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FDEO and Enterprise Florida Inc. Award Over $30 Million In Grants To Small And Rural Florida Communities

The Union County courthouse, which stands in the center of Lake Butler's main road and at the heart of the town. (Kelly Hayes/WUFT News)
The Union County courthouse, which stands in the center of Lake Butler's main road and at the heart of the town. (Kelly Hayes/WUFT News)

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Enterprise Florida Inc. have awarded multiple grants totaling more than $30 million to improve infrastructure, community redevelopment and job creation in small and rural Florida communities, according to the governor's website.

Twenty-nine million dollars of the grant money was awarded through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, $1.2 million through the Community Planning Technical Assistance grant program, $280,000 through the Competitive Florida Partnership grant program and $198,500 through the Rural Expansion Toolkit initiative.

Here's how the majority of the funding breaks down in our coverage area:

Among the $29 Million Disbursed Through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant:


  • City of Alachua ($700,000) – to repave several streets in low-income areas of the city that have become extremely worn and are in critical need of repair.
  • Columbia County ($750,000) – to rehabilitate or demolish and replace substandard or deteriorated housing for a minimum of 11 low- and moderate-income households. Temporary relocation assistance will be provided during the rehabilitation.
  • Town of Inglis ($650,000) – to replace roofs of three municipal buildings used by town residents, and to repair and overlay several existing asphalt roads throughout town.
  • City of Lake Butler ($700,000) – to replace the sanitary sewer lift stations in two low- and moderate-income service areas to prevent possible failure.
  • City of Lake City ($750,000) – to revitalize the downtown commercial district by constructing a fountain in Lake Desoto, and to provide new fencing and landscaping with irrigation in Wilson Park.
  • Town of Worthington Springs ($600,000) – to make community improvements including paving a vacant lot next to the community center/emergency shelter, making asphalt roadway spot improvements, resurfacing streets, making drainage improvements and reconstructing streets.

Among the $1.2 Million Disbursed Through the Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant Program:


  • City of Dunnellon ($37,500) – to implement priority action items identified in the city’s Historic District Enhancement Plan (HDEP).
  • City of High Springs ($45,000) – to prepare a Downtown Parking and Stormwater Improvement Plan.
  • Marion County Board of County Commissioners ($48,000) – to implement a Housing Strategy and Solution project and develop a Guided Growth Plan for housing.

You can find a full list of areas receiving funding throughout the state and further detail on the issue by visiting the Governor'swebsite.

Alex is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.