Gov. Ron DeSantis announced approximately $23.5 million in awards in investments to strengthen the state's defense workforce, military communities, and defense industrial base through several grant programs while speaking at a press conference in Jacksonville this week.
The grants include the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, the Florida Department of Transportation Spaceport Improvement Program, the Florida Defense Reinvestment Grant Program, and the Florida Defense Support Commission Grant Program.
"You're talking about expanding job training, infrastructure, spaceport development, and helping our military installations all across the state of Florida," DeSantis said. "Part of this is economic. Part of this is doing our part to help with national security. But part of it is also just cultural."
Money to the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund includes:
- City of Palm Bay ($3.5M) - Wastewater service to Phoenix Business Park.
- Northwest Florida State College ($3M) - 4,000 square foot two bay maritime fabrication training center in Niceville.
- Polk State College ($2M) - Commercial driving program, including aerospace and defense industries at its Advanced Technology Center in Bartow.
Gov. DeSantis also announced $7 million in awards to Florida State College in Jacksonville to create the Cecil Training Institute near Cecil Commerce Center.
"This facility will expand welding and logistics programs, with plans to add advanced manufacturing and logistics training to support the region's growing shipbuilding presence," DeSantis said. "I'm telling you, these are jobs that are going to be in demand."
In addition, Gov. DeSantis awarded another $5 million to Northeast Florida to support the design and construction of a large rocket motor test stand at Cecil Spaceport through its Spaceport Improvement Program.
DeSantis also awarded over $3.1 million to support military communities and installations through its Defense Reinvestment and Florida Defense Support Commission grant programs.
The governor's announcement follows several other awards, including $15.5 million infrastructure improvements and community development projects to several Florida communities last week.
Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly J. Alex Kelly thanked DeSantis for the initiative.
"Governor, again, you've outlined talent, infrastructure, finance - those platforms are platforms to not just to immediate success but long-term success," Kelly said. "Every one of these applications, thanks to so many of you in the room, really is a platform not to the immediacy of a good thing for the community, especially the military community in your communities, but really kind of platforms there are amplified many times over for great jobs in the defense of our nation."
