Florida Economic Gardening Institute

UCF is coordinating a pilot program to help second stage companies grow through what is being called the Florida Economic Gardening Institute. The purpose of the Florida Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Pilot Program is to stimulate investment in Florida's economy by providing technical assistance for expanding businesses in the state. Companies seeking to participate in the Pilot Program will be evaluated based on the eligibility requirements in Statute 288.1082 provided below.

http://www.growfl.com/

What is the Eligibility Criteria for this program?

To be considered for selection as a participant in the Florida Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Pilot Program, an enterprise must meet the following criteria at the time of selection:

Be a for-profit, privately held, investment-grade business;

Employ at least 10 but not more than 50 people;

Maintained its principal place of business in Florida for at least the previous 2 years;

Generate at least $1 million but not more than $25 million in annual revenue;

Qualify for the tax refund program for qualified target industry businesses under s. 288.106;

During 3 of the previous 5 years, have increased both number of full-time equivalent employees in this state and gross revenues.

One of the partners is the Edward Lowe Foundation. Very cool.

The Edward Lowe Foundation, established in 1985, is a Michigan-based nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through recognition, education and research with a focus on second-stage companies—those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. The foundation encourages economic gardening, an entrepreneur-centered strategy providing balance to the traditional approach of business recruitment.