Proposition 2 and Incentive Grant Funding: From Award to Permanent Home
A school has won a facilities award—now what? Turning Proposition 2 (Prop 2) and Charter School Facility Incentive Grant Program (Incentive Grant) awards into completed school projects requires far more than securing funding. From Public Contract Code compliance to managing development timelines and avoiding costly missteps, charter leaders must navigate a highly technical process with little margin for error. This session is designed for charter school leaders, operations staff, and board members seeking practical guidance on moving from award notification to a permanent school facility. Drawing on legal expertise and real world project experience, presenters will walk attendees through the full lifecycle of a state funded facilities project—including fund deployment, compliance requirements, procurement considerations, and common pitfalls that can delay or derail progress. Participants will hear directly from a seasoned charter facilities attorney and school leaders who have successfully completed Prop 2 and Incentive Grant funded projects. The session will highlight lessons learned, compliance strategies, and decision points that materially affect schedules, budgets, and long term outcomes. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to responsibly steward public facilities funding, reduce risk, and translate state awards into high quality, permanent campuses that serve under resourced communities.
Presented by
Jennifer Afdahl Rice Executive Director, Northern California Blueprint
Jennifer Afdahl Rice brings over 25 years of finance experience and 15+ years in charter school financial management. Prior to joining Blueprint, she served as Chief Client Services Officer at CSMC, supporting charter schools as a consultant CFO and leading business development. Her background includes nonprofit lending and banking roles at Harris Bank. Jennifer has held board leadership roles, including President and Treasurer of Community Learning Center Schools, and served on boards and committees for Bread for the World, the Unity Council, and local organizations. She holds a master’s in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.
Katrina Johantgen Executive Director California School Finance Authority
Katrina is seasoned public finance professional with over 31 years of experience in program administration. Katrina started her career as an investment banker and financial advisor serving municipalities throughout California. Since 2000, Katrina has overseen the California School Finance Authority, housed with the California State Treasurer's Office. In this role, Katrina and her team have been responsible for developing myriad financing programs to assist California charter schools, school districts, and community college districts. Katrina loves the challenge of her role at the Authority and is grateful for her amazing team at CSFA.Katrina leads an amazing team of dedicated public servants to reach high quality charter schools throughout California and assist with facility and working capital funding needs.
Sarah Kollman Partner/Attorney Young, Minney & Corr LLP
Throughout the past two decades, Sarah Kollman has been a dedicated and passionate advocate for education and schools of choice. She has focused her practice on safeguarding the rights of educational institutions to high-quality educational facilities, with a primary emphasis on Proposition 39, lease negotiations, facility purchases, and tax-exempt conduit bond transactions. Sarah's expertise also extends to areas such as zoning and building code compliance, public works requirements, and construction contracts.
Markus Mullarkey President Caliber Public Schools
