Lee Commissioners vote to approve agreement related to EPA Community Change Grant

01/22/2025

The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve an agreement with Collaboratory to allow the county to address a series of objectives included in the $19.3 million Community Change Grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to tackle environmental challenges related to disaster preparedness.

Lee County and Collaboratory announced in December that the EPA Community Change Grant had been received to address a series of initiatives in the ResilientLee Recovery and Resiliency Plan. Lee County has a series of objectives included, primarily within Emergency Management, including:

  • Building out specifications for Resilience Hubs across the community.
  • Coordinating with non-profit or governmental partners.
  • Providing disaster-related programming and education to the community at these facilities.

The proposed subgrant agreement for these objectives is for $260,500.

The initiative will increase community resilience, reduce pollution and build community capacity.

To view a video highlighting Lee County’s role in the partnership, go to https://youtu.be/-DpsmsQNVhY

The project will invest in four organizations to create the foundation of a network of community resilience hubs to support residents during emergencies, such as hurricanes.

Resilience Hubs are locations that provide supplies or social services residents need every day. These spaces can transition in a disaster to provide critical information, emergency support and health supplies to the surrounding communities.

These four hubs are planned to be used as the blueprint for the countywide network of hubs:

  • Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson St., Fort Myers
  • Franklin Park Elementary School, 2323 Ford St., Fort Myers
  • IMAG History & Science Center, 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers
  • Pine Manor Community Center, 5547 Tenth Ave., Fort Myers

Along with community partners, the project will build the capacity of local organizations providing resilience services; help communities develop emergency plans; and equip the hubs with adequate supplies. It is intended to expand and improve the county’s emergency response planning and implementation network to support an all-of-community response during and after a severe event.

Stormwater and infrastructure improvements along Ten Mile Canal are also part of the project as are workforce development programs focused on the construction sector to support the construction of energy-efficient and resilient homes in the region.  This training includes preparing the existing workforce for compliance activities necessary to participate in projects using federal funds, which continue to be increasingly available following Hurricane Ian, and now Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The grant period is three years.

The project is aligned to 12 initiatives identified in the ResilientLee effort coordinated by Collaboratory and Lee County following Hurricane Ian. Like ResilentLee, this is a collaborative project enlisting partners to include:

  • The School District of Lee County
  • The Pine Manor Improvement Association
  • United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades
  • American Red Cross
  • City of Fort Myers
  • IMAG History and Science Center