Florida assistance programs

Florida runs the programs on this site through a state housing corporation, three state departments and several networks of local boards. Florida Housing Finance Corporation lends down payment money through participating lenders, FloridaCommerce passes LIHEAP to 30 county-based providers and backs small business loans, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) decides Temporary Cash Assistance, and the Department of Education's Division of Early Learning pays for child care through 30 early learning coalitions and the Redlands Christian Migrant Association.

Much of Florida's help is a loan, not a grant. All four Florida Housing down payment programs are second mortgages, and only the 3%-5% HFA Advantage PLUS is ever forgiven. Florida Assist and Hometown Heroes are repaid when you sell or refinance (Florida homebuyer guide). The state's $488 million SSBCI allocation also reaches businesses only as loans and equity, and Florida has no state grant for opening a business (Florida small business guide).

Most applications are taken locally. Energy help comes from the LIHEAP provider assigned to your county, and the statewide floridaliheap.com portal was not accepting applications on October 20, 2026 (Florida energy guide). School Readiness families deal with their early learning coalition, which keeps the waiting list (Florida child care guide). Local workforce boards run Welfare Transition and the one-time diversion payments, and colleges award the Florida Student Assistance Grant from FAFSA data (Florida student grants guide).

Three applications cover most of it. MyACCESS handles Temporary Cash Assistance, food assistance and Medicaid in one application (Florida cash assistance guide). The Early Learning Family Portal handles School Readiness and free VPK. The FAFSA is the only application for FSAG, because Florida has no state alternative form.