Pasco County is putting nearly $25 million toward helping small businesses and nonprofits still recovering from hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton.

On Thursday, the county's Office of Disaster Recovery and Resources announced the Small Business & Non-Profit Recovery Program as the latest phase of its Better Future initiative. The program serves storm-affected businesses and nonprofits countywide, including those in Land O' Lakes, Lutz and along the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 corridors. It is funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

What the recovery money can cover

The county calls the program an economic revitalization phase of Better Future, according to a county press release. Eligible uses may include repairing storefronts and signage, replacing damaged equipment, restocking inventory, covering recovery-related operating costs and supporting workforce development or business relocation.

Free virtual workshop set for Wednesday

A free virtual workshop at 10 a.m. Wednesday will walk applicants through eligibility and benefits. Business owners and nonprofit leaders can register at mypas.co/SBRPWorkshop.

Part of a $586 million recovery effort

The program sits under the same Better Future umbrella that has already delivered housing and infrastructure aid across Pasco County. The Individual Housing Program, which launched in December 2025, had approved 459 applications and distributed nearly $6 million as of early September, according to Tampa Bay 28. Pasco County commissioners approved $235.4 million in late August for the Better Future Infrastructure & Mitigation Program, covering 20 countywide repair projects, according to a separate county press release.

The overall Better Future initiative draws on nearly $586 million in federal disaster recovery grant funding from HUD.

Tim Lagudi, program manager of the Pasco Better Future Program, told Bay News 9 on Sept. 19 that the county used storm damage data and community input to identify recovery needs across housing, infrastructure and business support. "We looked at the data and the data told us a lot about what the county needed, whether it was housing or infrastructure or business or any other type of service," Lagudi said.

No application deadline has been announced. More information on all Better Future programs is available at mypas.co/BetterFuture.