The FLORIDA COMMUNITIES TRUST (Trust) announces an application period for receiving applications from local governments and non-profit environmental organizations requesting funding awards from the Trust’s Florida Forever Park and Open Space grant Program.

DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted beginning on February 27, 2009 and ending at 5:00 p.m. (EDT), May 13, 2009. Applications must be received in the Florida Communities Trust’s office by the above stated deadline (an application postmarked by the application deadline will NOT be accepted). Applications received after the published deadline shall be deemed late and will not be considered by the Trust.

APPLICATION FORMS: Applications for funding must be made on Application Form FCT-4 following procedures in Rule Chapter 9K-7, F.A.C. Copies of the rule chapter and application form may be obtained by visiting the Trust website at http://www.floridacommunitiestrust.org, calling (850)922-2207 or by writing: Florida Communities Trust, 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100.

ADDRESS: For mail and carrier service deliveries, the delivery address is: Florida Communities Trust, 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Suite 310, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100. For hand deliveries, the delivery location is: Suite 310, Sadowski Building, 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL.

FUNDS AVAILABLE: Funds available for awards will derive from Florida Forever bond proceeds. As of the date of submittal of this Notice, the Trust anticipates that $63,000,000.00 will be available for use in this funding cycle, unless otherwise allocated by the Legislature. However, FCT funding is limited to action taken by the Legislature so the exact amount of available funding is unknown at this time.

LOCAL MATCH: Section 259.105(3)(c), F.S. requires that of the funds allocated to the Trust for the Parks and Opens Space program and used for land acquisition, 75 percent shall be matched by local governments on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Paragraph 9K-7.003(7)(c), F.A.C., allows 100 percent grant funding to counties with populations under 75,000, municipalities with populations under 10,000 and eligible nonprofit environmental organizations. All other applicants shall provide a minimum of 25 percent match toward project costs.

LIMITS ON AWARDS: Under the provisions of subsection 9K-7.003(6), F.A.C., the total amount of any award or combination of awards applied for by any local government or nonprofit environmental organization under any application(s) or partnership application(s) for any project(s) shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total Florida Forever funds available as stated above. All awards for partnership applications, for the purposes of calculating award limits, shall be divided equally among the local government or nonprofit environmental organization. Based upon the funds known to be available as of the date of this notice, the limit to any local government or nonprofit environmental organization shall be $6,300,000.00. However, this amount is subject to legislative action and could change during the 2009 Florida legislative session.

MORE INFORMATION: Interested parties may obtain more information from the Trust website at http://www.floridacommunitytrust.org, by contacting the Florida Communities Trust at (850)922-2207 or by writing the above stated address.