SERVICES
School Facility Consultants (SFC) is a full service company assisting school districts, county offices of education, private agencies, architects, and developers in all aspects of school facility planning. SFC and its affiliate offer a wide variety of services to clients, including, but not limited to the following:


STATE FUNDING ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION
California school districts and County offices of education have the potential to realize significant State funding contributions through individualized analysis of funding eligibility under the States School Facility Program (SFP). SFC consulting staff is trained to analyze complex data sets in order to determine eligibility and access funding available through the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) and other State agencies. SFC assists districts in navigating the multi-step requirements and coordinating with these agencies through the entire funding process.


FUNDING STRATEGY
By synthesizing our various areas of technical expertise, SFC consulting staff is equipped to develop complex and effective long and short term funding strategies that provide proven results in facilities funding. As a full-service consulting firm, SFC has the ability to take school districts facilities projects from start to finish, applying methodology that garners the greatest funding gains while addressing specific and individual project needs which may evolve during the life of the project. SFC assists clients in providing a long term strategy which results in maximizing outside funding sources to expand the life of their local funding availability. These efforts ultimately afford our clients with the ability to provide additional and enhanced learning environments for students.


PROJECT CLOSEOUT AND AUDIT SUPPORT
As part of participation in the SFP, school districts and county offices of education are required by statute and regulation to conform to a number of certifications, as well as to ensure that funds received are expended appropriately. As part of the project closeout process, OPSC conducts extensive audits, during which clients are asked to produce evidence of project expenditures and compliance with certifications. SFC assists clients in compiling the documentation necessary to demonstrate conformance with expenditure requirements and the numerous certifications in order for clients to retain their awarded project funding amounts.


MASTER PLANNING
Clients utilize Master Plans to forecast their facility needs into the future. SFC produces comprehensive Master Plans for clients, which assess potential impacts associated with outside area developments such as new residential development, shifts in demographic trends, and fluctuating district boundaries. Unification studies, territory transfer and school site placement are interpreted as the physical needs of clients facilities are also assessed and addressed through use of Master Plans.


DEVELOPER FEE STUDIES
School districts are authorized to collect impact fees on new residential and commercial/industrial development pursuant to California law. The preparation of developer fee studies in accordance with statute is required in order for districts to collect these fees. These studies utilize local district data, including new residential development, historical statistical information, and school construction costs to determine the dollar amount that can be justified for collection by the school district. SFCs Planning Division prepares Justification Studies (Level 1) and School Facility Needs Analysis Studies (Level 2 and 3) according to the Education and Government Code provisions.


FEDERAL FUNDING
A variety of funding options are available to school districts beyond what is offered through the State School Facility Program. SFC helps clients seek a broad scope of funding sources through specific federal programs. Many of these federal programs mandate that funds be applied to particular, substantiated uses. SFC reviews clients projects relative to these federal programs to ensure that clients maintain the ability to meet those accounting requirements.


LOCAL SUPPORT SERVICES
Our Sacramento office serves as the heart of our operation, providing our consultants with immediate access to State Agency representatives and legislators. In order to provide the customized services that our clients require and depend upon, SFC also maintains a presence throughout the State. In addition to its Sacramento location, SFC has consulting staff located in the San Francisco Bay Area, we maintain office space in Fresno County, and our consultants regularly participate in workshops, seminars, and frequent client meetings in Southern California. By being available throughout all regions of California, we are able to provide our clients with valuable face-to-face meeting time in their home territories.


ALMA STRATEGIES
ALMA Strategies, an affiliated company of School Facility Consultants, was established in 2009 as a response to our clients' requests for integrated planning and financing solutions to their Capital Programs. We are a facilities and capital program planning services firm specializing in the educational market sector (California community colleges and K-12). Our team has over two decades of dedicated experience in facilities planning. Our office headquarters is strategically located in Sacramento California for proximity to the State agencies that oversee educational legislation and planning practices.