Today, Governor Rick Scott announced $35 million in awards for nine Florida Job Growth Grant Fund projects across the state. This includes $1,860,510 for Pensacola State College’s workforce training programs that will increase the number of students earning industry-recognized credentials and degrees required to enter and advance in the workforce for targeted industries, including advanced manufacturing, aviation maintenance, welding, cybersecurity/information technology, nursing, transportation and construction trades.
All of the awarded economic development projects will help enhance community infrastructure or develop workforce training programs and have demonstrated a strong return on investment. The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund was established by Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature last year to encourage continued economic growth across Florida communities. The Governor’s recommended 2018-2019 budget includes $85 million in continuation funding for the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund.
Governor Scott said, “Last year, I worked with the Florida Legislature to establish the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to help continue our state’s incredible economic growth by addressing specific infrastructure and workforce needs in our communities. Today, I am proud to announce $35 million in awards for nine Florida Job Growth Grant Fund projects. We have worked to ensure that every awarded project will strengthen Florida’s business climate and bring the best return on investment for Florida taxpayers. Florida is competing in a global economy, and we must do everything we can to ensure our state remains the top destination for families and job creators to succeed. We will continue to work with the legislature to invest $85 million in the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, and I look forward to seeing the successful completion of these projects.â€
The nine awarded projects include:
Liberty County Board of County Commissioners ($1,448,831) for the construction of a turning lane on Highway 65 South at the intersection of U.S. Forest Service Road 103, and paving 1.5 miles of the service road to create access to more than 500 acres of property for economic development.
Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners ($3,125,000) to provide water supply and fire protection to the Interstate 75 and County Road 136 interchange.
City of Jacksonville ($6,000,000) for the construction of a new 1.5-mile access roadway to the city-owned Cecil Commerce Center Mega Site to provide access for the manufacturing industry.
Canaveral Port Authority ($8,245,000) to improve roadway access to cruise and cargo terminals by increasing roadway capacity for Northside Cargo roads, new intersection signals for public safety and cargo traffic control, and revisions to North Side Cruise Roadway Network to facilitate cruise operations.
Columbia County ($3,135,600) for the construction of the North Florida Mega Industrial Park Rail Project, which will run parallel to Highway 90, allowing developers access to an industrial park of more than 2,600 acres.
City of Alachua ($6,755,000) for construction of San Felasco Parkway and nearby utilities, connecting a large bioscience cluster – including the University of Florida Sid Martin Biotechnology Institute – to a shovel-ready site of 280 acres.
City of Port St. Lucie ($3,003,247) for the development of a roadway improvement project, which will provide access to 100 acres of undeveloped land in Tradition Commerce Park, an area which has the space to accommodate approximately 1.1 million square feet of commercial development.
Pensacola State College ($1,860,510) for workforce training programs that will increase the number of students earning industry-recognized credentials and degrees required to enter and advance in the workforce for targeted industries, including advanced manufacturing, aviation maintenance, welding, cybersecurity/information technology, nursing, transportation and construction trades.
Washington County Board of County Commissioners ($1,821,461) to build water and sewer infrastructure that will replace the need for future wells and septic systems as a part of the development of a 1,525-acre commercial/industrial/mixed use development district.
These proposals were reviewed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), Enterprise Florida (EFI) and chosen by Governor Scott based on their strong return on investment to the state and to meet the demand for a robust workforce or infrastructure needs. Return on investment was calculated to determine the best projects for the state and economic development in the regions.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of DEO, said, “We have worked diligently to evaluate more than 225 Florida Job Growth Grant Fund proposals requesting more than $821 million in funding. Each selected proposal has a strong return on investment and a commitment to improve the regional economic climate by meeting specific workforce and infrastructure needs. We look forward to the opportunities this funding will bring families across the Sunshine State.â€
Peter Antonacci, CEO of EFI, “Enterprise Florida’s Board of Directors are thrilled to work with DEO to ensure Florida’s families are getting the best return on investment from our tax dollars. Funding these projects will continue to make Florida the best place to create jobs and raise a family.â€
For more information about the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, visit FloridaJobs.org/JobGrowth.
