Drew Dixon
Financial help for smaller cities seeking urban makeovers in Florida is now available through FloridaCommerce.
The state’s economic development agency is now accepting requests from local governments for the Florida Small Cities Community Development Grant program. The agency is offering up to $38 million in funding from Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024.
The money can be used for multiple areas of urban revitalization for some of the smaller cities in the state. That funding can go toward neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation, commercial revitalization and economic development programs.
“In response to feedback from many small cities and rural communities, FloridaCommerce has waived funding limits and eliminated certain administrative steps in the application process, including restrictions that previously limited eligible local governments to one grant application per cycle,” a FloridaCommerce news release said Wednesday.
While the funding can go to smaller communities for urban renewal or revitalization, FloridaCommerce officials say they want to encourage those areas affected by storm-related infrastructure damage to consider the opportunities for assistance in the ongoing recovery. Florida was hit by three substantial hurricanes in 2024 alone in each month between August and October.
Many of those areas slammed by hurricanes last year were small or rural towns, especially in the Big Bend area of Florida. That area was directly hit by Hurricanes Debby in August and Helene in September. Meanwhile, Hurricane Milton initially hit the Gulf Coast near Sarasota Oct. 9 and then crossed the Florida peninsula and exited near Fort Pierce into the Atlantic Ocean Oct. 10. As it crossed the state, Milton hit several rural and small-town areas.
FloridaCommerce is now accepting applications from municipal governments in Florida through May 2. The agency advises local government officials to request application directions by sending inquiries to [email protected]. FloridaCommerce representatives will then send applicants a link and electronic application with additional detailed instructions.
