Triumph Gulf Coast

Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., shall make awards from available funds to projects or programs that meet the priorities for economic recovery, diversification, and enhancement of the disproportionately affected counties. Triumph opened the application process for these funds in november 2017. The first grants were awarded in 2018. Awards may be provided for: (1) ad valorem tax rate reduction within disproportionately affected counties; (2) local match requirements of Florida s. 288.0655 for projects in the disproportionately affected counties; (3) public infrastructure projects for construction, expansion, or maintenance which are shown to enhance economic recovery, diversification, and enhancement of the disproportionately affected counties; (4) grants to local governments in the disproportionately affected counties to establish and maintain equipment and trained personnel for local action plans of response to respond to disasters; (5) grants to support programs that prepare students for future occupations and careers at k-20 institutions that have campuses in disproportionately affected counties. Eligible programs include those that increase students' technology skills and knowledge; encourage industry certifications; provide rigorous, alternative pathways for students to meet high school graduation requirements; strengthen career readiness initiatives; fund high-demand programs of emphasis at the bachelor's and master's level designated by the board of governors; and, similar to or the same as talent retention programs created by the chancellor of the state university system and the commission of education, encourage students with interest or aptitude for science, technology, engineering,mathematics, and medical disciplines to pursue postsecondary education at a state university of a Florida college system institution within the disproportionately affected counties; (6) grants to support programs that provide participants in the disproportionately affected counties with transferable, sustainable workforce skills that are not confined to a single employer; and (7) grants to the tourism entity created under Florida s. 288.1226 for the purpose of advertising and promoting tourism and fresh from Florida, and grants to promote workforce and infrastructure, on behalf of all of the disproportionately affected counties.