STEINHATCHEE, Fla.—Immediately, Governor Ron DeSantis introduced an extra $167.5 million in awards to enhance infrastructure in 34 small and rural communities throughout the state. These awards come from funding by way of the Group Improvement Block Grant-Catastrophe Restoration (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Restore Program, serving to areas impacted by the 2023 and 2024 Storms—Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, Milton and the 2024 North Florida Tornadoes and funding from the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF).
“Immediately, I introduced funding for crucial infrastructure initiatives in 34 small and rural Florida communities,” stated Governor Ron DeSantis. “These awards, totaling $167.5 million, will bolster long-term restoration efforts in areas hit by main storms in 2023 and 2024 – and these investments may also assist be sure that our rural communities stay aggressive, resilient, and filled with alternative for Florida households.”
“Because the #1 state within the nation for attracting and creating a proficient workforce and better schooling and confirmed by the greater than 70,000 personal sector jobs created in 2025, Florida is delivering the sources wanted to assist job creators and job seekers succeed and storm-impacted rural communities rebuild smarter and stronger,” stated Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “For most of the communities hit hardest by the 2023 and 2024 Storms, these initiatives are way over simply infrastructure repairs—they’re an funding into the inspiration of every day life. By restoring broken stormwater methods, repairing overwhelmed wastewater therapy amenities and reinforcing providers Floridians depend on day-after-day, we’re serving to rural communities return to regular operations whereas additionally strengthening their long-term financial resiliency.”
With practically 590,000 new companies created in 2025 alone—greater than another state—Florida has seen a report of greater than 4 million enterprise shaped since 2019. In November 2025, whole personal employment elevated by 70,100 jobs (+0.8%) over the 12 months—jobs which help these newly created companies.
These important numbers underscore how Florida’s continued funding in workforce growth, expertise attraction and significant infrastructure together with sturdy fiscal self-discipline has helped to higher place Florida to face up to nationwide financial headwinds—making certain job creators and job seekers discover alternatives for fulfillment and communities hit hardest by a catastrophe are in a position to rebuild and economically rebound.
Strategic investments in workforce growth and significant infrastructure, in addition to Florida’s pro-business insurance policies have earned the state the #1 ranked financial system within the nation by CNBC for 3 consecutive years and by U.S. Information & World Report for 2 consecutive years. Florida has additionally earned a popularity of attracting and creating a proficient workforce—incomes the #1 rating in that class by Lightcast and rating #1 in increased schooling for ten consecutive years. Since COVID, Florida has held the road, persevering with to broaden our workforce—now with a report 11.2 million labor pressure—and stored the state unemployment charge (4.2%) underneath the nationwide common (4.6%) for 61 consecutive months.
Taylor County will obtain practically $36 million in awards by way of the Group Improvement Block Grant Program and the Rural Infrastructure Fund:
- Metropolis of Perry
- $12,000,000 – to assemble a brand new parallel therapy prepare, which can improve operational resilience and security throughout future storms.
- $8,500,000 – to switch present wastewater infrastructure and set up trendy tools—managing capability, making certain regulatory compliance and enhancing system resilience throughout future storms.
- $4,500,000 – to create a resilient unbiased water supply by restoring capability and growing the reliability of Effectively No. 3 that can instantly serve the Metropolis of Perry if the primary therapy plant or water traces are compromised throughout a hurricane.
- Taylor County Board of County Commissioners
- $1,050,000 – to restore and reconstruct residential roads in Steinhatchee to cut back recurrent flooding and forestall future washouts.
- $4,969,425 – to assemble the Taylor County Particular Wants Emergency Shelter.
- $298,440 – to find out the very best obtainable location in Steinhatchee for the development of critically wanted infrastructure for a business seafood off-load, processing and distribution facility by way of the Rural Infrastructure Fund.
- Physician’s Memorial Hospital in Taylor County ($4,431,981) – to put in a whole-facility emergency energy system, change hospital cellphone and communications methods and modernize the ability’s water therapy system by way of the Group Improvement Block Grant-Catastrophe Restoration (CDBG-DR) Mitigation Program
Extra Group Improvement Block Grant Funds have been awarded to:
- Jackson County Board of County Commissioners ($3,260,000) – so as to add a brand new nicely, pumping tools and water storage system wanted to offer emergency providers to Jackson County.
The next communities may also obtain funds by way of the 2023 and 2024 Storms Group Improvement Block Grant-Catastrophe Restoration (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Restore Program:
- Massive Bend Water Authority ($4,514,185) – to restore and change crucial water mains in Steinhatchee, Florida and Jena, Florida.
- Cedar Key Water and Sewer District
- $7,349,280 – to assemble and harden the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District potable water system.
- $4,124,017 – to harden the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Wastewater Therapy Facility.
- Metropolis of Carrabelle ($2,569,775) – to restore damages and harden Carrabelle’s Sanitary Sewer Assortment and Therapy Techniques.
- Metropolis of Gretna ($7,156,377) – to rehabilitate and improve town’s manufacturing wells, the inspiration of the municipal water provide system.
- Metropolis of Monticello ($14,158,044) – to rehabilitate or change deteriorated raise stations and pressure mains, set up everlasting standby mills at crucial websites, elevate and harden electrical and mechanical parts and combine methods monitoring to enhance storm response.
- Metropolis of Port St. Joe ($25,000,000) – to rebuild and strengthen the wastewater therapy facility by upgrading present infrastructure.
- Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners ($1,298,634) – to put in up to date drainage methods which are underperforming or have been broken in earlier storms.
- Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners ($1,200,000) – to revive and supply wanted enhancements to Hamilton County’s sole sheltering facility.
- Lafayette County Board of County Commissioners ($1,382,403) – to revive and harden the drainage and roadway system that serves residents, college buses, agriculture and emergency automobiles.
- Levy County Board of County Commissioners
- $1,107,015 – to get rid of a extreme security hazard, restore important leisure and tourism entry, and enhance resiliency for this weak coastal location.
- $358,000 – to finish a Hearth Emergency Response and Management Challenge—making certain dependable emergency providers in one of many county’s most weak and hazard-prone areas.
- Liberty County Board of County Commissioners ($1,500,000) – to enhance, restore and resurface the Bristol Boat Ramp to make sure secure entry, mitigate environmental harm and improve long-term resiliency.
- Madison County Board of County Commissioners ($8,000,000) – to assemble the Madison County Particular Wants Shelter on the Madison County Emergency Operations Shelter.
- City of Cross Metropolis
- $32,062,208 – to construct a brand new wastewater therapy plant and restore the sewer traces within the metropolis.
- $5,708,267 – to enhance and improve stormwater drainage by putting in elliptical strengthened concrete piping alongside the streets, additional amassing stormwater into the primary drainage ditch alongside US Freeway 19.
- Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners ($2,822,481) – to design and assemble a undertaking to line manholes, gravity sewer and tie-ins within the Panacea Shores Models residential subdivision’s central wastewater system.
The RIF program helps infrastructure initiatives that drive job creation, capital funding and strengthen economies in Rural Areas of Alternative (RAO), rural counties and rural communities. For Fiscal 12 months (FY) 2025-2026, the Florida Legislature appropriated $17 million for the RIF statewide program and $5 million for the Panhandle-Particular program for a complete of $22 million. FloridaCommerce acquired a report 112 purposes requesting greater than $195 million in funding throughout the 2025-2026 RIF utility interval. Since 2019, this system has awarded greater than $110 million in grant funds.
The next communities will obtain funds by way of the Rural Infrastructure Fund Program:
- Metropolis of Blountstown ($200,000) – to implement enhancements geared toward decreasing stormwater and groundwater influx and infiltration into the municipal wastewater assortment system.
- Metropolis of Gretna ($700,000) – to construct a brand new roadway extension that can function an entry path to a greenfield website designated for business growth.
- Metropolis of Marianna ($1,441,500) – for infrastructure enhancements at Marianna Airport to help retention, enlargement and funding of Upkeep, Restore and Overhaul (MRO) corporations on the airport.
- Franklin County ($176,100) – to create the primary Grasp Web site Plan for the Apalachicola Airport, supporting enterprise growth for aerospace and aviation corporations requiring hangar area and runways to conduct operations.
- Hamilton County ($300,000) – to assemble a brand new constructing on the Alapaha Commerce Middle—offering versatile, move-in-ready amenities designed to draw logistics, distribution and superior manufacturing corporations.
- Madison County Board of County Commissioners ($105,000) – to create a grasp plan for the Madison County Industrial Park, to incorporate planning, market analysis and utility assessments essential to information Madison County Improvement Council’s outreach to potential corporations.
- City of Jennings ($300,000) – to finish the planning, design and allowing of a brand new manufacturing nicely in addition to crucial enhancements and upgrades to the present water therapy plant.
- City of Ponce de Leon ($1,500,000) – for crucial upgrades to Elevate Station #3 and the alternative of the pressure foremost serving the Interstate 10 and State Highway 81 interchange—making certain dependable utility service, strengthening infrastructure resiliency and enabling long-term financial growth in the neighborhood.
- Washington County Board of County Commissioners ($3,500,000) – to stabilize and enhance Holmes Valley Highway, offering crucial entry to the Previous Shores Resort and Golf Membership—producing roughly 90 new jobs.
Governor DeSantis beforehand awarded $311 million in awards to enhance infrastructure in 37 Florida communities. These awards observe the earlier announcement and put money into crucial infrastructure wants starting from utility and transportation enhancements to emergency operations sources in these communities—particularly supporting crucial water infrastructure investments throughout the state.
For extra info on the 2023 and a couple of024 Storms Group Improvement Block Grant-Catastrophe Restoration (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Restore Program, click on right here.
For extra info on the Rural Infrastructure Fund, click on right here.
