Accelerating Access to DEEP Funding
DEEP is accelerating access to its funding through 20BY26 Goals 11 and 15.
In Goal 11, DEEP is speeding up key grant and contracting processes that it controls. DEEP administers roughly 35 individual grant programs from 14 different federal agencies totaling $370 million and counting. These funds support agency operations and pass-through contracts to nonprofits, municipalities, and other grantees. Background on this goal is presented in DEEP’s 20BY26, Setting the Target: CT DEEP 2026 Goals (February 2024).
Latest Progress (as of Winter 2025)
In Q1 2025, the time to execute a contract fell to an average of 103 days in 2024, representing a 69% improvement (reduction) on processing time since the 2021/2022 baseline average of 335 days.
DEEP executed 221 contracts from 2021 to the end of Q1 2025, with 49 of those just in this quarter, and has 92 current pending contracts for grants awarded in 2024 and 2025. This chart highlights the number of fully executed contracts versus the number of contracts still pending execution across the five major grant programs – Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), Clean Vessel Act (CVA), Recreational Trails (Rec Trails), Urban Forestry (UCF), and Watersheds (WS).
The scatter chart below shows reductions in days to execute a contract across the five programs over the last three years, as of Q1 2025. Implementation of a Microsoft Planner Board with associated flow charts and SOPs and the development of contract templates for some programs are the most transformational changes responsible for reducing the time from award letter to contract execution.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT
Up Next
DEEP will develop a tool for applicants to easily locate grant opportunities on DEEP's Grants & Financial Assistance webpage and will report on our progress in speeding up contracting processes. DEEP will also create additional resources, such as a Grants 101 webpage with an introductory webinar on the grants and loans tool and an interactive visual highlighting the various steps of DEEP’s contracting process.
GOAL 11 PROGRESS FROM PREVIOUS QUARTERS
Fall 2024
DEEP established a tracking baseline that starts with the grant award letter and ends with a fully executed, signed contract to measure and assess success metrics for this goal. During Q4 2024, DEEP collected baseline data for four of its main grant programs on contracting timeframes, focusing on the last two complete grant contracting years (2022 and 2023) to compare with the current year (2024). DEEP’s agency-wide planner board went online earlier this year, and some of the most recent results might be incomplete until 2025. During the 2022 – 2024 period, there were 172 executed contracts as well as 85 contracts still pending execution. The average number of days to execute these grant contracts fell over the years. The Aquatic Invasive Species program executed about 12 contracts per year, ranging from 268 days to issue in 2022, down to 84 days in 2024. About 30 contracts per year were executed under the Clean Vessels Act and completed in 200 days in 2022, down to 153 days in 2023. The RecTrails program executed about 38 contracts per year, ranging from about 498 days to issue in 2022, down to 204 days in 2023. Urban Community Forest grants executed about 21 contracts in 2022 and were completed in 149 days, down to 108 days across 10 contracts in 2024. Watershed grants executed 7 contracts in 2022, taking 602 days to complete, down to 158 days across 3 contracts in 2024.
Summer 2024
DEEP welcomed a durational Federal Grants Policy Advisor in the Commissioner’s Office and two Grants & Contract Specialists in DEEP's Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy (BETP). DEEP researched various contract management systems, and BETP field-tested a new "application to fulfillment" grant management tool through Amplifund with the acceptance of applications for broadband access. In August, DEEP conducted outreach with the Opportunities for Funding Connecticut Communities webinar.
Winter and Spring 2024
DEEP deployed an agency-wide contracting planner board, developed legal contract templates for individual grant programs, and conducted training to map the contracting process for staff internally as well as speed contract drafting.
In Goal 15, DEEP is focused on leveraging vital federal and state incentives and funding to expand clean energy, energy efficiency, broadband, and reduction of greenhouse gases, among other environmental priorities, and sharing this information broadly with residents and businesses. Background on this goal is presented in DEEP’s 20BY26, Setting the Target: CT DEEP 2026 Goals (February 2024).
Latest Progress (as of Winter 2025)
DEEP finalized the design of the Funding Opportunities Dashboard and created an instructional video. This updated site enables applicants to search for available funding across various parameters including eligibility, funding program, and type of project.
Up Next
DEEP will issue an RFP to contract with a vendor (Solicitation # DEEP042125SW, closing on June 23), and will continue working with interested stakeholders, to develop the Energy, Sustainability & Broadband Navigator Tool. This tool will more easily connect residents with the available state, local, and federal energy, sustainability, and broadband incentives and funding opportunities.
DEEP will also connect with OPM on the state’s pilot of a total grant management system.
GOAL 15 PROGRESS FROM PREVIOUS QUARTERS
Fall 2024
DEEP prepared the draft Request for Proposals for our Energy, Sustainability, & Broadband Navigator Tool. In addition, DEEP used Power BI to create a tool for applicants to search grant opportunities on our Grants & Financial Assistance webpage (see coordination with Goal 11), and updated the information on our BIL / IRA webpage to show where DEEP is now with respect to the funding awarded - DEEP was granted over $500 million, with approximately half of the awards for clean, efficient, and reliable energy.
Summer 2024
DEEP added new graphics to the BIL/IRA dashboard to show DEEP's involvement in large multi-state grant coalitions.
Winter and Spring 2024
DEEP launched its BIL/IRA online transparency dashboard for over $370 million in BIL and IRA funds.
Content last updated July 2025