Broward launches Resilient Broward grants for pumps, culverts and control structures; Southwest Ranches projects highlighted

Dr. Jennifer Herado, Broward County’s chief resilience officer, told the Southwest Ranches Town Council that the county is launching a Resilient Broward grant program to move site-specific flood-mitigation projects into construction.

"This is the launch of a resilient Broward grant program intended to fund three different types of infrastructure, pumps, culverts, and control structures," Dr. Herado said, outlining modeled projects and maps showing risk and reductions under mitigation scenarios.

The presentation framed the grants as a way to accelerate projects identified in the countywide resilience plan, which the presenter said carries an estimated $28 billion price tag. Dr. Herado told the council the class of capital projects modeled for implementation total about $1 billion in installed construction costs and that the Broward County Commission allocated an additional $20 million this year to support implementation and leverage local dollars.

Dr. Herado described the cost-share and timeline: the program expects a 25% county cost share across the program and is designed to leverage other local, state or federal funds; the county will formally launch the program in September, accept applications through October, provide ranking recommendations to the county commission early next year, and aim for contracting in the spring. "Our cost share is 25%... the application itself would be for a 25% cost share from the county, 75% from the community," she said.

Council members pressed for details on acceptable match sources and project mechanics, including whether state or federal dollars could count toward the town’s share; Dr. Herado said state and federal grants and eligible local funds could be used as the town’s contribution. She also noted some large federal reservoir projects tied to the C11 canal have been reprioritized by the Army Corps and may be delayed or redesigned.

The county posted project descriptions and a point-based application rubric online; Dr. Herado said modeled projects for Southwest Ranches were included and could earn extra points for being part of the resilience plan. She said the county had run a $1.5 million pilot last year, increased the county allocation to $20 million in the current year, and expected larger maximum awards this year (her remarks indicated an expectation of awards up to roughly $4 million for single projects).