Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced that the opportunity is now available for local workforce development boards, educational institutions and technical centers impacted by Hurricane Michael to apply for $8 million in funding through the Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program. The program, administered by DEO, is designed to train Floridians in trades necessary to support disaster recovery efforts.

The funds are allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

“Disaster recovery and workforce training continue to be top priorities for Governor DeSantis. The Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program provides the opportunity for individuals impacted by the storm to not only learn new trades, but also be a part of the recovery process for their communities,” said Dane Eagle, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. 

The Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program makes funds available to local workforce development boards, school districts, higher educational institutions and technical centers serving communities by Hurricane Michael. The funding will be used to launch or expand training programs for construction trades including roofing, masonry, carpentry, concrete finishing, plumbing, HVAC, electricity, heavy equipment operations, floor installation, window installation, plastering, welding and more. The funding may also be used for customized training programs tailored to the specific economic revitalization needs of a community.

The Department is the governor-designated state authority responsible for administering all HUD long-term recovery funds awarded to the state. Rebuild Florida uses federal funding for Florida’s long-term recovery efforts from the devastating impacts of natural disasters. For more information, visit RebuildFlorida.gov.

The deadline to complete an application is December 15, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). Department staff will be available to provide technical assistance to eligible entities during the application process. For more information about the program, including how to complete an application, visit the Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program’s webpage.

To provide potential applicants with more information about the Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program, the Department will host a webinar at 2:00 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, October 15, 2020. Click here to register.


The Department is the governor-designated state authority responsible for administering all HUD long-term recovery funds awarded to the state. Rebuild Florida uses federal funding for Florida’s long-term recovery efforts from the devastating impacts of natural disasters. For more information, visit RebuildFlorida.gov.

About DEO

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce and community development efforts, expediting economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities and promote economic resiliency. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.FloridaJobs.org.

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