Funding Eligibility: Modernization Grants

The modernization grant program provides State funds on an 80 percent State/20 percent local cost-sharing basis, for education-related improvements to existing school facilities.

• Covered Costs
• Eligibility
• Grant Amounts

Covered Costs

Modernization grant amounts are intended to provide the State share of all necessary project costs except utilities and off-site and service-site development. Projects may include work for installing or improving air conditioning, plumbing, lighting, and electrical systems. "Necessary costs" include:

• Project design
• Construction
• General site development
• Education technology
• Unconventional energy (such as solar heating)
• Tests
• Inspections
• Furniture and equipment

Your district also may receive a separate design grant, but only in financial hardship circumstances.

Eligibility

Your eligibility for basic funding is based on your district's:

• Need to modernize buildings over 25 years old or portable classrooms over 20 years old
  Funding levels are established in law for each pupil to be housed in the improved facilities (unhoused students). To determine the number of unhoused students, use existing site-specific enrollments.
• Ability to provide local funding to cover 20% of the project cost
  Your district must demonstrate the availability of matching funds from local sources. If you are unable to achieve the required matching levels, you may apply for financial hardship assistance.

Supplemental funding is available in the categories listed below. Contact the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) for details as to whether your district is eligible.

• Special education
• Geographic location: locations that are remote or difficult to access, or which lack a pool of contractors
• Small-size projects
• Urban locations, impacted sites, or areas with security issues where the useable site acreage is less than 75 percent of the site size recommended by the California Department of Education (CDE)
• Handicap access, fire code compliance, and elevators for handicap access
• Project assistance

Grant Amounts

Basic funding is available according to the number of unhoused students affected, by grade level. The per-pupil grant amounts are:

Supplemental funding amounts vary. If the OPSC determines that your district is eligible for supplemental funding, it will also provide you with grant amounts.

Grant amounts are adjusted for inflation each year.