The Florida Communities Trust

 

 

The Florida Communities Trust (FCT) is a state-funded land acquisition program created by Chapter 380, Florida Statutes. The grant programs administered by FCT were initially funded through bonds issued under Preservation 2000 and currently through the Florida Forever Act. FCT assists communities with protecting natural resources, providing recreational opportunities and preserving Florida’s traditional working waterfronts through the competitive criteria outlined in the Parks and Open Space and the Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts Florida Forever Grant Programs. FCT is governed by a five-member board with the Secretary of DEP or their designee serving as the chair. 

 

FCT helps Florida communities create local recreational opportunities, ensure public access to our beautiful beaches, protect our historical and cultural resources, preserve Florida’s commercial fishing heritage and traditional working waterfronts, and provide clean air and drinking water essential to creating livable communities. FCT helps local governments implement their comprehensive plans through the acquisition of land and utilize funds from the Florida Forever Program. As a non-regulatory program, FCT promotes innovative solutions to the challenges inherent in the comprehensive planning process.

 

Since its inception in 1989, FCT has facilitated the acquisition of over 96,987 acres of lands for conservation and local recreational opportunities. Through Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever, FCT grants total almost $875 million with local matching funds of $754 million for a combined total of $1.6 billion dollars.

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Florida Communities Trust Governing Board Information

Department of Environmental Protection

Division of State Lands

Land and Recreation Grants Section

3900 Commonwealth Blvd., MS 585

Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000