The Florida Chamber Foundation today announced that Florida, if it were a nation, would now rank as the 15th largest economy in the world, with a gross domestic product exceeding $1.7 trillion. The Florida Chamber Foundation has set a long-term goal of making Florida a top 10 global economy by 2030. Florida has surpassed Spain and stands just $25.5 billion behind Australia.
“We had a fantastic turnout at this year’s Farm City event held at Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery! Thank you to all our partners, presenters, and students who made the day such a success.”
October is National Manufacturing Month! This month, we’re recognizing the skilled workers and companies who dedicate their careers to driving innovation and economic growth. According to Lightcast – Labor Market Analytics, manufacturing jobs in Sumter County grew by 8% from 2019-2024, with a 15% projected growth rate over the next five years.
Join us Thursday, November 13th for a powerful day of learning and connection! From 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, gain fresh fundraising strategies, board-building insights and practical tools to strengthen your nonprofit. Lunch is included. Tickets are $50 per person.
Recover. Rebuild. Rise.
Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Join us as we introduce and celebrate the Sumter County Long Term Recovery Group, a new emergency nonprofit team for long term disaster & incident recovery.
This month, we celebrate the people, programs, and partnerships that help build a stronger workforce for today and tomorrow. From training opportunities to career pathways, workforce development empowers individuals to gain new skills, grow professionally, and open doors to brighter futures.
The Sumter County Economic Development team had the chance to attend Electricity 101 hosted by Duke Energy Florida on July 15th to see skilled linemen demonstrate real-world outage scenarios and learn how electricity powers our communities – and our projects.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Florida who sustained economic losses caused by the drought beginning May 6. The SBA is offering low-interest economic injury disaster loans. The loan amount can be up to $2 million, with interest rates as low as 4%, and terms of up to 30 years. The deadline to apply is February 2, 2026.