The Bond Buyer recently announced the recipients of its annual Deal of the Year awards, including the Connecticut Green Bank’s $16.8 million issuance of “Green Liberty Bonds.” This year’s Innovative Financing winner, it was modeled after the Series-E War Bonds of the 1940s. This new sub-category of green bonds is sold in minimum denominations of $1,000, making them accessible to everyday citizens and retail investors. Kutak Rock’s team of Anne Gish and Don Stover served as underwriter’s counsel.

This is the 19th year The Bond Buyer has recognized outstanding achievement in municipal finance, including five awards in regional areas of coverage, along with five in additional categories. All award winners were also finalists for the national Deal of the Year Award, which was announced at a virtual event Dec.16.

"This year's lineup reflects the full range of communities and public purposes this market comprises,” said Mike Scarchilli, Editor in Chief of The Bond Buyer. "The deals honored exemplify the creativity and resourcefulness this industry brings to bear on projects that advance the infrastructure and quality of life in the nation’s municipalities. These qualities take on additional importance here in 2020, as issuers across the nation face unprecedented challenges.”

The Bond Buyer's editorial board considered a range of factors when judging entries, including: creativity, the ability to pull a complex transaction together under challenging conditions, the ability to serve as a model for other financings, and the public purpose for which a deal's proceeds were used.