The Aquatic Habitat Grant Program (AHGP) began in October 2013 and will operate each year that funding is available. A total of $1,000,000 will be available for the Fiscal Year 2014 grant cycle from the Game and Fish Protection Fund. The AHGP’s purpose is to improve fish and other aquatic organism populations by protecting intact and rehabilitating degraded aquatic habitat by funding targeted habitat projects by federal, tribal, local and state units of government, non-profit groups and individuals that focus on the controlling processes not the symptoms of the problem. To facilitate the success of these efforts, the program will provide technical assistance to grantees. The AHGP is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) through a cooperative effort between Fisheries Division and Grants Management.
The applicant must commit to provide at least 10 percent of the total project cost in the form of local
match. The match may be in any of the following forms:
- cash
- donations of materials, equipment or services
- grantee’s force account labor, equipment, or materials.
Scores for projects with matching funds will be increased based upon the amount of match provided.
Program Goals
This program is designed to address the following Department’s and Fisheries Division’s combined goals:
- Protect intact and rehabilitate degraded aquatic resources;
- Ensure sustainable fish and aquatic organism communities that enable long-term recreational use and enjoyment and facilitate natural resource based economies; and
- Develop strong relationships and partnerships with respect to aquatic habitat protection and recovery
Eligible Costs
Only those costs directly associated with completing the project and incurred during the project period
with the exception of engineering, design and design administration costs, are eligible for
reimbursement or as “credit” toward local match. Categories of eligible costs include:
- Salaries/wages (including fringe benefits) for paid labor costs.
- Donated services/volunteer labor (credited at minimum wage).
- Materials (purchased or donated).
- Contractual services (must be competitively bid if $10,000 or more).
- Engineering and design (no more than 15% of project cost).
- Project administrative costs (no more than 10% of project cost).
- Equipment (donated or rented).
- Project signs.
- Permit application fees for permits required for the project. Contact regulatory agencies well in advance of applying for a grant to determine “permit-ability” of the proposed project and to avoid delays if the project is funded.
- Engineering, design and design administration costs incurred up to 6 months prior to the project period specified in the project agreement or amendment. (Note: These costs are at your own risk and will not be reimbursed if a grant is not awarded.)
Ineligible Projects
- Projects with scope of work outside the grant focus area are not eligible for Aquatic Habitat Grant support. Within the focus area, the following types of projects are also not eligible:
- Activities that do not protect intact or rehabilitate degraded waters.
- Development of public access or other recreation sites.
- Routine maintenance activities.
- Projects on private waters that include: isolated waterbodies without direct public access; waters without permanent inflows or outflows to other waterbodies; and waters that have never been stocked with fish from DNR (or its predecessors) hatcheries
Ineligible Costs
For all projects, the following items are ineligible for reimbursement with grant funds or as part of the
local match contribution:
- Costs incurred outside of the project period specified in the project agreement or amendment.
- Maintenance and operation.
- Salaries/wages not directly related to the project.
- Costs related to conferences including meals, lodging, mileage, conference fees and speaker
- fees.
Contact us for more information!