Deadline to submit applications is Jan. 31
The St. Johns River Water Management District is accepting applications Dec. 1 – Jan. 31 for both its Fiscal Year 2023–2024 Districtwide Cost-Share Program and its FY 2023–2024 funding program for Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) communities and innovative projects. Through its cost-share programs, the District partners with communities on projects that stretch local dollars to support water resource protection.
The Districtwide Cost-Share Program is open to any applicant with a project that benefits one of the four District core missions but is not an operations and maintenance. Through this cost-share program, the District will fund up to 25% of construction costs for selected alternative water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems projects, and up to 50% for water conservation projects. The program will fund up to $3 million per project or per applicant.
For the REDI/Innovative program, REDI communities are economically disadvantaged with an employment base dominated by traditional agriculture or resource-based industries and a population of 25,000 or less. REDI-designated areas within the District are Baker, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and Okeechobee counties, all communities within those counties, and the communities of, Fellsmere, Hawthorne, and Umatilla.
An innovative project is one that uses emerging or proven technology in a unique way to provide alternative water supply quantities or to expand available quantities to offset groundwater withdrawal, or to otherwise improve the water resources of the District in support of the core missions.
REDI community projects are eligible for a maximum District cost-share of $1,000,000 per project and per entity and a limit of $3 million for all cost-share opportunities (Districtwide and REDI/Innovative programs combined) per fiscal year. Innovative projects are eligible for a maximum District cost-share of $500,000.
The District will fund up to 50% of construction costs for selected REDI/Innovative projects. REDI communities can submit a waiver of matching funds letter, which allows for up to 100% reimbursement of construction costs within the maximum funding constraints.
All project applications for both the Districtwide Cost-Share Program and the REDI/Innovative Program are evaluated and scored based on District core mission benefits, cost effectiveness, likelihood of a successful and timely completion, and application quality and completeness.
Project criteria, application instructions and additional information about the program are available on the District’s website at www.sjrwmd.com/localgovernments/funding.
Staff anticipate recommending projects for Board consideration at the April 2023 Governing Board meeting.
Original source can be found here.
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