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FloridaCommerce Awards $2.6 Million to Support Florida’s Military Base Communities and Military Missions

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—FloridaCommerce announced the award of $2.6 million through Florida’s Defense Reinvestment Grant Program and the Florida Defense Support Commission Grant Program, to strengthen Florida’s military communities and to provide critical support to the service members, veterans and families who call Florida home.

“Governor DeSantis has been clear and steadfast in his leadership—we must continually support Florida’s military communities that defend our nation, secure our freedom, and also provide nearly 900,000 jobs to Floridians,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce, J. Alex Kelly. “These investments are more than just funding—they are strategic commitments to preserving the vital role our military installations play in national defense and in enhancing the quality of life for the service members, veterans and families who call Florida home.”

Florida is home to 21 major military installations and 1.4 million military veterans, with growing military populations across the state.

The Defense Reinvestment Grant Program directly supports community-based activities that protect existing military installations, diversify the economy of a defense-dependent community, or develop plans that facilitate the reuse of closed or realigned military installations, such as developing and implementing strategies that will help communities support the mission of military installations.

Awards through the Defense Reinvestment Grant Program include:

  • Bay Defense Alliance ($100,000) – to leverage the volunteer talent of Bay Defense Alliance and its community partners to continue development of existing missions and pursuit of new, next-generation defense missions.
  • Clay County Economic Development Council ($125,000) – to leverage the opportunities being created by the construction of the First Coast Expressway through Clay County and the local assets.
  • Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast ($110,000) – to implement key priorities identified in the Military Installation Resilience Review (MIRR), ensuring that related missions remain strong, resilient and fully integrated with our community.
  • National Center for Simulation ($125,000) – to strengthen Central Florida’s position as a national leader in defense simulation which is crucial with current rising realignment and consolidation initiatives.
  • One Okaloosa Economic Development Council ($125,000) – to implement strategies that support and protect local military installations, missions, and ranges, and to assist in diversifying the military dependent economy with Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)-based industry and job growth.
  • Pensacola-Escambia Promotion and Development Commission ($125,000) – to further expand the findings of the study which developed advanced facilities to accommodate existing and future cyber assets adjacent to Corry Station.
  • Santa Rosa County ($125,000) – to advance to Phase II of the Master Plan centering on the Naval Outlying Landing Field in Santa Rosa and to continue to strengthen mission readiness and diversify the regional economy.
  • Tampa Bay Defense Alliance ($55,988) – to continue work building the Tampa Bay Regional Defense Community Inventory and Assessment and enhance the region’s military bases by creating and strengthening relationships supporting the entire military community.
  • U.S. National Drone Association ($250,000) – to support the work of the U.S. National Drone Association, which hosts competitions and collaborations that seek to advance military preparations for advanced drone warfare, and expand drone manufacturing in the U.S.

The Florida Defense Support Commission Grant Program provides and administers grant awards to preserve and protect Florida’s military installations. The awards assist with economic and workforce development efforts, support military missions, businesses, and families through planning and research, and improve the state’s military-friendly environment for servicemembers, their families, and military retirees.

Awards through the Florida Defense Support Commission Grant Program include:

  • Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast ($250,000) – to conduct a feasibility study to identify, evaluate and compare alternative non-potable water sources to supplement or replace potable water for deluge and emergency cooling operations.  
  • Highlands County Board of County Commissioners ($500,000) – to enhance and protect military readiness at Avon Park Air Force Range by reducing incompatible development near the installation.
  • North Florida Land Trust ($550,000) – to prevent incompatible land development and encroachment around Camp Blanding.
  • Tampa Bay Defense Alliance ($182,055) – to advance Regional Defense Community Inventory and Assessment and preserve and enhance the region’s military bases.

For more information on military community programs, visit the Office of Military and Defense webpage here.

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