Targeted Brownfield Development Loan Program

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, through its Office of Community Development, is accepting applications for Round 24RL of the Targeted Brownfield Development Loan Program. The program operates under Connecticut General Statutes Section 32-765 and provides low-interest financing for eligible brownfield remediation projects. Its purpose is to assist potential brownfield purchasers and current brownfield owners that have no direct or related liability for existing contamination and that intend to redevelop brownfields to reduce blight or support industrial, commercial, residential, or mixed-use development. For this program, a brownfield is an abandoned or underutilized site where redevelopment, reuse, or expansion has not occurred because actual or potential pollution in buildings, soil, or groundwater requires investigation or remediation. Round 24RL permits requests from $500,000 through $6,000,000 per application or project, and applicants may submit multiple projects through separate applications. The total funding pool available across all DECD Round 24 notices is up to $25 million. Funding is subject to State Bond Commission approval. Eligible costs include soil, groundwater, and infrastructure investigation; assessment; remediation; abatement; hazardous material or waste disposal; long-term groundwater monitoring or natural attenuation monitoring; institutional controls; certain attorneys fees; planning, engineering, and environmental consulting; demolition; asbestos abatement; PCB removal; contaminated wood or paint removal; and other infrastructure remedial activities. DECD is not offering loan forgiveness under this NOFA. Minimum loan terms include a 3 percent interest rate and a term of up to 30 years, generally matching private debt financing terms. Loan deferral may be negotiated based on project cash flow and the redevelopment schedule, but balloon payment plans will not be approved. Participation requires minimum developer equity equal to at least 10 percent of total project cost. Acceptable equity may include assessment costs, local bonding, cash, administrative expenses, predevelopment expenses, property acquisition costs, deferred developer fees, and other applicant investments acceptable to the DECD Commissioner. Eligible applicants include potential brownfield purchasers and current brownfield owners, including for-profit and nonprofit entities, municipalities, Connecticut brownfield land banks, economic development agencies, and regional councils of governments. Persons or entities responsible for contamination are ineligible. Applicants must demonstrate that the site qualifies as a brownfield, that the applicant has no direct or related liability for its conditions, and that the applicant has site access, site control, or a path to site control. Applicants also must be registered to do business in Connecticut and be in good standing without pending lawsuits, filed liens, or tax arrears. Projects with a housing component must comply with the applicable DECD Affordable Housing policy. Applications must be completed and submitted exclusively through the DECD Euna electronic application portal. Email and hard copy applications are not accepted for Round 24RL. The application contains Part A, Threshold Eligibility Section, and Part B, Project Details, and an application may be denied after review of Part A. Applicants should follow the Euna Applicant Portal Guide and ensure attachments are numbered and labeled to correspond with Section V, Document Checklist. Incomplete applications may score poorly or be rejected. Applications are accepted through noon on September 9, 2026, after which the Euna portal will close. Questions not already addressed in the FAQ were due to brownfields@ct.gov by noon on August 12, 2026, with any FAQ addendum scheduled for posting by August 14, 2026. Applications are scored on shovel-readiness and project merits, including completeness of remediation and redevelopment plans; economic and community development impact; financing; and applicant experience. Considerations include location in a distressed municipality or Opportunity Zone, Environmental Justice goals, increases in property value and municipal tax contributions, job creation, alignment with identified industrial sectors and renewable energy activities, green building and resiliency measures, affordable or workforce housing and other DECD initiatives, loan-to-value ratio, private leverage, developer equity, and experience completing similar projects on time and within budget. Projects also must comply with applicable prevailing wage requirements. Applicants may be required to provide a corporate or personal guarantee and a mortgage lien, and the program imposes a ten-year negative pledge and use restriction covenant. Housing projects meeting the stated residential thresholds are subject to affordable housing requirements. The NOFA was issued July 15, 2026. A Round 24 overview webinar was scheduled for July 28, 2026, and individualized office hours were offered during July and August. Applicants should tentatively expect clarification questions during September and October 2026, with award announcements tentatively scheduled for November or December 2026. Questions may be directed to the preferred program email at brownfields@ct.gov or the dedicated Brownfields hotline at 860-500-2395. The source materials also identify Binu Chandy at 860-500-2454 and binu.chandy@ct.gov as a program contact. The program makes loans periodically through competitive funding rounds announced by NOFA; however, the provided materials do not establish a fixed annual, quarterly, or other recurring schedule.

Submit a complete and succinct application because incomplete applications may score poorly or be rejected. Demonstrate complete remediation and redevelopment plans and strong shovel-readiness. Quantify economic and community development benefits including jobs, property value and municipal tax contributions where applicable. Clearly document private leverage, developer equity and financing strength. Highlight applicable distressed municipality, Opportunity Zone, Environmental Justice, renewable energy, green building, resiliency, housing, transit-oriented development and other DECD initiative benefits. Demonstrate experience completing similar projects on time and within budget.