South Florida operators leave redevelopment money on the table for a boring reason: the programs are real, but the details are local, technical and easy to miss.
As of May 17, 2026, the programs below are publicly listed by Broward cities, CRAs or Broward County. Treat this as a starting map, not a legal guarantee. Many grants are reimbursement-based, contingent on annual funding, and unavailable once a program budget is depleted. Do not start work, sign a construction contract, or assume eligibility until the issuing agency confirms your parcel, use, scope and timing in writing.
Lauderhill CRA: Commercial Facade Grant
Lauderhill's Commercial Facade Grant is aimed at eligible businesses and commercial property owners in the State Road 7 CRA boundaries, along 31st Avenue or Broward Boulevard. The city says eligible work includes exterior building facade improvements, exterior lighting, signs, awnings and certain site improvements when connected to facade work.
The public program page lists awards of up to $50,000 for single-tenant buildings or $100,000 for multi-tenant buildings. The funding is structured as a forgivable loan, prorated at 20 percent per year over five years, then converted to a grant if the property is not disposed of during that period.
Best fit: commercial owners or tenants on eligible Lauderhill corridors with visible exterior work that is ready to be scoped before construction starts.
Check first: whether your address is inside the eligible geography, whether your work is facade-related, and whether funds are still available.
Fort Lauderdale CRA: NPF facade and business improvement incentives
Fort Lauderdale's Northwest-Progresso-Flagler Heights CRA lists several incentives for commercial and mixed-use properties inside the NPF CRA.
The Non-Residential Facade Improvement Program offers a forgivable loan up to $125,000 for exterior capital improvements to commercial properties. The eligible area is the NPF CRA, with a designated focus area that includes portions of Sistrunk Boulevard, 9th Avenue and 7th Avenue. Eligible project costs include exterior work such as entry doors, windows, lighting, shade canopies, sidewalks, signage and parking facilities.
Fort Lauderdale's Property and Business Improvement Program is broader. The CRA describes it as a forgivable loan up to $225,000 for capital improvements to the interior and exterior of properties in the NPF CRA. The program can cover existing non-residential buildings, mixed-use buildings and new non-residential construction, subject to the CRA plan, design guidelines and city requirements.
Best fit: NPF CRA property owners or businesses planning a real buildout, facade renovation, commercial kitchen improvement or code-compliance upgrade.
Check first: whether your property sits inside the NPF CRA, whether it is in the focus area, whether the project triggers job or performance measures, and whether a lien or covenant would apply.
Pompano Beach CRA: East and Northwest incentive programs
Pompano Beach CRA says its incentive programs are open to commercial businesses in the East and Northwest CRA districts, with targeted areas receiving priority.
The East Facade & Business Site Improvement Program applies to commercial, retail and restaurant enterprises with eligible addresses on Atlantic Boulevard, Federal Highway or A1A in the East CRA District. The program is reimbursement-based, with up to 80 percent of eligible project costs and a maximum CRA contribution of $20,000 per address.
The Northwest version applies to eligible property owners and commercial enterprises in the Northwest CRA District. The 2023 program document lists 80 percent reimbursement up to $50,000 per address, with a maximum CRA contribution of $200,000 for single-owned contiguous properties with multiple addresses.
Best fit: retail, restaurant and commercial operators in the East or Northwest CRA districts with visible exterior improvements, signage, doors, windows, awnings, outdoor dining elements or related design/permitting costs.
Check first: district map, targeted area priority, current funding, and whether your business type is eligible. Pompano's program materials also warn that approval is not guaranteed even when an application meets criteria.
Dania Beach CRA: Commercial Property Improvement Grant
Dania Beach CRA lists a Commercial Facade Grant / Commercial Property Improvement Grant for retail or commercial buildings in the CRA. The page describes a 50 percent CRA match with a maximum grant of $25,000.
The listed exclusions matter. Buildings supported by another CRA, city or county development incentive, buildings in shopping centers, properties for sale, tax-exempt owners or tenants, and adult uses are excluded.
Best fit: eligible retail or commercial properties inside the Dania Beach CRA that need curb-appeal and functional exterior improvements.
Check first: whether your building classification, zoning use and location qualify, and whether the shopping-center exclusion applies.
Hollywood: CRA programs and non-CRA commercial property grants
Hollywood has two tracks that operators should not confuse.
Inside the Hollywood CRA Beach and Downtown districts, the CRA lists several grant programs. The Property Improvement Program is described by the city as a CRA incentive grant for owners and tenant buildings in the CRA districts, providing a 50 percent reimbursement grant up to $50,000 for comprehensive fixed capital exterior improvements. The Paint Only Program offers 50 percent reimbursement up to $10,000 for cleaning, patching and exterior painting by a licensed contractor. The Hotel Improvement Program is larger: a 33 percent reimbursement grant up to $250,000 or 20 percent of assessed value, whichever is lower, for qualified hotels, motels, inns and bed-and-breakfast properties in the CRA districts.
Outside the Beach and Downtown CRA districts, Hollywood's Commercial Property Improvement Program is available to property owners of privately owned commercial or industrial buildings and business owners with owner consent. The city says CPIP properties inside the Beach or Downtown CRA districts are not eligible for that non-CRA program. CPIP levels include 40 percent reimbursement, or 50 percent in LMI areas, up to $25,000 for comprehensive improvements, plus smaller paint/landscape-only options.
Best fit: Hollywood operators who know whether they are inside or outside the CRA district before choosing a program.
Check first: CRA district status. That one fact determines which program track is even available.
Margate CRA: Property Improvement Program Grant
Margate CRA says its Property Improvement Program Grant is funded and that applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with incomplete applications moving down the list until complete.
Commercial properties inside MCRA boundaries with frontage on major roads such as Atlantic Boulevard, State Road 7, Banks Road and Copans Road/Royal Palm Boulevard may be eligible for a 50 percent reimbursement grant up to $750,000. The maximum eligible amount is calculated using frontage: $1,500 per linear foot for the first 100 linear feet and $1,000 per linear foot after that for the longest side of the parcel facing the eligible arterial road.
The program also lists residential and veteran nonprofit eligibility categories, but commercial applicants should pay special attention to the reimbursement structure, lien/code status and the rule that work already commenced at the time of application, review or approval is not eligible.
Best fit: commercial property owners in the Margate CRA with frontage on eligible arterial roads and substantial exterior improvement plans.
Check first: MCRA boundary status, frontage calculation, liens/code violations, whether the property has received other Margate or CRA grant funds within the last five years.
Coral Springs: CRA enhancement grant and citywide economic development incentives
Coral Springs has a CRA Commercial Property Enhancement Grant for the downtown CRA area and a separate city Economic Development Incentive Program.
The CRA page says its Commercial Property Enhancement Grant encourages owners or tenants in the CRA to improve commercial-building aesthetics and rear-building safety. Approved projects pay 50 percent of documented hard costs, with the applicant responsible for the other 50 percent plus associated costs such as engineering and permits. The grant amount is determined by the CRA Board, and funding is available until the program budget is depleted.
The citywide Economic Development Incentive Program separately includes a permit and impact fee grant up to $50,000, an exterior improvement program up to $50,000 and a demolition assistance program up to $100,000. The city notes that the CRA Commercial Property Enhancement Program cannot be used together with the Economic Development Incentive Program.
Best fit: Coral Springs property owners or businesses that can clearly identify whether the project is inside the CRA or better suited for the citywide program.
Check first: CRA boundaries, whether stacking rules apply, and the five-year clawback requirement.
Broward County BMSD Economic Development Program
Broward County's BMSD Economic Development Program applies to businesses on commercial corridors in the Broward Municipal Services District. The county says the program waitlist remains open for project consideration, while funding depends on fiscal budget availability.
Program components include an 80 percent county / 20 percent business match for facade or property improvements, with maximum county participation of $200,000; a 50 percent county / 50 percent business match for non-facade redevelopment projects up to $300,000; and a demolition matching grant up to $100,000.
Best fit: businesses in eligible unincorporated Broward commercial corridors, including specified parts of Broward Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, NW 27th Avenue, State Road 7/U.S. 441, Peters Road and Davie Boulevard Extension.
Check first: whether the parcel is in the BMSD corridor, whether the site has liens/code issues, and whether county funding is available for your timing.
How to avoid wasting time
Before applying, do five things:
- Confirm the parcel first. Most of these programs are geography-first. One block can change everything.
- Ask whether funding is currently available. A web page can stay live after a budget is depleted.
- Do not start work before approval. Multiple programs exclude work that has already begun.
- Budget for reimbursement timing. In most cases, you spend first and receive funds after inspections, receipts and agency review.
- Build a clean application file. Photos, contractor estimates, renderings, ownership or lease documents, code status, permits, liens and proof of financial capacity can decide whether an application moves quickly or stalls.
The real story is not that Broward has one magic grant. It is that local redevelopment money exists in fragments: city by city, corridor by corridor, CRA by CRA. Operators who learn the map early have a better shot at turning public incentives into visible improvements.
Sources
- Lauderhill CRA Commercial Facade Grant: https://lauderhillcra-fl.gov/program/commercial-facade-grant-program/
- Fort Lauderdale CRA Non-Residential Facade Improvement Program: https://fortlauderdalecra.com/commercial-facade-improvement-program-cfip/
- Fort Lauderdale CRA Property and Business Improvement Program: https://fortlauderdalecra.com/property-and-business-improvement-program-pbip/
- Pompano Beach CRA Development Opportunities: https://www.pompanobeachfl.gov/government/cra/development-opportunities
- Pompano Beach East Facade & Business Site Improvement Program: https://cdn.pompanobeachfl.gov/city/pages/cra/East-Facade-Business-Site-Improvement-Program-Amd.-9.2023_FINAL.pdf
- Pompano Beach Northwest Facade & Business Site Improvement Program: https://cdn.pompanobeachfl.gov/city/pages/cra/NW-Facade-Business-Site-Improvement-Program-AMD.-Rev-9.2023_FINAL.pdf
- Dania Beach CRA Commercial Property Improvement Grant: https://daniabeachcra.org/commercial-property-improvement-grant
- Hollywood CRA and city incentives overview: https://www.choosehollywoodfl.com/183/City-of-Hollywood-Incentives
- Hollywood Commercial Property Improvement Program: https://choosehollywoodfl.com/216/CPIP-Project-Consideration
- Hollywood CRA Hotel Improvement Program: https://www.hollywoodcra.org/104/Hotel-Improvement-Program
- Margate CRA Property Improvement Program Grant: https://www.margatefl.com/882/MCRA-Property-Improvement-Program-Grant
- Coral Springs CRA: https://www.coralsprings.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Redevelopment-Agency
- Coral Springs Economic Development Incentive Program: https://www.coralsprings.gov/Business/Economic-Development-Office/Economic-Development-Incentive-Program
- Broward County BMSD Economic Development Program: https://www.broward.org/EconDev/Pages/BMSDEDProgram.aspx
- Feature image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Fort_Lauderdale_City_Hall_in_Fort_Lauderdale,_Florida.jpg
