Florida Forever Grant Program

Florida Forever is Florida's conservation and recreation lands acquisition program, administered through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The program serves as a statewide framework for conserving Florida's natural and cultural heritage. Its stated goals include protecting water resources, improving coastal resiliency, preserving cultural resources, expanding public access to outdoor recreation, and supporting restoration and maintenance of public lands. More than 907,412 acres have been acquired under Florida Forever, while Florida has invested approximately $8.5 billion since 1963 to conserve more than 4 million acres for environmental, recreational, and preservation purposes. Florida Forever operates as a willing seller program. Anyone may propose a project, and project sponsors may include federal, state, and local government agencies, conservation organizations, or private citizens. When a project is proposed by a sponsor, the landowner must acknowledge willingness to sell the property. To be considered for acquisition, a project must have a willing seller and must be placed on the Florida Forever Priority List. The Acquisition and Restoration Council develops the Priority List, and the Governor and Cabinet, serving as the Board of Trustees, approve it. Projects placed on the list must be suitable for conservation and meet the Florida Forever Goals, Measures and Performance Criteria established under Chapter 259, Florida Statutes. Applications for new Florida Forever project proposals are accepted twice each year, on April 15 and October 15. Complete applications must be received at least 60 working days before a scheduled Acquisition and Restoration Council meeting. The council evaluates and votes on new proposed projects twice per year, in June and December. Existing Florida Forever project boundaries may also be modified under criteria specified in Rule 18-24, Florida Administrative Code, and boundary amendment proposals may be considered during council meetings held throughout the year. Sponsors are required to provide proof that affected landowners were notified before an application is submitted. A land managing entity must be identified and secured as part of the project proposal. A commitment letter or management prospectus from the proposed manager must be submitted with the application. If acquisition is proposed through a conservation easement, the Division of State Lands monitors the property according to the easement terms. The source also identifies alternative land protection approaches, including donation, life estates, conservation easements, and first-right-of-refusal arrangements. These alternatives may allow a property owner to retain certain interests while protecting the property's natural resource values. The program is highly competitive, and placement on the Florida Forever Priority List does not guarantee or establish a specific acquisition date or funding amount. All approved projects are assigned to one of six statutory categories, and the Acquisition and Restoration Council ranks projects within each category each December from highest to lowest priority. The Governor and Cabinet may remove projects from the recommended list but may not otherwise change the council's ranking. The Department of Environmental Protection uses the approved Priority List to determine which projects and ownership interests may be negotiated for purchase with Florida Forever funds made available annually by the Legislature. Depending on funding availability and project priority, acquisition may take approximately six months or may require many years. After a property is added to the Priority List, the Division of State Lands contacts the landowner to inquire about a potential purchase. If the landowner remains willing to sell, a land acquisition agent may begin negotiations. Additional acquisition work can include a preliminary survey, appraisals, price negotiations, and closing products. The Bureau of Real Estate Services negotiates purchases for the state, and transactions in which title will be held by the State of Florida require approval by the Governor and Cabinet acting as the Board of Trustees. The FAQ does not state an award ceiling, award floor, total program funding amount for a specific application cycle, number of awards, required applicant match, application opening date, individual program contact, program email, or program telephone number.

Confirm a willing seller and required landowner notification before submission; align the project with Florida Forever Goals, Measures and Performance Criteria; secure the proposed land managing entity and required management documentation; submit a complete application at least 60 working days before the scheduled Acquisition and Restoration Council meeting.