Gov. DeSantis Announces an Additional $167.5 Million to Improve Infrastructure in Rural Communities

“Today, I announced funding for critical infrastructure projects in 34 small and rural Florida communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These awards, totaling $167.5 million, will bolster long-term recovery efforts in areas hit by major storms in 2023 and 2024 – and these investments will also help ensure that our rural communities remain competitive, resilient, and full of opportunity for Florida families.”

“As the #1 state in the nation for attracting and developing a talented workforce and higher education and proven by the more than 70,000 private sector jobs created in 2025, Florida is delivering the resources needed to help job creators and job seekers succeed and storm-impacted rural communities rebuild smarter and stronger,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly.  “For many of the communities hit hardest by the 2023 and 2024 Storms, these projects are far more than just infrastructure repairs—they are an investment into the foundation of daily life. By restoring damaged stormwater systems, repairing overwhelmed wastewater treatment facilities and reinforcing services Floridians rely on every day, we are helping rural communities return to normal operations while also strengthening their long-term economic resiliency.”

With nearly 590,000 new businesses created in 2025 alone—more than any other state—Florida has seen a record of more than 4 million business formed since 2019. In November 2025, total private employment increased by 70,100 jobs (+0.8%) over the year—jobs which support those newly created businesses.

These significant numbers underscore how Florida’s continued investment in workforce development, talent attraction and critical infrastructure in combination with strong fiscal discipline has helped to better position Florida to withstand national economic headwinds—ensuring job creators and job seekers find opportunities for success and communities hit hardest by a disaster are able to rebuild and economically rebound.

Strategic investments in workforce development and critical infrastructure, as well as Florida’s pro-business policies have earned the state the #1 ranked economy in the nation by CNBC for three consecutive years and by U.S. News & World Report for two consecutive years. Florida has also earned a reputation of attracting and developing a talented workforce—earning the #1 ranking in that category by Lightcast and ranking #1 in higher education for ten consecutive years. Since COVID, Florida has held the line, continuing to expand our workforce—now with a record 11.2 million labor force—and kept the state unemployment rate (4.2%) under the national average (4.6%) for 61 consecutive months.

Taylor County will receive nearly $36 million in awards through the Community Development Block Grant Program and the Rural Infrastructure Fund:

City of Perry  

• $12,000,000 – to construct a new parallel treatment train, which will enhance operational resilience and safety during future storms.

• $8,500,000 – to replace current wastewater infrastructure and install modern equipment—managing capacity, ensuring regulatory compliance and enhancing system resilience during future storms. 

• $4,500,000 – to create a resilient independent water source by restoring capacity and increasing the reliability of Well No. 3 that will directly serve the City of Perry if the main treatment plant or water lines are compromised during a hurricane.

Taylor County Board of County Commissioners  

• $1,050,000 – to repair and reconstruct residential roads in Steinhatchee to reduce recurrent flooding and prevent future washouts. 

• $4,969,425 – to construct the Taylor County Special Needs Emergency Shelter.

• $298,440 – to determine the best available location in Steinhatchee for the construction of critically needed infrastructure for a commercial seafood off-load, processing and distribution facility through the Rural Infrastructure Fund.

Doctor’s Memorial Hospital in Taylor County ($4,431,981) – to install a whole-facility emergency power system, replace hospital phone and communications systems and modernize the facility’s water treatment system through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Mitigation Program

Additional Community Development Block Grant Funds have been awarded to:

Jackson County Board of County Commissioners ($3,260,000) – to add a new well, pumping equipment and water storage system needed to provide emergency services to Jackson County.

The following communities will also receive funds through the 2023 and 2024 Storms Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program:

• Big Bend Water Authority ($4,514,185) – to repair and replace critical water mains in Steinhatchee, Florida and Jena, Florida.

• Cedar Key Water and Sewer District  

  • $7,349,280 – to construct and harden the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District potable water system. 

  • $4,124,017 – to harden the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Wastewater Treatment Facility.

• City of Carrabelle ($2,569,775) – to repair damages and harden Carrabelle’s Sanitary Sewer Collection and Treatment Systems.

• City of Gretna ($7,156,377) – to rehabilitate and upgrade the city’s production wells, the foundation of the municipal water supply system.

• City of Monticello ($14,158,044) – to rehabilitate or replace deteriorated lift stations and force mains, install permanent standby generators at critical sites, elevate and harden electrical and mechanical components and integrate systems monitoring to improve storm response.

• City of Port St. Joe ($25,000,000) – to rebuild and strengthen the wastewater treatment facility by upgrading current infrastructure.

• Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners ($1,298,634) – to install updated drainage systems that are underperforming or have been damaged in previous storms. 

• Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners ($1,200,000) – to restore and provide needed improvements to Hamilton County’s sole sheltering facility.

• Lafayette County Board of County Commissioners ($1,382,403) – to restore and harden the drainage and roadway system that serves residents, school buses, agriculture and emergency vehicles. 

• Levy County Board of County Commissioners  

  • $1,107,015 – to eliminate a severe safety hazard, restore essential recreational and tourism access, and increase resiliency for this vulnerable coastal location. 

  • $358,000 – to complete a Fire Emergency Response and Control Project—ensuring reliable emergency services in one of the county’s most vulnerable and hazard-prone regions.

• Liberty County Board of County Commissioners ($1,500,000) – to improve, repair and resurface the Bristol Boat Ramp to ensure safe access, mitigate environmental damage and enhance long-term resiliency.

• Madison County Board of County Commissioners ($8,000,000) – to construct the Madison County Special Needs Shelter at the Madison County Emergency Operations Shelter. 

Town of Cross City

• $32,062,208 – to build a new wastewater treatment plant and repair the sewer lines in the city. 

• $5,708,267 – to improve and upgrade stormwater drainage by installing elliptical reinforced concrete piping along the streets, further collecting stormwater into the main drainage ditch alongside US Highway 19.

• Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners ($2,822,481) – to design and construct a project to line manholes, gravity sewer and tie-ins in the Panacea Shores Units residential subdivision's central wastewater system. 

The RIF program supports infrastructure projects that drive job creation, capital investment and strengthen economies in Rural Areas of Opportunity (RAO), rural counties and rural communities. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026, the Florida Legislature appropriated $17 million for the RIF statewide program and $5 million for the Panhandle-Specific program for a total of $22 million. FloridaCommerce received a record 112 applications requesting more than $195 million in funding during the 2025-2026 RIF application period. Since 2019, the program has awarded more than $110 million in grant funds.

The following communities will receive funds through the Rural Infrastructure Fund Program:

• City of Blountstown ($200,000) – to implement improvements aimed at reducing stormwater and groundwater inflow and infiltration into the municipal wastewater collection system.

• City of Gretna ($700,000) – to build a new roadway extension that will serve as an access route to a greenfield site designated for commercial development.

• City of Marianna ($1,441,500) – for infrastructure improvements at Marianna Airport to support retention, expansion and investment of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) companies at the airport.

• Franklin County ($176,100) – to create the first Master Site Plan for the Apalachicola Airport, supporting business development for aerospace and aviation companies requiring hangar space and runways to conduct operations.

• Hamilton County ($300,000) – to construct a new building at the Alapaha Commerce Center—providing flexible, move-in-ready facilities designed to attract logistics, distribution and advanced manufacturing companies.

• Madison County Board of County Commissioners ($105,000) – to create a master plan for the Madison County Industrial Park, to include planning, market research and utility assessments necessary to guide Madison County Development Council's outreach to prospective companies.

• Town of Jennings ($300,000) – to complete the planning, design and permitting of a new production well as well as critical improvements and upgrades to the existing water treatment plant.

• Town of Ponce de Leon ($1,500,000) – for critical upgrades to Lift Station #3 and the replacement of the force main serving the Interstate 10 and State Road 81 interchange—ensuring reliable utility service, strengthening infrastructure resiliency and enabling long-term economic development in the community.

• Washington County Board of County Commissioners ($3,500,000) – to stabilize and improve Holmes Valley Road, providing critical access to the Old Shores Resort and Golf Club—generating approximately 90 new jobs.

Governor DeSantis previously awarded $311 million in awards to improve infrastructure in 37 Florida communities. These awards follow the previous announcement and invest in critical infrastructure needs ranging from utility and transportation improvements to emergency operations resources in these communities—especially supporting critical water infrastructure investments across the state.

For more information on the 2023 and 2024 Storms Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program, click here.

For more information on the Rural Infrastructure Fund, click here.

Source: ICYMI: Governor Ron DeSantis Announces an Additional $167.5 Million in Awards to Improve Infrastructure in 34 Florida Rural Communities