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Mike Nichola
Mike Nichola, Osceola County’s Director of Government Affairs has been instrumental in obtaining federal, state, and other grants to benefit Osceola County residents and businesses. Some of his recent successes have been multi-million dollar grants awarded by the federal government under the “Build Back Better” infrastructure legislation.
Nichola’s focus on strengthening Osceola’s efforts in federal, state, and local advocacy platforms, comprehensive legislative affairs strategy, and coordination of intergovernmental resources, lead to his selection as the county’s 2022 Employee of the Year.
Nichola has been with Osceola County for over three years, after working in Washington D.C for two Congressmen – U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and U.S. Rep Darren Soto, who currently represents Osceola.
“I am extremely happy to be back home in Central Florida and to be able to work directly for the community,” said Nichola, who graduated from Cypress Creek High School and the University of Central Florida before obtaining a law degree from Florida A&M University.
“I’m humbled that out of more than 1,600 amazing colleagues, the County selected me for Employee of the Year. It is a privilege to work for the County and to advance the County’s goals of making our community a better place to live. I thank the Board of County Commissioners and the County Manager for this honor and recognition.”
Nichola was also recently recognized by the Osceola Chamber of Commerce as one of “Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.”
Among Nichola’s accomplishments the county attributed: Award of $6 million for NeoVation Way through the Department of Economic Opportunity.
Successful acquisition of stormwater grants, including a $1.26 million Community Development Block Grant -Mitigation funds for updating the County’s Surface Water Management Plan, and a $4.7 million DEP grant for the Buenaventura Lakes Master Drainage System.
The biggie: a primary lead on the $50.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant to expand NeoCity’s semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing capabilities. The application was one out of 60 awarded from over 520 applications, and the only grant awarded in Florida.
“If he wasn’t part of the team, that grant would have been about cut in half,” said County Manager Don Fisher. “Mike’s a super-smart person, he’s remarkably kind and of high character. We’re blessed to have him here, and that he cares about the community.”
Nichola said that, with the recent emphasis on domestic computer chip production, Osceola County is uniquely positioned to successfully apply for additional grants from the National Science Foundation and opportunities from the CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) Act legislation.
“We already have a (local) workforce pipeline between Valencia, UCF, and UF programs,” Nichola said.
Going forward, he said he hopes to focus on grants that will fund projects to benefit individual communities.
“I am trying to get some water infrastructure funding for the Whitted neighborhood, off of Narcoossee Road, and a grant to purchase some land in that area for a community park,” Nichola said.
