Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation have awarded $255,000 in grants to 20 organizations across Florida focused on economic development, workforce training, and business growth. Since 2020, nearly $2 million has been distributed by Duke Energy and its foundation to support similar initiatives throughout the state.
The grants are aimed at helping Florida counties become more competitive in attracting businesses, skilled workers, and new technologies. Each grant is tied to a specific strategy intended to make it easier for companies to do business in Florida or encourage career opportunities in high-demand sectors.
Among the recipients is Citrus County, which received $15,000 to upgrade its Economic Development department’s website with enhanced mapping tools and resources for digital content creation. The North Florida Economic Development Partnership Foundation was granted $15,000 to develop a matrix of programs addressing infrastructure needs in 15 rural counties. The Central Florida Development Council also received $15,000 for efforts related to job attraction and aligning workforce investments with key industries.
Melissa Seixas, president of Duke Energy Florida, said: “Florida’s economic strength instinctively makes our state a great place to establish and grow a business, so it’s our privilege to build upon these competitive advantages through innovative, strategic resource grants.”
Sean Malott, president and CEO of the Central Florida Development Council added: “This grant from Duke Energy will play a critical role in shaping the future of Polk County’s economy. By updating our target industry study, we will gain additional insights needed to continue attracting high-quality jobs, support local businesses and align Polk’s workforce and infrastructure investments with the industries that drive long-term growth. We are grateful for Duke Energy’s continued partnership in building a stronger, more resilient economic future for our community.”
A full list of grant recipients includes several county economic development offices as well as regional partnerships such as Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., Taylor County Development Authority, Orlando Economic Partnership, Team Volusia Economic Development Council and others.
Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity to about 2 million customers across a 13,000-square-mile area within the state. The company owns approximately 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity.
The Duke Energy Foundation provides over $30 million annually nationwide in philanthropic support funded by company shareholders.
Duke Energy Corporation is headquartered in Charlotte and serves electric utility customers across six states while owning nearly 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity nationwide. More information about their activities can be found at https://www.duke-energy.com/community/duke-energy-foundation/Florida or on their main site https://www.duke-energy.com/.
“Florida’s economic strength instinctively makes our state a great place to establish and grow a business, so it’s our privilege to build upon these competitive advantages through innovative, strategic resource grants.” – Melissa Seixas
“This grant from Duke Energy will play a critical role in shaping the future of Polk County’s economy. By updating our target industry study, we will gain additional insights needed to continue attracting high-quality jobs, support local businesses and align Polk’s workforce and infrastructure investments with the industries that drive long-term growth. We are grateful for Duke Energy’s continued partnership in building a stronger, more resilient economic future for our community.” – Sean Malott
For further details on grant programs or recipient organizations visit https://www.duke-energy.com/community/duke-energy-foundation/Florida.
