Volusia County raises ECHO award caps, requires fuller applications and rolls out an online portal for 2026 cycle

Daniel Marsh, ECHO manager, told a packed ECHO workshop that County Council approved significant policy changes for the 2026 grant cycle, raising the award cap and streamlining budget administration.

"The main the big 1 is the cap has been increased from 600,000, to $2,500,000," Marsh said, adding that the program eliminated the exceptional grant category and raised the per‑project lifetime cap to $5,000,000. Marsh said the county has funded nearly 290 ECHO projects totaling about $283,000,000 to date.

Why it matters: The higher award and lifetime caps expand the size of projects that can seek county funds and give applicants greater flexibility on large facility projects. Marsh also said staff-level approval is now allowed for certain non‑scope budget changes, a change intended to speed adjustments that previously required advisory committee and council action.

Staff emphasized new application requirements and deadlines. Daniel Marsh and Jill Markham, ECHO administrative specialist, walked applicants through required materials — including a project‑specific business plan, feasibility study, marketing plan, and a…