Subject:
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First Amendment to the Resolution adopting Municipal Services Taxing Unit Special Project Funding Program guidelines.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the first amendment to the resolution governing the Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) Special Project Funding program guidelines.
• A resolution adopting a formal policy for the MSTU Special Project Funding program was adopted by the Board in January 2026.
• The first amendment would update the eligibility criteria as follows. New criteria are shown in bold:
o Be located in unincorporated Pinellas County.
o Be a one-time capital expense or contribute toward a community asset.
o Serve a public purpose and align with the Pinellas County Strategic Plan.
o Begin after approval by the Board of County Commissioners.
o Applicants must not have received MSTU funding in the prior fiscal year.
o Projects must not consist of separate components of the same project or be located at the same facility.
o Projects must not have a funding gap.
• This amendment, by itself, has no fiscal impact on Pinellas County. Funding in the amount of $125,000 is included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Adopted Budget for General Government within the General Fund. As of year-end FY26, a total of $310,108.94 is unspent and uncommitted, which will likely be proposed in the annual carry forward budget amendment during FY27.
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Strategic Priorities:
Smart Service Delivery
4.4 Purse continuous improvement.
Summary:
Summary
The proposed amendment updates the formal program guidelines to clarify the eligibility criteria for the MSTU Special Projects Funding Program, which was originally established by the Board in FY16 to support nonprofit organizations serving unincorporated areas and further formalized through Board adoption of the program guidelines in January 2026.
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Background Information:
The MSTU Special Projects Funding opportunity was created by the Board of County Commissioners for the purpose of supporting projects that enhance community and neighborhood opportunities in unincorporated areas of Pinellas County. These MSTU Special Project Funding Awards are intended to support culture, recreation, and community engagement opportunities for residents in unincorporated areas that are comparable to those opportunities which municipalities typically provide to their residents.
Fiscal Impact:
This amendment, by itself, has no fiscal impact on Pinellas County.
Staff Member Responsible:
Audrey Ables, Mid/South County Community Coordinator
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Municipal Service Taxing Unit Special Project Guidelines Resolution
Municipal Service Taxing Unit Special Project Guidelines Resolution redline of changes
MSTU Guidelines Resolution AATF for BCC Meeting