Local Community Growth Grants Out, Deadline March 21

The Regional Prosperity Initiative’s goal is to encourage local private, public and non-profit partners to create vibrant regional economies through collaboration and local decision making.  This program, by providing direct financial and technical assistance support to communities for planning, collaboration, local decision-making for the purposes of action-oriented projects, will enhance our communities’ sense of place and build the foundation for a stronger regional economy. Grants of up to $7,500 (provided as cash and/or technical assistance) will be made available on a competitive basis to city, village, township, and county governments from the ten-county (NWMCOG/Northwest Prosperity Region #2) region.

Successful projects will create the conditions for sustainable and efficient growth and development by implementing strategies that are consistent with local values, community goals.  Successful applicants are also likely to demonstrate linkages to principles within The Grand Vision (thegrandvision.org) and/or New Designs for Growth (newdesignsforgrowth.org).

Eligible local governments in the following counties are eligible to apply:

  • Antrim
  • Benzie
  • Charlevoix
  • Emmet
  • Grand Traverse
  • Kalkaska
  • Leelanau
  • Manistee
  • Missaukee
  • Wexford

Grant applications must be received no later than 4 p.m. on March 21, 2014.

Local Community Growth Grants Out, Deadline March 21

MDNR Aquatic Habitat Grant Program, Deadline March 15

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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!

MDNR Aquatic Habitat Grant Program, Deadline March 15

David Evans Memorial Historic Preservation Grant, from the Michigan Architectural Foundation

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  • Promotes the practice of historic preservation
  • Gives encouragement and support to not-for-profit (501c3) community groups seeking to restore important resources
  • Showcases innovative solutions to specific preservation problems
  • Encourages architects to embrace preservation projects
  • Acknowledges the contribution of historic preservation architect, David Evans, FAIA

Criteria for the award

  • Preserve an historic property or artifact that may otherwise be lost.
  • Demonstrate a creative solution to a preservation problem; i.e., adaptive reuse
  • Benefit the community aesthetically and/or through increased visibility.
  • The award will leverage other funds and will contribute to the continued viability of the historic property.

Award

The David Evans Memorial Preservation Grant: Seven Thousand Five Hundred dollars will be awarded for fees or hard costs of a preservation project located in Michigan.


Applications

The application must be submitted electronically on a computer disc mailed to the Michigan Architectural Foundation, 553 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226 (limited to five electronic pages, drawings and photos must be added as attachments, and must include the following):

  • Brief history of the requesting organization, including a statement of its capacity to fulfill the terms of the grant
  • Project description
  • Implementation plans
  • Project budget including other funding sources being approached for support of this project (provide a financial statement of the organization at the time of submission)
  • List of architects or licensed design professionals involved in the project (An architect member of the American Institute of Architects)
  • The cover page of IRS non-profit (501-C-3) status certification
  • Photographs, drawings or images sufficient to understand the scope of the project and its context.

Presentation / Payment

The successful organization will be honored during Preservation Month (May) at a ceremony jointly arranged by the recipient and the Michigan Architectural Foundation.

The disbursement of funds will be made during the construction on a mutually agreed schedule between the recipient and the Foundation.


Schedule

  • March 15, 2013 – Deadline for submission of electronic application.
    April 2013 – jury meets
    May 10, 2013 – Presentation ceremony at the Michigan Historic Preservation Network Conference

Follow Up

Grant recipients are required to provide a one page follow-up report one year after the award outlining specifically how the grant was used and the progress of the preservation project.


Information

Contact Michigan Architectural Foundation online at info@michiganarchitecturalfoundation.org or Evelyn Dougherty at 313-965-4100 — or evelyn@aiami.com.

An application form and further information is available on line at the link below. Applicants may call the Foundation at 313-965-4100 with specific questions.

Click here to print an application for the Evans Grant.

David Evans Memorial Historic Preservation Grant, from the Michigan Architectural Foundation