DeSantis Announces $311 Million in Infrastructure Grants for Storm-Impacted Florida Communities

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Florida State Governor Ron DeSantis Announces $311 Million in Infrastructure Grants for Storm-Impacted Florida Communities

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor DeSantis on Tuesday announced $311 million in grant awards to improve critical infrastructure in 37 Florida communities affected by major storms in 2023 and 2024. The announcement was made during an event in Highlands County, with funding aimed at strengthening storm recovery efforts and enhancing long-term resilience across the state.

The grants will support infrastructure repairs and upgrades in areas impacted by Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton, as well as the 2024 North Florida Tornadoes. Of the total awards, 32 grants are designated for rural counties and small cities, underscoring a focus on communities with limited resources and heightened vulnerability to severe weather events.

Funding is being distributed through two primary programs: the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program and the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF). Together, these programs will finance a wide range of projects, including water and wastewater system upgrades, transportation improvements, and emergency operations infrastructure.

“Today in Highlands County, I was proud to announce $311 million in grant awards to improve infrastructure in 37 communities across Florida impacted by the major storms of 2023 and 2024,” Governor DeSantis said. “These infrastructure projects will help make Florida more prosperous, more resilient, and better prepared to weather any storms that may come our way.”

State officials emphasized that water infrastructure will be a key focus of the funding, with multiple projects targeting aging systems that were damaged or strained during recent storms. Improving these systems is expected to enhance public safety, reduce future storm-related disruptions, and support population and economic growth.

Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said the grants will also play a role in strengthening local economies and expanding job opportunities.

“These awards directly support job creation by providing communities with the critical infrastructure to embolden their vision for resiliency and business formation,” Kelly said. “Whether it’s upgrading utilities, developing pad-ready manufacturing sites, or improving essential services, these projects help small and rural communities attract job creators, bolster their workforce, and build a thriving economic future.”

The announcement comes as Florida continues to recover from consecutive hurricane seasons that caused widespread damage to public infrastructure, particularly in inland and rural regions. State leaders say the funding will help communities not only rebuild but also prepare for future disasters through more durable and resilient infrastructure investments.

Officials noted that the projects funded under these grants are expected to begin rolling out in phases, with local governments coordinating implementation and oversight to ensure timely completion and compliance with program guidelines.

Communities Receiving CDBG-DR Infrastructure Repair Funding

The following communities will receive funding through the 2023 and 2024 Storms Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program, supporting projects aimed at strengthening resilience, restoring essential services, and reducing future storm impacts:

Bradford County Board of County Commissioners — $5,951,403
Funding will be used to structurally reinforce roadways by adding base and pavement, re-establishing roadside swales through regrading, and installing erosion protection measures.
Citrus County Board of County Commissioners — $16,435,400
Funds will support the replacement of a sanitary sewer system damaged by stormwater intrusion and increased flows from the 2023 and 2024 storms. The upgrades will expand system capacity and ease long-standing growth constraints, supporting future business development.
City of Arcadia — $22,747,044 total
- $14,233,044 to widen the city’s main stormwater channel, increasing storage capacity during heavy storms.
- $8,514,000 to construct and expand the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
City of Live Oak — $3,895,500
Funding will support construction of a 100,000-gallon water storage tank and a water line loop project to enhance system reliability.
City of Macclenny — $7,028,700
The Ohio Street Water Treatment Plant will be hardened and modernized through upgrades to critical software and equipment.
City of Palatka — $4,932,396
Funds will be used to harden and expand the city’s wastewater treatment plant to better manage wet-weather flow surges.
City of Wauchula — $2,386,500
The award will support wastewater system repairs, rehabilitation, and floodwater mitigation efforts.
Columbia County Board of County Commissioners — $4,000,000
Funding will be used to upgrade and harden community shelters throughout Columbia County.
DeSoto County Board of County Commissioners — $8,000,000
The project will construct and install wells and a pumping system to connect the wastewater treatment plant to disposal wells, providing a more secure underground disposal method for treated wastewater.
Hardee County Board of County Commissioners — $1,900,000
Funds will support removal of vegetative debris from the Peace River Waterway system.
Jacksonville Electric Authority — $20,000,000
The award will redirect wastewater flows to the authority’s existing and reliable wastewater treatment facility.
Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners — $2,720,000
Funding will rehabilitate, preserve, and harden five critical county-owned bridges.
Peace River Watershed Project (Polk County) — $70,000,000
Funds will support a major water infrastructure repair project focused on flood-risk management, water quality improvement, and habitat restoration.
Santa Fe College — $5,000,000
The campus gymnasium will be repaired and upgraded following significant roof damage caused by the 2023 and 2024 storms.
Sebring Airport Authority — $3,044,630
Funding will demolish and replace the existing stormwater system and associated infrastructure at the Sebring Regional Airport and Multimodal Logistics Center.
Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners — $38,044,115
The grant will fund construction of the North Florida Regional Special Needs Emergency Shelter.
Town of Glen St. Mary — $1,339,500
Funds will harden the wastewater collection system by installing permanent standby generators at sanitary sewer lift stations.
Town of St. Lucie Village — $12,124,812
The project will construct a resilient, centralized potable water supply system for public use.
Union County Board of County Commissioners — $1,401,750
Funding will support construction of a hardened public safety communications tower and upgrades to the county’s emergency dispatch system.
Village of Indiantown — $17,200,000 total
- $9,300,000 to construct a new reverse osmosis water treatment plant to replace outdated systems.
- $7,900,000 to replace 13,000 linear feet of the village’s main water transmission line.

Additional Federal and State Infrastructure Funding

In addition to the $400 million allocated through the Infrastructure Repair Program (IRP), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has designated an additional $50 million for eligible counties and municipalities located in the Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) areas affected by Hurricane Ian during the 2023 and 2024 storm seasons.

Communities Receiving Dual CDBG-DR Funding

The following communities will receive funding under both Hurricane Ian and the 2023 and 2024 Storms Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program:

City of Avon Park — $22,248,529
Funds will be used to assess, evaluate, repair, sleeve, or rebuild facilities within the city’s sanitary sewer collection system.
Immokalee Water and Sewer District — $10,823,000
The award will support upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment plant, correcting hydraulic imbalances, improving treatment reliability, and providing additional surge capacity to manage extreme wet-weather inflows.
Town of Dundee — $16,266,210 total
- $6,008,781 to harden the town’s sanitary sewer collection system and install monitoring equipment at the wastewater treatment plant.
- $10,257,429 to repair storm damage and harden the town’s potable water system.

Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) Program Overview

The Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) program supports infrastructure projects that promote job creation, capital investment, and economic growth in Rural Areas of Opportunity (RAO), rural counties, and rural communities across Florida.

For Fiscal Year 2025–2026, the Florida Legislature appropriated $17 million for the statewide RIF program and $5 million for the Panhandle-Specific RIF program, bringing total funding to $22 million. FloridaCommerce received a record 112 applications requesting more than $195 million during the 2025–2026 application cycle. Since 2019, the program has awarded more than $110 million in grants statewide.

Communities Receiving RIF Funding

The following communities will receive grants through the Rural Infrastructure Fund Program:

City of Frostproof — $238,991
Funding will extend an existing water main, creating a 12-inch loop to support future development at the proposed Duke Readiness Center.
City of Lake City — $1,788,415
Funds will replace a hangar at the Lake City Gateway Airport that was significantly damaged by Hurricane Idalia.
City of Okeechobee — $1,200,000
The award will support public infrastructure improvements facilitating expansion within an existing industrial site, including resurfacing two major access roads serving the Okeechobee Commerce Center.
City of Wauchula — $510,000
Funding will enhance the city’s water distribution system by installing approximately 7,100 linear feet of water main, improving fire protection along Townsend Street to U.S. Highway 17.
Columbia County Board of County Commissioners — $2,000,000
Funds will support construction of inbound and outbound rail tracks serving the North Florida Mega Industrial Park.
Hardee County — $250,000
The grant will be used to construct a dewatering facility, reducing long-term waste disposal costs.
Hardee County Industrial Development Authority — $226,250
Funding will continue centralized parking construction and relocate electrical utilities underground.
Keystone Heights Airport Authority — $2,950,450
The award will support construction of a runway extension to Runway 2.
Okeechobee Utility Authority — $1,000,000
Funds will install pipes and water mains to connect previously completed water infrastructure.
Putnam County Board of County Commissioners — $3,000,000
The grant will support construction and commissioning of critical public infrastructure at the Central Landfill in Putnam County.
Town of Zolfo Springs — $300,000
Funding will support a comprehensive sanitary sewer evaluation survey to identify infiltration and inflow sources and address issues related to power outages, lift station failures, and aging infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Overview

1. What did Governor Ron DeSantis announce in Highlands County?

Governor Ron DeSantis announced $311 million in infrastructure grant awards to improve critical infrastructure in 37 Florida communities impacted by major storms in 2023 and 2024.

2. Which storms prompted this funding?

The funding addresses damage from:

Hurricanes Idalia
Debby
Helene
Milton
The 2024 North Florida Tornadoes
Additional MID-area funding includes impacts from Hurricane Ian

3. What is the primary goal of these infrastructure investments?

The projects aim to:

Strengthen storm resilience
Restore and modernize critical infrastructure
Improve public safety and emergency preparedness
Support economic growth and job creation
Reduce long-term storm-related risks

Funding Programs Explained

4. What funding programs are being used?

Funding comes from:

Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program
Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF)
Additional HUD MID-area allocations related to Hurricane Ian

5. What is the CDBG-DR Infrastructure Repair Program?

CDBG-DR is a federally funded program administered by the state to help communities repair, replace, and harden infrastructure damaged by federally declared disasters.

6. What does “Most Impacted and Distressed (MID)” mean?

MID areas are communities identified by HUD as suffering the greatest damage and unmet needs following a disaster, making them eligible for additional federal funding.

7. How much total funding is included across all programs?

Combined funding includes:

$311 million announced by Governor DeSantis
$400 million in total IRP allocations
$50 million in additional HUD MID funding
$22 million through the Rural Infrastructure Fund (FY 2025–26)

Community & Project Eligibility

8. How many communities are receiving funding?

More than 40 communities statewide are receiving funding across all programs.

9. How many awards went to rural areas?

32 awards were designated for rural counties and small cities
RIF funding exclusively supports rural and economically strategic areas

10. Who determines which communities receive funding?

Eligibility and awards are determined based on:

Storm impact severity
Infrastructure damage
Unmet recovery needs
Economic development potential
HUD and FloridaCommerce program criteria

Infrastructure Categories

11. What types of infrastructure are being funded?

Projects include:

Water and wastewater treatment systems
Sanitary sewer collection systems
Stormwater management
Roads and bridges
Emergency shelters
Airports and industrial parks
Public safety communications
Utilities and power resilience

12. Why is water and wastewater infrastructure a major focus?

Storms often cause:

Flooding and system overloads
Sewer overflows and contamination risks
Long-term system degradation

Upgrading water infrastructure protects public health, environmental quality, and economic growth.

Economic & Workforce Impact

13. How does this funding support job creation?

Infrastructure improvements:

Attract private investment
Enable industrial expansion
Support manufacturing and logistics development
Create construction and long-term operational jobs

14. How does the Rural Infrastructure Fund help economic development?

RIF supports:

Industrial parks
Airports and logistics hubs
Rail infrastructure
Utilities needed for business expansion

15. How competitive was the RIF application process?

For FY 2025–26:

112 applications were submitted
Requests exceeded $195 million
Only $22 million was available

Storm Resilience & Public Safety

16. How do these projects improve storm preparedness?

They:

Harden infrastructure against flooding and wind
Increase system capacity for extreme weather
Improve emergency shelter availability
Strengthen power and communications systems

17. What emergency facilities are being funded?

Projects include:

Special needs emergency shelters
Hardened community shelters
Public safety communication towers
Emergency dispatch system upgrades

Environmental & Long-Term Benefits

18. How do these projects address environmental concerns?

Projects reduce:

Flood risk
Water pollution
Wastewater overflows
Long-term ecosystem damage

19. What is the Peace River Watershed Project?

A $70 million initiative focused on:

Flood mitigation
Water quality improvement
Habitat restoration
Long-term watershed resilience

Hurricane Ian-Specific Funding

20. Which communities are receiving Hurricane Ian MID funding?

Communities include:

Avon Park
Immokalee Water and Sewer District
Town of Dundee

21. How is Ian-related funding being used?

Primarily for:

Sewer system reconstruction
Wastewater treatment upgrades
Potable water system hardening

Accountability & Implementation

22. Who oversees project implementation?

Local governments manage projects under:

State oversight by FloridaCommerce
Federal compliance with HUD guidelines

23. When will projects begin?

Projects will roll out in phases, with timelines determined by:

Engineering requirements
Environmental reviews
Procurement processes

24. Are these funds restricted to storm recovery only?

Yes. Funds must be used for eligible disaster recovery and resilience projects under federal and state guidelines.

Long-Term Impact

25. How do these investments benefit Florida long-term?