Florida - Friday March 3, 2023: Governor DeSantis Friday announced that $50 million is available for communities impacted by hurricanes Ian and Nicole through the Local Government Emergency Bridge Loan Program.
Counties and municipalities located in an area designated in the Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declarations for Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole are eligible to apply.
The loan program is a one-time appropriation to help fund governmental operations that may have been impacted by the hurricanes. It's meant to help bridge the gap while they await federal relief or for their revenues recover.
"Governmental Operations” includes costs associated with continuing, expanding, or modifying local governmental operations to meet disaster-related needs and includes costs such as, but not limited to, staff salaries and payroll.
The program is being administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).
“Helping communities fully rebuild after disaster and become more resilient in the face of future storms is a top priority for my administration,” said the Governor.
An applicant must demonstrate that it may suffer or has suffered substantial loss of its tax or other revenues as a result of the hurricane and establish a need for financial assistance to enable it to continue to perform its governmental operations to be eligible. DEO is accepting applications on a rolling basis until available funds are exhausted.
On Thursday, March 9, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Eastern Time, DEO will be hosting a technical assistance webinar to provide guidance to eligible applicants and interested communities’ leaders and stakeholders as they review the application process.
RSVP for that webinar HERE.
Eligible applicants are encouraged to use this checklist to submit the required documentation and information via email to LocalGovernmentBridge@DEO.MyFlorida.com.
For more information about the Local Government Emergency Bridge Loan Program, visit www.FloridaJobs.org/LocalGovernmentBridge.