Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants

Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants is sponsored by Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FloridaCommerce) via South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) and other Regional Planning Councils. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

HomeCommunity DevelopmentCommunity PlanningCommunity Planning Technical Assistance Grants ## **Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants, State Fiscal Year 2026-2027** ### **CPTA Grant Program** FloridaCommerce is now accepting grant requests for the Community Planning Technical Assistance (CPTA) Grant Program for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-2027.

CPTA grants provide local governments located in Rural Areas of Opportunity (RAOs) and/or rural communities, counties, municipalities and regional planning councils the opportunity to create innovative plans and development strategies to promote a diverse economy, and meet statutory requirements for planning, while also protecting environmentally sensitive areas.

Technical assistance and training will be available to rural local governments awardees to help assist them in best practices relating to comprehensive planning, economic development and land development, as well as strategies to address management and administrative capacity challenges unique to rural local governments. Preference shall also be given to local governments located in a RAO.

Understanding that many Florida communities have been impacted by hurricanes, CPTA grants may also be used to assist with disaster recovery, resiliency and economic development planning. #### **Application Window** * Open: Thursday, April 2, 2026 * Close: Friday, May 1, 2026 Submission of a request for funding does not guarantee funding will be provided.

FloridaCommerce will consider grant requests received by the above deadline before grant requests received after the deadline has passed. ##### **Webinar Information** **CPTA Grant Submission Walk-Through** * CPTA Grant Submission Walk-Through Webinar Recording **CPTA Grant Submission FAQs** * CPTA Grant Submission FAQs. pdf?

sfvrsn=c3a806b0_1) Projects should relate to community planning and economic development strategies that implement the requirements in the Community Planning Act. FloridaCommerce also encourages rural communities to apply for projects related to planning for disaster recovery and community resiliency, especially related to flooding, and that meet the requirements in Chapter 163. 3178(2)(f), Florida Statutes.

Applicants are encouraged to seek funding for innovative, creative or unique approaches to planning, development and infrastructure in their community. ##### **Request for Funding** Funding requests should include the following: * A funding request letter to FloridaCommerce that identifies: * The contact person with their title, email address, phone number and mailing address.

* The specific grant project and its significance to the community or region. * The product that will be produced under the grant. * The total amount of funding requested.

* Any additional information about the proposed project that the county, municipality or regional planning council chooses to include for FloridaCommerce's consideration. * A proposed scope of work that describes: * The deliverables, which are descriptions of the tasks to be performed under the deliverable, including a clear, meaningful and feasible implementation component.

* The deliverable due dates (the dates the deliverables will be received by FloridaCommerce). * The project documentation that will be produced and provided to FloridaCommerce to demonstrate that the work described in the deliverable has been completed. * The cost or payment amount for each deliverable.

**Scope of Work Examples** * The following links are from Fiscal Years 2022-2025 Community Planning Technical Assistance grant agreements using the Florida Accountability Contract Tracking System. Executed agreements can be viewed under the Documents tab.

The scopes of work in these grant agreements may be helpful in preparing a scope of work for this grant cycle (in particular, see scope of work paragraphs 2, 3, and 5 in each agreement): * City of Okeechobee– To draft a Market Feasibility Study and Lodging Market Analysis and Industry Trend Report. In an effort to assess the current market and be able to promote Okeechobee as a destination for business.

* Suwannee County BOCC– To prepare a Suwannee County Catalyst Industrial Park Master Plan Study (CIP Master Plan Study) for infrastructure improvements (potable water, wastewater, natural gas, rail and road) to serve current and future businesses within the Catalyst Industrial Park (CIP).

The CIP is a 500-acre industrial park located along US Highway 90 approximately one-half mile from the interchange of Interstate-10 and US Highway 90 in Suwannee County. * Highlands County BOCC– To prepare a county wide Facility Study for Tourism and Recreation (“Study”).

The project shall inventory existing facilities and address the long-term demand for county-wide parks and recreational facilities that can serve the future demand from local and nonlocal users.

Partners and organizations to be engaged in the project include: the Highlands County Tourist Development Council, the Highlands County Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Avon Park, the Town of Lake Placid, the City of Sebring, the Avon Park Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce, the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce, the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency, the Spring Lake Improvement District, the Sun N’ Lake Improvement District and the Highlands Hammock State Park.

* Hendry County BOCC– To prepare a draft update to the Hendry County Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Element. The County will prepare a Future Land Use Element Assessment Report, Community Engagement Plan, draft Hendry County Comprehensive Plan amendments and conduct public engagement meetings and public workshops to update the Hendry County Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Element. * Others are available upon request.

* A budget that outlines anticipated expenditures by category. * Contracted services for consultants or subcontractors. * Salaries and fringe benefits for work performed in-house.

* Equipment needed directly for the requested project. * If indirect costs are sought, they should be identified along with a formula for calculating indirect costs. A federally approved indirect cost rate, in effect at the time the request is submitted, may be included in the request for FloridaCommerce's consideration.

##### **How to Submit the Grant Request Electronically to FloridaCommerce** * Requests may be submitted electronically through email to CPTAgrants@Commerce. fl.

gov. * FloridaCommerce prefers electronic submissions, however, mailed requests for funding are accepted and can be sent through U.S. Mail to: * Bureau of Community Planning and Growth Division of Community Development 107 East Madison Street, MSC 160 Tallahassee, FL 32399-4120 * **NOTE:** For a county or municipality, FloridaCommerce asks that the funding request letter, whether submitted by U.S. Mail or electronically, be signed by the chief elected official, the county manager or city manager.