sources recommended by experts we consulted for our charter schools report:

1. Opportunity Finance Network (www.opportunityfinance.net), a national network of community development financial institutions, known as CDFIs.

2. Charter School Development Corporation (www.csdc.org), a CDFI with a focus on charter schools that serve predominately low-income students and communities with poorly performing public schools.

3. Partners for the Common Good (www.pcgloanfund.org), a nonprofit community investment corporation.

4. The Reinvestment Fund (www.trfund.com), which finances charter schools in the Mid-Atlantic states.

5. Local Initiatives Support Corp. (www.lisc.org), a nonprofit group that supports charters serving low-income neighborhoods.

6. State and local finance funds, such as the Illinois Finance Fund (www.iff.org). In Los Angeles, where 12% of public school children attend charters, the Los Angeles Unified School District has allocated $30 million from Proposition 39 bonds to “augment” up to 35% of the cost of a qualifying charter construction plan. So far, three projects have been approved.

GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

Corporate carbon reduction pledges will have big impact on office market

Corporate carbon reduction commitments will have a significant impact on office leasing over the next few years. Businesses that have pledged to reduce their organization’s impact on climate change must ensure their next lease allows them to show material progress on their goals, according to a report by JLL.

Adaptive Reuse | Mar 21, 2024

Massachusetts launches program to spur office-to-residential conversions statewide

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently launched a program to help cities across the state identify underused office buildings that are best suited for residential conversions.

Image by RAEng_Publications from Pixabay

Legislation | Mar 21, 2024

Bill would mandate solar panels on public buildings in New York City

A recently introduced bill in the New York City Council would mandate solar panel installations on the roofs of all city-owned buildings. The legislation would require 100 MW of solar photovoltaic systems be installed on public buildings by the end of 2025.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

BOMA updates floor measurement standard for office buildings

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its latest floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings – ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024.