Flood resilience is a pressing challenge for Florida’s communities and natural ecosystems as rising seas, stronger storms, and land use changes jeopardize lives, habitats, and infrastructure. From Risk to Resilience: An Advocate's Guide to Smarter Flood Protection in Florida serves as a starting point for anyone interested in improving flood resilience and environmental health in their community.

The guide offers concise information with clear takeaways to help advocates understand the major causes of flooding, key principles for sustainable solutions, and effective strategies for engaging with local government. It also provides 12 actionable approaches for advocacy that can be tailored to address the specific needs of each community or the goals of those driving change.

In addition to the guide, this site provides a variety of supplemental resources, including detailed guides, examples, model ordinances, and other tools to help tackle specific challenges as you advance your advocacy efforts. These resources are designed to support your journey toward building safer, more resilient communities across Florida.
 

Resources for Advancing Your Advocacy

Working with Local Government – Comprehensive Plan, Ordinance, and Policy Resources 

Comprehensive Plan Elements and Suggested Amendments to Improve Flood Resilience (Audubon Florida Resource, 5-page PDF) 

• This document lists each “element” of municipal comprehensive plans that can be updated to improve flood resilience, as well as suggestions for improvements to each element.

Audubon Florida’s Model Ordinance Toolkit 

• This webpage features a collection of model ordinances that can improve sustainability and resource protection through local governments. 

The Community Rating System and National Flood Insurance Program 

• The CRS is a voluntary program that rewards improvements in floodplain management with discounts for holders of NFIP insurance policies. Discounts range from 5% to 45% depending on the rating of the community (more flood protection yields a higher discount). 

YouTube videos from the Volusia County Low Impact Development Forum 

• Includes presentations on cost-effectiveness, design manuals and permitting, and several examples of LID from local projects. 

Implementing Green Infrastructure in Alachua County, FL  

• Lessons learned implementing green infrastructure in Alachua County, presented by Natural Resources Program Manager Stephen Hofstetter. 

Funding Sources 

Funding Opportunities for Local Governments in Florida (Audubon Florida Resource, 2-page PDF)

• This document provides a quick overview of state and federal grants to help fund local flood protection and resilience work. 

Resilient Florida Grants 

• Local governments have access to state funding to address impacts of flooding and sea level rise. The site also includes a list of previously funded projects to help generate ideas for action. 

Flood Funding Finder from the American Flood Coalition 

• This page explores federal grant programs and identifies several characteristics of each program including if the money can be used for scoping, design, and/or implementation.  

Rainfall, Sea Level Rise, and Other Data Sources

The Florida Flood Hub 

• The Florida Flood Hub, based at the University of South Florida, assembles subject matter experts to forecast flooding due to sea level rise, tides, storm surge, and changes in rainfall patterns. The site does not contain much data yet, but we expect it to be coming soon as local governments are required to consider data from the Flood Hub in several aspects of their resilience planning. 

NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer 

• NOAA has produced an easy-to-use viewer that shows how various amounts of sea level rise and coastal flooding may impact communities in Florida. 

Resilience 

Federal Climate Resilience Toolkit 

• Provides examples of resilience projects from around the US, case studies, an overview of funding programs, and climate projection tools. 

Flood Management and Wetlands Protection 

2023 Wetlands Protection Ordinance Update from Orange County (click on “Charter, Ordinance, and Drafts” in left navigation bar) 

• Orange County approved an update to its Wetland Conservation Areas Ordinance in 2023, providing a combination of improvements for wetlands and the regulated public. Highlights include 100-foot upland buffers, modernized descriptions of wetland functions and values, and requirements for monitoring, reporting, and maintenance of mitigation areas.