Florida’s $116.5 billion budget includes millions for FAMU, FSU, TCC. Here’s what they got

A $116.5 billion budget signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis for 2024-2025 includes seven-figure portions for Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College.

The state budget was signed June 12 after the Florida Legislature approved it in March at the end of the 2024 Legislative Session, and among the allocations for the schools are new funds for capital projects during the next fiscal year beginning July 1.

While FSU received nearly $83 million in new funds, FAMU boasts securing more than $50 million in legislative allocations as a whole — an amount that includes $15 million in recurring performance-based funding.

In TCC’s allocations from the annual budget, about $41 million will go toward program funds.

Related news: Budget boosters: Here's what Tallahassee and the Big Bend got and what got vetoed

One of the projects that hit the jackpot in this year’s budget was FSU’s Dittmer Chemistry Lab Building, which received $55.4 million for the university to renovate and redesign its research space.

The chemistry lab building was built in 1967, and the legislative appropriation it received will fully fund the project, according to the university.

When taking a look at the state’s universities as a whole, DeSantis has committed $4.1 billion in state operating funding to the State University System (SUS) through this year’s budget.

In addition, the state appropriated $100 million in recurring preeminence funding and another $100 million for SUS recruitment and retention, which will be distributed among the institutions by the Board of Governors.

Despite the multiple big bucks that make up this fiscal year’s state budget, the $116.5 million amount is less than the previous fiscal year — reflecting a reduction in overall state spending.

Florida State University

FSU will receive $20 million in recurring operational enhancement funds, which will be invested in hiring research faculty and student success efforts.

The university will also get $55 million in non-recurring operational enhancement funds for capital renewal, investments in information technology infrastructure and start-up costs for FSU Health — an initiative that aims to build a health care ecosystem in North Florida.

“This funding is vital as we grow our research enterprise, retain and recruit outstanding faculty, students and staff, and invest in key initiatives that will benefit our students, our state and our nation,” FSU President Richard McCullough said in a prepared statement.

Besides allocations for the Dittmer Chemistry Lab building, the other projects that will receive new funds from the state budget are:

• FSU’s maintenance complex (relocation): $10 million

• Veterans Legacy Complex (construction): $7.5 million

• FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Building C (planning and construction): $5 million

• Center for Energy Independence: $3 million

• New College of Nursing facility (design and planning): $2 million

Here are other allocations that will go toward FSU from the budget:

• Grants and aids: $622,764,018

• National High Magnetic Field Laboratory: $25 million

• Kellogg Research Building Remodeling: $19.2 million

• Florida Institute for Child Welfare: $10 million

• Institute for Governance and Civics: $8 million

• Veterans Legacy Complex: $7.5 million

• Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases: $5 million

• Nursing Education Programs: $2.6 million

• College of Medicine’s Autism Institute: $1.48 million

• Multidisciplinary Educational Services Centers: $1.45 million

• Wakulla Springs Research: $750,000

• FSU Behavioral Health: $525,000

• Student Veteran Center: $500,000

• Florida Center for Reading Research: $250,000

• Boys and Girls State Housing: $200,000

Florida A&M University

With the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering being a joint college between the two universities, a $5 million fund will go toward the planning and construction of its Building C.

The engineering school will also receive general revenue funding of $21.2 million.

“We thank the governor, legislature, Board of Governors, FAMU Board of Trustees and all our stakeholders for ensuring that FAMU gets the funding we need to enhance our student success initiatives,” FAMU President Larry Robinson said.

“FAMU and the rest of the State University System are on an upward trajectory, but our work is far from complete. However, this funding will make a significant difference to our efforts.”

FAMU’s legislative allocations from this year’s budget include:

• Grants and aids: $121,975,003

• Boldly Striking for Academic Excellence Operational Enhancement: $11 million

• Campus Security (PECO funding): $5 million

• Chemical & Biological Research Center (PECO funding): $5 million

• School of Business and Industry South: $1.8 million

• FAMU Developmental Research School (DRS) Live Healthy Initiative: $500,000

• Division of Research: $9.3 million

• Crestview Education Center (recurring): $1.5 million

• Nursing Education Programs: $1.1 million

Following this year’s legislative session, FAMU’s Board of Trustees are looking ahead after recently approving a legislative budget request of $55.5 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Tallahassee Community College

Although TCC received funding from the state budget, its top two legislative priorities this year were not funding-related.

TCC's name change to Tallahassee State College was one of those priorities.

The college's rebranding efforts were announced last August, and in March, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation to make the name change from TCC to TSC official in state law.

TCC’s other top legislative priority was being added to the Florida Education Finance Program as a special district in order to provide funding for its relatively new sponsored charter school, Tallahassee Collegiate Academy.

The STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) charter school opened its doors in August of last year with students in grades 9-11 from Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla counties. TCA students have the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an associate in science degree by the time they graduate.

“We are grateful for all the support we received to get both of those items,” TCC’s Vice President for Communications and Chief of Staff Candice Grause told the Tallahassee Democrat in an email.

Here are the items included in the 2024-2025 state budget for TCC:

• Florida College System Program Fund: $41.3 million

• 2+2 Student Success Incentive Fund: $834,876

• Nursing Education Programs: $678,930

• Work Florida Student Success Incentive Fund: $176,526

• TCC Adults with Disabilities Program: $25,000

Contact Tarah Jean at [email protected] or follow her on X: @tarahjean_.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida’s $116.5 billion budget includes millions for FAMU, FSU, TCC