Educational Facilities Best Practices Summit
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does TUFF have a geographic footprint?
- What is the average size of TUFF's investments?
- What project types is TUFF eligible to invest?
- Does TUFF participate in the Request for Proposal (RFP) process?
- Who maintains control of the facility after it is in place?
- What is the typical length to conduct a financing?
Does TUFF have a geographic footprint?
TUFF has a nationwide charter and naturally tax-exempt within the United States, but has the ability to work anywhere in the world.
What is the average size of TUFF's investments?
Because of TUFF's tax-exempt status, the size and nature of its investments are driven by the unique needs of its institutional partners. To that end, TUFF has issed direct loans as small as $10,000 and made investmented in projects over $100 million.
What project types is TUFF eligible to invest?
While TUFF is a mission driven investor, there are no limits to the product type that TUFF may invest. To that end, Universities have found it advantageous for TUFF to partner with them in student housing projects, classroom and administration space, research facilities including wet and dry labs, structured parking decks, and athletic facilities.
Does TUFF participate in the Request for Proposal (RFP) process?
TUFF is frequenly asked to partner with architects and developers to enhance their response to a University issued RFP. While TUFF has participated in the RFP proccess, ideally TUFF's work begins with a conversation directly with a university's administrators when the project is first contemplated. This is because, as a counselor, TUFF is able to leverage its relationships and extensive knowledge of the marketplace to improve upon what an institution might have otherwise considered, ultimately providing a lower cost - higher quality alternative.
Who maintains control of the facility after it is in place?
After the facility is constructed and delivered to the institution, the institution maintains complete control of the asset. Unlike a traditional development structure, where the ownership of the facility might change hands many times during the life of the building, TUFF will maintain ownership of the facility throughout the term of the lease, typically provide a bargain purchase option, and convey the project to the University at the appropriate time.
Project Spotlight
Technology Enterprise Park
In 2005, when the opportunity to create a biotechnology and life sciences research park arose, Georgia Tech turned to TUFF. When land became available near the main campus, TUFF loaned...
