I just received an inquiry about available Florida or federal funding for neighborhood and commercial revitalization for smaller cities and counties.  This is a timely subject, because one of the available programs has an application due date of July 31, 2009.  That program is the “Florida Main Street Program.”  It is a relatively small grant program of the State of Florida which encourages the revitalization of traditional, historic downtown and neighborhood commercial districts.  The available funding is a $10,000 seed-money grant per community that is reimbursed based on the same amount spent by the local program over the course of a year.

A much larger grant program is the Florida Small Cities – Community Development Block Grant Program.  That program has a FY 2008-2009 allocation for Florida of about $27 million.  The grants range from $600,000 to $750,000 based on low- to moderate-income population.  That program can provide assistance for housing rehabilitation, water and wastewater improvements and economic development projects that create jobs.  Contrary to popular opinion, only 51% of the beneficiaries of a particular the project must be low and moderate income.  But overall, at least 70% of the State of Florida’s funding must benefit low and moderate income persons.