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2024 Building Official Training (BOT) Municipal Grant

Second offering

Purpose

During the first application period of the 2024 BOT grants, there were eight grants available and five were awarded (see first offering below). Now, a second application period is open to allow competition for the remaining three grants.

Application period

The application period for the second offering of the 2024 BOT Grant program opens Feb. 12, 2024, and ends at 4 p.m., March 1, 2024.

A copy of the request for proposal (RFP), proposal application and associated documents are posted below. Details about submitting proposals are in the RFP and proposal application.

Grant timeline

  • Feb. 12, 2024:  Notice is published and application period opens.

  • Feb. 23, 2024:  Noon is the deadline to submit questions about the RFP, application help, content intentions or clarifications and qualifications. Check the FAQs below for answers.

  • March 1, 2024:  Proposal applications are due by 4 p.m.

  • Awards are announced the first week of April.

  • April 1, 2024, or the date the contract agreement is executed, whichever occurs later, the period of performance (2024 second grant cycle) begins.

  • March 31, 2025, the grant cycle (period of performance) ends.

Objective

The BOT Grant Program will, through partial funding and training guidance, assist qualified municipalities to establish or continue inclusive training programs that will provide on-the-job training and education under the direct supervision of the municipality’s Minnesota-certified building official. The municipality’s trainee may achieve experience in building plan review and building inspections per Minnesota Rules 1301.0300 section C (1) by serving as a construction code inspector as specified in Minnesota Statutes 326B.135 and achieve the competency criteria detailed in Minn. R. 1301.1400. The grant program goal for the trainee is to gain a building official-limited or building official certification.

Eligibility

To be considered eligible, all applicants must be a qualified municipality. For the BOT grant, “municipality” is defined in Minn. R. 1300.0070 subp. 17 and Minn. Stat. 326B.103 subd. 9 as a city, county, or town. To be a qualified municipality:

  1. A municipality must administer and enforce the Minnesota State Building Code by having adopted the code by ordinance in compliance with Minn. Stat. 326B.121 subd. 2(a)(b).

  2. Education and training must be under the direct supervision of the municipality's Minnesota-certified building official in accordance with Minn. R. 1301.0300 p. C (1). A building official-limited can NOT be the training supervisor.

  3. Meet the application deadline.

Award amounts

  • Total funds allocated for this grant cycle:  $195,000.

  • The maximum amount applicants can request is up to $65,000.

  • DLI plans to award funding for up to three grants.

  • Grants that are awarded will be restricted to one BOT grant per municipality to either hire a new trainee or extend the training of an existing BOT grant trainee toward a higher Minnesota certification.

  • The awarded funds are not intended to fully fund the trainee position. Grantee contribution is expected.

Informational webinar

A link to an informational webinar recording will be posted here when available.

Questions?

Submit questions about the RFP, proposal application help, content intentions or clarifications and qualifications by email until noon on Feb. 23, 2024, to:  bot.dli@state.mn.us. Check the FAQ page below for answers. For help obtaining documents, contact Terence Olson at 651-284-5627.

RFP, proposal application, and related materials

First offering

Give grants were awarded in January 2024 as part of the first offering of the 2024 BOT municipal grant. Those grants were awarded to:  Moorhead, Sartell, Shakopee, St. Paul and Worthington.