Hope Florida charity took in $867,000, gave away little in first year

The donations have raised questions about conflicts of interest and accounting.

The Hope Florida charity created by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration took in more than $867,000 in donations in its first year, mostly from companies regulated by the state or doing business with it, according to the organization’s first tax filing.

In the year leading up to Tampa Electric asking state regulators for a hotly contested rate increase, the utility gave $123,408, more than any other private company.

Centene, the Medicaid contractor that was later “directed” in a settlement agreement to donate $10 million to the charity, gave $95,223. Disaster-management and technology firms that receive hundreds of millions of dollars in state contracts also contributed.

The donations to Hope Florida Foundation, a state-created charity, have evoked concerns about potential conflicts of interests between the governor and the first lady’s priority program and state contractors.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/04/19/hope-florida-charity-took-867000-gave-away-little-first-year/

Curiouser and curiouser...