The Office of Economic Development and Engagement (OEDE) was created in January 2011 to enable UWF to play a more significant role in economic development and job growth in Northwest Florida.

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law Senate Bill 2156, which appointed the OEDE to manage and administer $30 million over the next three years to aid in job creation and economic diversification within the eight Northwest Florida counties disproportionally affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The OEDE is currently accepting Requests for Participation* for the Industry Recruitment, Retention & Expansion Fund Grant Program.

*Awards under this grant program are intended to support new job creation in the Disproportionally Affected Counties and are not intended as a substitute for oil spill damage claims.