Disaster Relief Fund for Small Businesses

Disaster Relief Fund for Small Businesses is sponsored by Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). Provides grants to small businesses in Florida to support recovery and preparedness efforts following natural disasters.

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan This program is designed to offer quick access to cash flow for small businesses in Florida that have been affected by a disaster. This program provides short-term loans, free of interest, intended to serve as working capital and bridge the gap between the immediate aftermath of a major catastrophe and when a business can secure longer-term recovery resources.

Local Government Emergency Bridge Loan This program aims to fill the existing gap in accessible and affordable capital for businesses. It achieves this by offering longer-term loans at higher funding levels, based on market interest rates. The fund is designed to assist businesses across the entire state, supporting economic development and resiliency efforts.

Working in partnership with the Florida Small Business Development Centers Network, qualified Florida manufacturers and service providers can receive a customized export marketing plan to pinpoint the best countries for their products, develop the right entry strategies, and promote their products abroad.

Gold Key & Business Matchmaker Grants Gold Key & Business Matchmaker Grants generate or increase sales overseas during a SelectFlorida Export Sales Mission. Gold Key/Matchmaker services are a market development tool for new or infrequent exporters, importers and representatives with an interest in your company’s products or services.

SelectFlorida Trade Show Grant SelectFlorida Trade Show Grants offers event-specific, reimbursable to help Florida, small to medium-sized companies generate or increase their export sales overseas. Attending trade shows is an excellent way to introduce and showcase products and services to a global audience.

Receive a grant to help reduce the cost of exhibiting at an internationally focused trade show or exhibition supported by SelectFlorida. Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant This program offers businesses a pathway to access federal grants that provide employment opportunities for disaster relief efforts. Employment and training services are available for eligible workers impacted by disasters.

The aim is to support eligible workers in minimizing the impact of these events and assist them in finding new employment opportunities.

Florida Defense Support Commission Grant This program available to help military communities address key issues including economic and product research and development, collaborative planning with host communities to ensure military mission accommodation and prevent base encroachment, advocacy to federal civilian and military officials on behalf of the state, support to school districts in facilitating a seamless transition for an increased number of military-related students, job training and placement for military spouses in communities with a significant presence of active-duty military personnel, and promotion of the state to military contractors and employers.

Defense Reinvestment Grant Program This program provides assistance for community-based activities that focus on addressing one of three specific issues: safeguarding existing military installations, promoting diversification in defense-dependent communities, or creating plans for the repurposing of closed or realigned military installations.

The Recovery Housing Program (RHP) This program aims to address the need for more recovery housing and services for veterans who are recovering from substance use disorders.

Eligible recipients for this program include public and private nonprofit organizations, as well as local governments, who have demonstrated experience in providing services to veterans to support their self-sufficiency and help them achieve their individual recovery goals. The Jobs for Veterans State Grant This program assists veterans, transitioning service members and eligible spouses in preparing for rewarding careers.

It provides a range of services aimed at overcoming employment barriers, all implemented within a case management framework. The program adopts an empathetic approach, taking into account the unique perspective of veterans to ensure effective support throughout their employment journey.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Services This program offers a combination of education and training services to prepare job seekers for work and help them improve their outcomes in the job market. At local CareerSource Florida network career centers, career planning tools and trainings are available to Floridians ages 18 and up.

Activities such as job search assistance, occupational skills training, classroom training, and on-the-job training aim to enhance employment opportunities, job retention, earnings and occupational skill development, ultimately leading to an improved quality of the workforce.

Ultimately, FloridaCommerce and CareerSource Florida’s partnership is derived from the practices of this program to reduce Floridian’s dependency on public assistance, boost productivity and enhance the competitiveness of the economy. Wagner-Peyser Program Services This program matches job seekers to job creators and supports Florida’s labor exchange market.

Floridians can visit or contact their local career center in the CareerSource Florida network to get connected to employment services including job search and job matching assistance. The local career centers also assist employers with recruitment services. This program is also linked to the Reemployment Assistance (RA) program, helping individuals who have lost their job through no fault of their own find new employment opportunities.

The state’s online job board and case management system, Employ Florida, helps job seekers and employers access job listings, post resumes, look for training opportunities, access labor market information, and locate business services.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program This program aids workers who have been negatively impacted by foreign trade and competition, specifically those who have lost their jobs or are at risk of losing them due to factors such as reduced production, sales or outsourcing to foreign countries.

It provides a range of support to certified eligible individuals, including extended income assistance, training opportunities, employment services, case management and other related benefits. The Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment Program This program helps reemployment assistance claimants in expediting their return to work by providing various workforce services.

These services may include assessments, individual employment plans, resume workshops and other resources to support their job search and reemployment process. The Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program This program provides grants to organizations that support noncustodial parents facing unemployment or underemployment and struggle with meeting their caretaking obligations.

The aim is to assist these individuals in becoming selfsufficient and establishing a consistent pattern of fulfilling their caretaking responsibilities successfully. The Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment This program aims to aid the recruitment of law enforcement officers within the state of Florida and attract officers from out-of-state.

Under this program, eligible newly employed officers receive a one-time bonus payment of $5,000 (after taxes). Utility Relocation Reimbursement Grant Program This program provides funding to reimburse eligible documented costs incurred by communications service providers for the relocation of communications infrastructure when requested by a county or municipal government.

Broadband Infrastructure Program This program provides funds to eligible communities for the purpose of the expansion and improvement of broadband Internet infrastructure.

*Funds have been fully awarded for this program The Broadband Opportunity Program This program was created to expand broadband Internet service to unserved areas of this state, which will encourage job creation, capital investment and the strengthening and diversification of local economies. *Funds have been fully awarded for this program.

This program provides grants to applicants for broadband planning, deployment, mapping, and adoption activities. The Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) Program This program facilitates the process of planning, preparing and financing infrastructure projects in rural communities. This initiative aims to stimulate job creation, attract capital investments, and enhance the resilience and diversification of rural economies.

The Regional Rural Development Grant Program This program provides funds to economic development organizations that are regionally based and represent rural counties and communities. These funds are intended to enhance the professional capacity of the communities they serve.

The Rural Community Development Revolving Loan Fund This program provides loans to local governments or economic development organizations that are primarily supported by a unit of local government. The loans are intended for financing initiatives that contribute to the maintenance or development of the economic foundation of rural communities, with a particular focus on creating employment opportunities.

This grant program provides to communities for the purpose of conducting asset mapping exercises and creating strategic visions for economic development and growth.

Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant Program This grant program provides funding to counties, municipalities and regional planning councils to develop creative plans and strategies that support a diverse economy, vibrant rural and suburban areas and compliance with planning regulations. This includes protecting environmentally sensitive areas while fostering sustainable growth.

Community Development Block Grant Program - Small Cities This program is for small urban and rural communities for various housing and community development activities focusing on Neighborhood Revitalization, Housing Rehabilitation, Commercial Revitalization, and Economic Development.

Incumbent Worker Training Program This program provides grant funding to established Florida businesses to avert layoffs and/or retain a skilled workforce through continuing education and training for employees to obtain the skill necessary to retain employment. A state-funded grant program that provides funding for customized training to support both new and expanding businesses within Florida’s targeted industries.

High Impact Performance Incentive This program awards grants to spur capital investment and job creation. These grants are reserved for major facilities operating in designated high-impact sectors. Florida Job Growth Grant Fund This program supports local public infrastructure and workforce training proposals that promote economic opportunities across the state.