Federal cash streams in for Manatee, Sarasota projects

Federal money is on its way to Sarasota and Manatee counties following the passage in Washington of a key appropriations bill.

Community projects sponsored by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan and U.S. Rep. Greg Steube were funded as part of the massive Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, signed on Feb. 3 by President Donald Trump. Its total value is about $1.2 trillion and will fund the federal departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor, while providing temporary funding for the Department of Homeland Security through the remainder of the fiscal year. 

Among the local line items:

• $3 million for Valor Commons, a 24-acre facility under development to honor veterans and serve their needs;
• $1.5 million for a Fruitville Road Corridor Capacity Improvement Project;
• $1.5 million for the extension of 51st Street West in Bradenton connecting 53rd Avenue West to El Conquistador Parkway.
• $1.5 million toward the Gateway Greenway Rails-to-Trails initiative, a project designed to expand trail access and connectivity from Palmetto to Parrish.
• $800,000 for a pedestrian greenway corridor at New College of Florida

“Thanks to our Congressman Vern Buchanan, these federal investments represent real momentum for Manatee County,” said Manatee County Commission Chair Tal Siddique. “They help us deliver on key community goals: improving quality of life, strengthening transportation networks and ensuring our veterans and their families have the support they deserve.”