Hamilton County will receive nearly $2.8 million for infrastructure tied to a manufacturing site, while Jefferson County, Perry, Havana and a regional North Florida economic development organization will receive planning grants.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Several North Florida communities are getting a share of nearly $15.6 million in grants announced Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis, with projects targeting everything from industrial development and job creation to economic resilience and modernized local planning.

The awards include nearly $2.8 million for Hamilton County, along with grants benefiting Jefferson County, Perry and Havana and a $75,000 investment in a regional economic development partnership serving North Florida.

The money is part of awards to 23 small and rural communities and organizations across Florida through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant and Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant programs.

For North Florida, the grants could have an outsized impact in communities where local governments have fewer resources to pay for infrastructure improvements and prepare sites for new economic development.

Hamilton County gets nearly $2.8 million for manufacturing site

The largest North Florida award announced Thursday is going to Hamilton County.

The county will receive $2,770,555 through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program to provide roadway access improvements supporting a manufacturing site.

The investment stands out because it directly connects public infrastructure improvements with potential industrial development.

Unlike several of the smaller planning grants, the Hamilton County award is intended for physical roadway improvements.

Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly said the broader grant program is designed to give communities resources needed to improve infrastructure and generate long-term economic growth.

“Florida’s success begins with strong communities,” Kelly said.

Jefferson County awarded money for economic resilience plan

Jefferson County will receive $65,000 through the Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant program.

The money will be used to develop the Jefferson County Community and Economic Resilience Implementation Plan.

The state announcement did not provide additional details about the specific recommendations or projects that will be included in the plan.

However, the grant is designed to move beyond identifying economic challenges and toward developing an implementation strategy for strengthening the county’s economy and resilience.

Community Planning Technical Assistance grants are intended to help local governments address economic challenges, meet planning requirements and improve community resiliency.

Perry gets $86,825 for industrial site work

The City of Perry will receive $86,825 for the Gram’s Legacy Industrial Site Pre-Development Survey and Environmental Documentation Project.

The award comes as Perry and Taylor County continue working to strengthen the local economy following major economic challenges in recent years.

The state announcement does not identify a company or specific development that would locate at the site. Instead, the grant will pay for pre-development survey and environmental documentation work.

That type of advance work can be important when communities market industrial property because it allows potential development issues to be identified before a company commits to a site.

Havana receives $75,000 to modernize development planning

The Town of Havana in Gadsden County will receive $75,000 to modernize the way the town handles future growth and development.

The grant will be used to create digital planning infrastructure and modernize Havana’s Future Land Use Map and Land Development Regulations.

Those documents play a central role in determining where and how communities grow, including the types of development permitted in different areas.

Modernizing them could give Havana updated tools as it considers future residential, commercial and economic development.

$75,000 targets economic development across North Florida

The announcement also includes a grant with potential implications beyond any single county.

The North Florida Economic Development Partnership will receive $75,000 to develop its Rural Technical Assistance Center Planning Framework.

The partnership focuses on economic development in rural North Florida, making the award regional rather than limited to one city or county.

The announcement did not provide additional details about how the proposed technical assistance center would operate, but the funding is specifically designated to develop the planning framework.

Lake City, Columbia County also receive funding

The grants were announced in Lake City, where DeSantis also unveiled a Lady Columbia statue as part of Florida’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Lake City will receive $211,000 to repave part of Northwest Georgia Avenue from Early Street to Wilson Street. State officials say the work will improve safety and access to homes, schools and local services.

Columbia County will receive another $65,000 to update its Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Combined, Lake City and Columbia County will receive $276,000 from the two grant programs.

More than $3 million highlighted for North Florida

The five North Florida awards to Hamilton County, Jefferson County, Perry, Havana and the North Florida Economic Development Partnership total more than $3.07 million:

Here is a list of awards, amounts and projects:

Hamilton County$2,770,555Road access improvements supporting a manufacturing site

City of Perry$86,825Gram’s Legacy Industrial Site pre-development survey and environmental documentation

Town of Havana$75,000Digital planning infrastructure, Future Land Use Map and development regulation modernization

North Florida Economic Development Partnership$75,000Rural Technical Assistance Center Planning Framework

Jefferson County$65,000Community and Economic Resilience Implementation Plan

Including the Lake City and Columbia County awards pushes the funding highlighted for those North Florida recipients to more than $3.3 million.

Rural infrastructure a major focus

The awards illustrate two different approaches to rural economic development.

The federal CDBG funding administered by Florida Commerce is paying for major physical infrastructure projects, including Hamilton County’s manufacturing-site road improvements.

The state technical assistance grants are smaller but focus on preparing communities for future investment through planning, economic development strategies, land-use updates and site preparation.

Other communities across Florida will use the funding for sewer systems, water infrastructure, drainage, transportation planning and economic development.

DeSantis announced the grants while arguing Florida’s smaller communities need infrastructure and resources that can position them for future growth.

For Hamilton County, Jefferson County, Perry and Havana, the latest awards put new money behind that effort — with Hamilton County receiving by far the largest North Florida investment announced Thursday.