Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP)
Program Description
The Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) funds economic development, community conservation and quality of life projects for localities that are ineligible to receive Urban Action (CGS Section 4-66c) bonds. This program is administered by the Office of Policy and Management.
Like Urban Action, STEAP funds are issued by the State Bond Commission and can only be used for capital projects. Programmatic expenditures or recurring budget expenditures are not eligible for STEAP or any other state bond program. However, some projects while generally capital in nature, should not be funded with State bond money for various public policy reasons. Examples of these are 1) Administrative improvements; and 2) communications systems, such as police radios. Projects eligible for STEAP funds include:
1) economic development projects such as (a) constructing or rehabilitating commercial, industrial, or mixed-use structures and (b) constructing, reconstructing, or repairing roads access ways, and other site improvements;
2) recreation and solid waste disposal projects;
3) social service-related projects, including day care centers, elderly centers, domestic violence and emergency homeless shelters, multi purpose human resource centers, and food distribution facilities;
4) housing projects;
5) pilot historic preservation and redevelopment programs that leverage private funds; and
6) other kinds of development projects involving economic and community development, transportation, environmental protection, public safety, children and families and social service programs.
Eligibility
Localities may receive up to $500,000 per year if (1) they are not designated as a distressed municipality or a public investment community, and (2) the State Plan of Conservation Development does not show them as having a regional center.
Public Act 05-194 allows an Urban Act Town that is not designated as a regional center under the State Plan of Conservation and Development to opt out of the Urban Action program and become a STEAP town for a period of four years. In order to be for this change, the Office of Policy and Management must receive a letter requesting the change from Urban Act to STEAP as well as proof that the legislative body has approved such a change. Minutes from the legislative session as well as a resolution are acceptable methods of verification of the approval.
See list of current STEAP eligible localities.
Grant Activity
Public Act 07-7 authorized $20 million for STEAP in both fiscal year 2008 and fiscal year 2009. The fiscal year 2010 awards were approved by the State Bond Commission on September 25, 2009. See list of fiscal year 2010 awards.
Statutory Authority
C.G.S. 4-66c as amended by PA 07-7, Section 41, of the June Special Session.
General Statement of Process
Download: Application Form Adobe fillable format. If you are unable to use this file type, please contact our office and we will mail you a copy.
Project application forms and any additional support documentation must be sent directly to Robert L. Genuario, Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to the attention of Lisa DuBois either by mailing all required documents to 450 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06106. Please include two copies of all documentation to this office, one original and one copy.
Various state agencies will review and share comments with OPM on project applications within their particular area of expertise (i.e. Economic and Community Development will review Economic Development and Housing applications, Environmental Protection will review park and water/sewer applications, etc.) In addition, OPM will conduct a review of applications in terms of the State Conservation and Development Plan. Applicants may be contacted by State agencies or OPM with questions or requests for more information with regard to applications. Applicants should be advised that contact by a State agency does NOT guarantee award funding, but is an important part of the review process.
Eligible Communities
| Andover |
Avon |
Barkhamsted |
Berlin |
| Bethany |
Bethel |
Bethlehem |
Bolton |
| Bozrah |
Branford |
Bridgewater |
Brookfield |
| Burlington |
Canaan |
Canton |
Cheshire |
| Chester |
Clinton |
Colebrook |
Columbia |
| Cornwall |
Coventry |
Cromwell |
Darien |
| Deep River |
Durham |
Eastford |
East Granby |
| East Haddam |
East Lyme |
Easton |
Ellington |
| Essex |
Farmington |
Fairfield |
Franklin |
| Glastonbury |
Goshen |
Granby |
Greenwich |
| Guilford |
Haddam |
Hartland |
Harwinton |
| Hebron |
Kent |
Killingworth |
Lebanon |
| Ledyard |
Lisbon |
Litchfield |
Lyme |
| Madison |
Mansfield |
Marlborough |
Middlebury |
| Middlefield |
Milford |
Monroe |
Montville |
| Morris |
New Canaan |
New Fairfield |
New Hartford |
| New Milford |
Newington |
Newtown |
Norfolk |
| North Branford |
North Haven |
North Stonington |
Old Lyme |
| Old Saybrook |
Orange |
Oxford |
Pomfret |
| Preston |
Prospect |
Redding |
Ridgefield |
| Rocky Hill |
Roxbury |
Salem |
Salisbury |
| Scotland |
Sharon |
Sherman |
Simsbury |
| Somers |
Southbury |
Southington |
South Windsor |
| Stonington |
Suffield |
Tolland |
Trumbull |
| Union |
Wallingford |
Warren |
Washington |
| Waterford |
Watertown |
Westbrook |
Weston |
| Westport |
Willington |
Wilton |
Windsor Locks |
| Wolcott |
Woodbridge |
Woodbury |
Woodstock |
