TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) invites communities across Florida to submit proposals for three grant funding opportunities for the upcoming fiscal year.

• The Competitive Florida Partnership Grantis a two-year program that provides technical assistance and support to rural areas seeking to improve their communities through an asset-based economic development strategy.
• The Competitive Florida Economic Development Project Grant provides funding that allows communities to pursue a specific economic development project or supplement an existing project.
• Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants assist counties, municipalities and regional planning councils with Community Planning Act-related projects that benefit local governments.
  
  

DEO Executive Director Cissy Proctor said, “DEO is committed to using our resources and tools to help all Florida communities and their residents flourish. The Competitive Florida programs and Community Planning Technical Assistance grants are critical tools that help support communities in need across the state. These programs help communities strengthen infrastructure, enhance business development and improve their residents’ quality of life.”

Communities qualifying for the Competitive Florida Partnership Grant include all rural Florida counties and their municipalities, or rural municipalities in an urban county. The Competitive Florida Partnership provides grant funding and staff support in the first year of the program. In year two, communities continue to receive technical assistance from DEO and may be eligible for additional grants. The Competitive Florida Partnership began in 2013 to help rural communities meet their goals with expert support and additional resources that may be otherwise unavailable.

Competitive Florida Economic Development Project Grants are available to all counties and municipalities to help the community learn more about local assets and economic conditions, and develop a specific local project. Grant awards range from $5,000 and $15,000.

Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants are available to all counties and municipalities for one fiscal year. Regional Planning Councils may also be eligible for projects at a regional scale that include more than one county. Projects seeking grant funding must be completed by June 1, 2018. Typical grant awards will be between $25,000 and $40,000 per project.

Proposals must be received by the department by June 23, 2017 at 11:59 p.m.

For more details on the Competitive Florida program visit: http://www.floridajobs.org/community-planning-and-development/programs/community-planning-table-of-contents/competitive-florida-partnership.


For more information on DEO’s technical assistance efforts, visit:http://www.floridajobs.org/community-planning-and-development/programs/community-planning-table-of-contents/technical-assistance.

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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