MSBA accepting Statements of Interest for consideration in 2025

On Jan. 13, the Massachusetts School Building Authority began accepting Statements of Interest for consideration in 2025.

Submitting an SOI is the critical first step in the MSBA’s program for school building construction, addition, and/or renovation or repair grants. It allows districts to inform the MSBA about deficiencies that may exist in a local school facility and how those deficiencies inhibit the delivery of the district’s educational program.

March 21 is the SOI closing date for districts submitting for consideration under the Accelerated Repair Program, which is intended for roofs, windows/doors, and heat pump conversions in existing school facilities.

April 11 is the SOI closing date for districts submitting for consideration under the Core Program, which is intended for new construction, additions, and/or renovation projects. For more information, see the Core Program SOI Overview on the MSBA website.

The MSBA encourages all interested districts to submit an SOI to the MSBA, but the ARP is not appropriate for all potential projects. With each ARP project, the MSBA intends to prolong the longevity of the existing building and improve the environment of the school.

See the ARP SOI Overview on the MSBA website to view the changes to the ARP in 2025 and determine if submitting an SOI for a potential ARP project is appropriate.

Beginning this year, the ARP will have a biennial SOI opening (every two years). To facilitate schools moving toward Massachusetts’ goal for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the MSBA is introducing heat pump conversion projects to ARP in 2025. The MSBA will continue to open the Statement of Interest System annually for consideration in the Core Program.

The MSBA has made changes to its SOI template for the 2025 filing period.

If the district submitted a Core Program or ARP SOI in 2024 and intends to use the pre-populate option to update this year’s SOI, changes to the SOI template may impact responses to certain questions.

Supporting material is required when selecting Statutory Priorities 1 and 3. Districts may also decide to provide supplemental material. In both cases, the information must be electronically uploaded to the SOI system as a condition of submitting an SOI this year. Hard copies will no longer be accepted.