The Competitive Grant Assistance Program (CGAP), which was formerly known as the EVIP grants, is now open for applicants. The Department of Treasury says that the purpose of this grant is to provide incentive-based grants to offset the costs associated with mergers, inter-local agreements, and cooperative efforts for cities, villages, township, counties, school districts and intermediate school districts that elect to combine government operations. All Michigan cities, villages, townships, counties, school districts, and intermediate school districts are eligible for these grants. For a school district or intermediate school district to qualify for grant funding under this program, the school district or intermediate school district must combine operations with a city, village, township, or county. Projects are funded on a reimbursement basis. There is $15 million available to the Department of Treasury to award.
The criteria for this program is as follows:
• Merger of two or more governmental units
• Consolidation of departments and/or services across 2 or more governmental units
• Consolidation of 2 or more departments within a government unit
• Cooperative effort or collaboration of 2 or more government units
• Consolidated or combined government operations must demonstrate taxpayer benefits of cost savings, efficiencies, and/or improved services
• The government unit must demonstrate how budgeted costs directly relate to and are necessary for implementation of the merger, consolidation, or cooperative effort
• Priority will be given to projects that start after October 1, 2012
The Department of Treasury has issued an applicant guide, that can be found at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/treasury/CGAP_ApplicationGuide_404093_7.pdf.
Additionally, the main CGAP page with all the information can be found at http://www.michigan.gov/treasury/0,4679,7-121-1751_2197_58826_62422—,00.html.
Samantha Harkins is the Director of State Affairs for the League and handles municipal finance and labor issues. She can be reached at 517-908-0306 or email at [email protected].