~ $1.3 million in grant funds will be used for land use planning and economic development ~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) Division of Community Development recently awarded Community Planning Technical Assistance grants to 38 communities across Florida. The purpose of the grants is to assist counties and municipalities in developing economic development strategies, meeting the requirements of the Community Planning Act, addressing critical local planning issues, and promoting innovative planning solutions to challenges identified by local government applicants. DEO awarded $1.3 million in grants for 2015-16.

DEO Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “The experienced and knowledgeable community planners at DEO provide excellent assistance to communities in need. Through these grants, DEO is working to ensure all communities have the tools to make informed decisions about community, economic, and workforce development.”

Since 2011-12, DEO has received funds to provide grants to local governments and regional planning councils. Community Planning Technical Assistance grants are for one fiscal year and are available to counties and municipalities. Regional Planning Councils may also be eligible for projects at a regional scale that include more than one county.

William B. Killingsworth, Director of the Division of Community Development, said, “Community Planning Technical Assistance grants allow DEO to support planning and development projects in communities by working closely with local leaders. Providing expert technical assistance can be a vital element, especially in small communities, to help make their visions of the community a reality.”

Grant funding is delivered to the community after performance deliverables in the contract are met. The Community Planning Technical Assistance grants for 2015-16 are:

For more details on the process and provisions of the CPTA grant program, visit 2015-16 Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant.

About DEO

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce, and community development efforts. This new approach helps expedite economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.floridajobs.org.

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