Stimulus Grants in Florida
Florida's share of the Obama administration's economic stimulus package for 2009-2010, according to Stimulus Watch, is almost $6.8 billion, divided between the public and private sectors. Two state agencies, Workforce Florida and Enterprise Florida, administer stimulus money in the private sector. Florida homeowners can also receive stimulus grants through the Good to Be Green program for alternative energy options such as solar water heaters. Low-income homeowners can receive grants for home insulation and repair.
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Public Sector
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The National Institutes of Health provided money for 383 grants amounting to more than $158 million to Florida for medical and technical research, while the Florida Department of Transportation is administering $72 million in airport improvements, $1.35 billion for highways and bridges, and $315.4 million for high-speed rail.
Enterprise Florida, Inc.
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Enterprise Florida, established in 1996, is a public-private partnership whose role it is to help Florida businesses become more competitive in world markets. With seed money from the state, it seeks matching investments by businesses and individuals. A pilot program called Global Trade Training, in Broward, Martin, and Sarasota counties, uses a $457,000 stimulus grant and $663,000 in partner matches to assist companies in the marine industry.
Enterprise Florida has also established "Florida Industry Clusters" to explore new technology with stimulus grants in several fields, including aviation, clean energy, homeland security, life sciences and manufacturing. Companies may also qualify for federal grants on their own.
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Workforce Florida, Inc.
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Workforce Florida, established in 2000, seeks to do for individuals what Enterprise Florida does for businesses: make them more competitive in the global economy. Stimulus grants helped establish EmployFlorida.com, a free job bank website for people looking for work. Stimulus grants also help reimburse employers for the cost of training new employees.
Workforce Florida operates through 24 regional centers and more than 80 one-stop centers administered by the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI). These centers also streamline unemployment claims.
Stimulus grants provide early learning services to 600,000 Florida children, as well as tax credits to businesses who hire those who qualify as "disconnected youth" and help them toward their GEDs in the first six months of employment.
The AWI also uses stimulus funds to help veterans find employment, including those with special needs and disabilities.
Good To Be Green
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The Good To Te Green program provides opportunities for residents, schools, non-profit groups, utilities and other commercial enterprises to receive stimulus grants to put renewable energy technologies into place.
Good To Be Green has a program in which lower-income Florida residents can receive stimulus grants for $500 to install more efficient heating and another $500 for more efficient cooling appliances. Households with incomes below $35,000 may participate in the Home Energy Efficiency Fix-Up Program, which could include $2,500 grants to bring properties up to code, and emergency home repair grants of $10,000.
Residents apply through the city or county utilities program where they live.
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