Funding Announcement

Competitive Florida Partnership Grant, State Fiscal Year 2023-2024

Purpose

FloridaCommerce is now accepting Competitive Florida Partnership Program grant requests for state Fiscal Year 2023-2024. Competitive Florida Partnership grants provide small and rural cities, as well as regional planning councils, the opportunity to create an economic development strategy through innovative planning and public engagement.

Grant Request Submission Timeframe

Please submit a grant request for funding to FloridaCommerce on or before Monday, June 26, 2023, at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. FloridaCommerce will consider grant requests received by the above deadline before grant requests received after the deadline has passed. All grant requests are subject to funding availability.

Eligibility

Competitive Florida Partnership grants are available to municipalities, counties and regional planning councils. Regional planning councils may submit requests on behalf of municipalities and communities. Additionally, submissions may focus on multiple small and rural communities in one region. If a regional planning council submits a regional request, it must contain justification for using a regional approach instead of a community-based approach. Grant awards will highlight rural and small communities.

Grant Period

July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. FloridaCommerce is not accepting requests for multi-year projects.

Project Completion

All projects must be completed by Friday, May 31, 2024.

Grant Type: Cost Reimbursement

Grant requests should include a scope of work that facilitates a community-driven process to create an economic development strategy addressing the obstacles and opportunities of individual Competitive Florida communities.

Typical Award Range

Award amounts may vary; however, eligible communities are typically awarded $40,000.

Project Types

Each community should undertake a community-driven approach to writing an economic development strategy that includes public engagement. Planning and technical assistance will be provided by FloridaCommerce throughout the year.

Request for Funding

The funding request should include the following:

1. Letter of Request
   • Grant requestors are asked to include the following elements in the grant proposal letter:
     • What, specifically, is the community seeking to accomplish by creating an economic development strategy?
     • Has the community received a grant-funded project in the past? What did it accomplish? What were the challenges?
     • Who is dedicated to managing and leading this grant from start to finish? How much time will they commit to the grant process on a weekly basis? How does the community plan to engage local stakeholders?
   • NOTE: Grant requestors shall submit a letter of request signed by the chief elected official, the city manager, or the county manager (if unincorporated).
2. Description of Existing Economic and Community Development Activities. FloridaCommerce requests that grant requestors submit a description of current community plans and strategies (e.g., vision plan, economic development strategies, etc.) that influence economic and community development activities within the community. Descriptions of other community activities related to economic and community development undertaken by the community that lack a guiding strategy are also encouraged.
   
   
3. A Proposed Scope of Work. A proposed scope of work shall describe:
   • The deliverables, which are descriptions of the tasks to be performed under the deliverable, including a clear, meaningful, and feasible implementation component
   • The deliverable due dates (the dates the deliverables will be received by FloridaCommerce)
   • The project documentation that will be produced and provided to FloridaCommerce to demonstrate that the work described in the deliverable has been completed
   • The cost or payment amount for each deliverable
4. Budget
   • The budget should outline anticipated expenditures by category.
5. Letters of Support Demonstrating Partnership. Building and creating community partnerships to guide and implement economic development efforts requires input from many different organizations. Letters of support from as many organizations related to the effort as possible will help demonstrate that your community has the partners it needs to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy. Letters may be from the following organizations:
   • Local Governments - If the partnership is proposed at the municipal level, a letter from the chief elected official or city manager is required. A letter of support from the county is encouraged, but not required. If the partnership is proposed countywide, all local governments included in the effort should submit a letter of support.
   • Community Action Agency
   • Regional CareerSource Network Board
   • Local Economic Development Organizations - This may include, but is not limited to: county/city economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and other government and non-government entities.
   • County School Board - This is encouraged for countywide and municipal level proposals.
   • Regional Planning and Economic Development Organizations - This may include, but is not limited to: regional planning councils, regional development organizations, and others as appropriate.
   • Additional organizations or entities deemed appropriate by the grant requestor. If mailed, letters must be post-marked by Monday, June 19, 2023.

How to Submit the Grant Request to FloridaCommerce

FloridaCommerce prefers electronic submissions; however, mailed requests for funding are also acceptable.

• Submit requests electronically to Joshua.Askey@Commerce.fl.gov.
• Submit requests by U.S. Mail to:
  • Benjamin Melnick, Deputy Secretary
    FloridaCommerce
    Division of Community Development
    107 East Madison Street, MSC 160
    Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4120

Additional Information

• Joshua Askey, Community Program Manager
  850.717.8506
  Joshua.Askey@Commerce.fl.gov

Funding is contingent upon an approved appropriation.