Volusia ECHO
ECHO PROGRAM TRANSPARENCY DASHBOARD
The ECHO transparency dashboard provides an overview of completed and in-progress projects, funding sources, maps, and web links and pictures for each funded project.
ECHO Mandatory Workshop
The Volusia ECHO Program will kick off the Spring 2024/2025 Grant Cycle with a Mandatory Workshop from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 2nd Floor County Council Chambers, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand.
All prospective applicants must attend the workshop to be eligible to apply.
Applicants may attend in person or virtually. To attend virtually please register at ECHO Mandatory Workshop
Technical (first draft) applications are due June 13, 2024 by 3:00 p.m.
ECHO Spring Grant Cycle Schedule
The Volusia ECHO program, generated by a grass roots initiative, resulted from a citizen approved referendum passed November 7, 2000. Volusia ECHO provides grant funds to finance acquisition, restoration, construction or improvement of projects to be used for environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreational purposes. For 20 years, ECHO helped Volusia County construct important cultural and outdoor recreational projects, save endangered historic buildings and provide environmental education projects. On November 3, 2020, 72% of Volusia County voters cast their ballot to continue the program for an additional 20 years.
Resolution 2020-79 states: It is the intent of the County Council that the funds be allocated throughout the County to provide broad geographical distribution and apportioned appropriately among the environmental, cultural, historic and outdoor recreation projects. The Volusia ECHO Program seeks to enhance the quality of life of Volusia County's residents by working to achieve the following goals over a broad geographic base:
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Provide environmental/ecological, cultural, historical/heritage, and outdoor recreational projects.
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Preserve significant archaeological or historic resources; and develop, enhance, and promote heritage tourism opportunities, experiences, and resources.
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Foster public memory and community identity by promoting and providing access to destinations and experiences associated with past events, peoples, and places within the County of Volusia.
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Provide high quality, user oriented outdoor recreational opportunities including, but not limited to, access to the Atlantic Ocean through the establishment of oceanfront parks and off-beach parking.
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Improve the quality of life for Volusia's citizens by providing access to the cultural arts, increase cultural based tourism, and encourage redevelopment and revitalization of downtown and urban areas through the provision of cultural arts projects.
ECHO CRITICAL HISTORIC ACQUISITION AND/OR STABILIZATION GRANT
The ECHO Grants-in-Aid Critical Historic Acquisition and/or Stabilization application is to be used solely to finance the acquisition and/or stabilization of historically designated sites determined to be endangered by immediate development, elimination of public access and/or structural conditions that are recently and unexpectedly revealed, including projects being neglected in order to access demolition permits. Applications are accepted year round. Please contact the ECHO office at (386) 943-7081 or echo@volusia.org for more information.
PRIOR GRANT APPLICATIONS
ECHO grant applications are available to the public for inspection at the Resource Stewardship Division located at 123 W. Indiana Ave., Room 200., DeLand, Florida, 32720. If you would like further information, please contact the ECHO office at (386) 943-7081 or echo@volusia.org.
