Some Florida nonprofits 'one shock away' from closure amid funding volatility
The outlook is bleak for nonprofits in the Sunshine State. Florida’s nonprofit sector expects 2026 to be a precarious year as rising costs collide with shrinking budgets and fundraising power, leaving many organizations one unexpected shock away from closure. More than 60% of Florida nonprofits experienced increased costs last year. Just 15% of surveyed nonprofits reported more than one year's operating reserves. Florida's 22,710 nonprofits employ over 456,000 people statewide. [Source: Jacksonville Business Journal]
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Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare’s Heart and Vascular team is closing in on a major milestone in the treatment of heart failure. Led by Drs. Shane McEntire and Christopher Griggs, the TMH Physician Partners team is nearing its 100th successful Barostim implant procedure. Barostim is a relatively new FDA-approved breakthrough therapy that uses electrical pulses to help the body regulate blood pressure and heart, kidney and vascular function. [Source: Florida Trend]
February sets record for $88M in returned unclaimed property
Florida set a new record in February, returning $88 million in unclaimed property — such as money in forgotten bank accounts and insurance proceeds or cash, watches, jewelry, and more from abandoned safe deposit boxes — to state residents. And that was in the shortest month of the year. More from the Pensacola News Journal and Florida Politics.
Florida passes domestic violence reform legislation
Proposed legislation that aims to help survivors of domestic violence in the Sunshine State is headed to Governor Ron DeSantis after passing both the House and the Senate. Senate Bill 682 and House Bill 277 support survivors of domestic violence in Florida by enhancing penalties for repeat offenders and increasing funds for victims who must relocate after leaving an abusive relationship. The bill also allows for a wider range of evidence to be considered by judges who grant injunctions for protection, including histories of animal abuse. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Here's how much state lawmakers make each session
Nearly every state pays elected representatives and senators an annual salary to pass a budget, laws, and represent their constituents. But each state compensates people a little differently. Most lawmakers in the Sunshine State, with exceptions like the governor and Senate and House leaders, make $29,697 each year — that number hasn't changed since 2010. Florida lawmakers aren't the highest paid in the country, but they aren't the lowest either. [Source: Central Florida Public Media]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Orange County Commission OKs $35 million in bids for NBA, Olympics
Orange County commissioners pledged to spend $35 million in public money to help Orlando host a future NBA All Star Week and the Olympic qualifying competitions in 2028 — if the Greater Orlando Sports Commission’s bids win hosting rights. Commissioners, some recalling the positive impression of the NBA’s 2012 All-Star Game in City Beautiful, expressed excitement about the possibility of having a longer hoops festival, before voting unanimously to approve both conditional funding requests from their tourist-tax fund.
› Selling a luxury condo in Tampa Bay? It’s VIP treatment or bust
For the average Tampa Bay resident, the dream of homeownership may feel exceedingly out of reach, but wealthier buyers have more choices than ever. With more than a dozen top-of-the-line projects announced in the region in just the past five years, a plate of cookies and a paper brochure won’t cut it anymore. Developers are upping the ante, leaning on glitz, glamour and VIP experiences to close million-dollar deals.
› South Florida private equity firm raises over $1 billion in 4 months
A private equity firm with dual headquarters in Miami and Greenwich, Connecticut raised over $1 billion in four months for its latest fund. Glade Brook Capital Partners announced the oversubscribed close of the Glade Brook Gondola Fund, anchored by funds and accounts managed by StepStone Group, which served as lead investor, with participation from affiliates of BlackRock. The raise increased the firm’s assets under management to more than $4 billion, more than doubling over the past year.
› Fort Myers considers proposal for public rowing center
A group of rowing enthusiasts proposed a new public rowing club on vacant city-owned property next to Riverside Community Center and Park in east Fort Myers. The center would focus on youth programs but also include adult rowers of all ages and skill levels, said Sergio Sztancsa, a rowing coach with the nonprofit De Camillis Rowing Academy, during a presentation to Fort Myers City Council on March 9.
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› Strange slime on Indian River Lagoon dolphins hints at immune problems
A strange light-brown slime that now coats some Indian River Lagoon dolphins poses yet another warning sign of suppressed immunity for the marine mammal, a new study suggests. And sometimes, the slimes turn toxic. The study, published recently in the journal Nature, found that brown “algal sheen” patches on lagoon dolphin skin and mouth sores have more types of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) than what's been seen on healthy dolphins elsewhere.
› Jacksonville faces $100M federal funding dilemma as it reimagines Skyway's future
As the Jacksonville Transportation Authority asks residents to help imagine the future of downtown’s aging Skyway, a high-stakes financial question hangs over the conversation: what happens to roughly $100 million in federal transit funding tied to the system. The answer could determine whether the elevated people mover is preserved, repurposed or dismantled.
› Titans in healthcare converge at the Global Medical Tourism & Insurance Summit 2026 in Florida
For those involved in the worldwide provision of the healthcare industry, the announcement of the official commencement of registration for the Global Medical Tourism & Insurance Summit 2026 is noteworthy. This event, which offers a structured setting where the future of patient mobility is actively defined, is acknowledged as a primary catalyst for the integration of complex insurance models and cross-border healthcare.
› Florida judge orders Leapfrog to remove safety grades for 5 Palm Beach County hospitals
A Florida judge has ruled that Leapfrog Group must remove its safety grades dating back to fall 2024 for five Palm Beach County hospitals owned by Tenet Healthcare Corp. Florida Judge Donald Middlebrooks ordered Leapfrog to stop assigning safety grades to Tenet’s five Palm Beach hospitals under the current scoring framework if they choose not to submit their data or otherwise participate in the program in the future. The judge also ordered Leapfrog to withdraw the safety grades for these five hospitals for fall 2024, spring 2025 and fall 2025.