• 20 economic development organizations receive grants to boost Florida's economy, workforce and business growth
• Since 2020, Duke Energy and its Foundation have provided nearly $2 million in grants to organizations in Florida in support of economic development

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., August 27, 2025 /3BL/ - Duke Energy and Duke Energy Foundation awarded $255,000 to 20 organizations focused on attracting businesses to the state, supporting Florida's economy and developing workforce talent. In the last five years, Duke Energy and Duke Energy Foundation have provided $1.98 million in grants to organizations in Florida in support of economic development.

Why it matters: The grants fund a range of programs intended to help Florida's counties enhance their competitiveness in attracting businesses, skilled workers and technological advancements. Each grant is connected to a specific strategy designed to make it easier to conduct business in Florida or promote career opportunities in high-demand industries.

Benefiting organizations include :

• Citrus County : $15,000 to enhance the Economic Development department's website with more robust mapping and site database tools, improved RFP response tools and resources for creating digital, print and video materials.
  
• North Florida Economic Development Partnership Foundation, Inc.: $15,000 to create a matrix of grant programs to address infrastructure needs in 15 rural counties.
  
• Central Florida Development Council: $15,000 to attract jobs, support local businesses and align Polk County's workforce and infrastructure investments with high-potential companies.

What they're saying:

Melissa Seixas, president, Duke Energy Florida: “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, Central Florida Development Council :“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 complete list of grant recipients can be found below, with additional program details listed here .

• Florida Economic Development Council Foundation
• Hernando County Office of Economic Development
• Citrus County Economic Development
• North Florida Economic Development Partnership Foundation, Inc.
• Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.
• Taylor County Development Authority
• Lake Economic Area Development Partnership
• Florida's Great Northwest Foundation, Inc.
• Wakulla County Board of County Commission
• Orlando Economic Partnership
• Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership Foundation
• Team Volusia Economic Development Council
• FloridaMakes, Inc.
• Haines City Economic Development Council
• Highlands County Economic Development
• Winter Haven Economic Development Council
• Levy County Board of County Commissioners
• Apalachee Regional Planning Council
• Seminole County Economic Development
• Central Florida Development Council

For more information about Duke Energy Foundation, please visit duke-energy/community/duke-energy-foundation/Florida .

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.

More information is available at duke-energy and the Duke Energy News Center . Follow Duke Energy on X , LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook , and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Media contact: Laitin Sterling
Media line: 800.559.3853

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