Three funding opportunities are available from EGLE’s Office of Coastal Management. Application due dates for each funding opportunity vary, so please be sure to look closely at all dates and application requirements.

2023 Culture of Resilience Capacity Building Grant Funding Opportunity (GFO)

Michigan’s coastal communities are on the front lines of facing the “perfect storm” from our seasonal fluctuating Great Lakes water levels impacted by climate change.  Impacts such as record-level lows (2013) and record high (2020) water levels, more intense and frequent storm events, and unseasonal temperatures.  Like many municipalities in Michigan, limited budgets, competing for local interests, insufficient staff capacity, and a lack of technical expertise make planning for resiliency challenges.  This GFO is targeted for capacity building to focus efforts on increasing coastal communities’ knowledge of coastal risks by conducting outreach, technical assistance, and training workshops on actions that lead communities to be resilient-ready.  The WRD anticipates $1 million in grant funds to be available for this round of funding.

Eligible applicants include watershed councils, planning agencies, the 10 Regional Councils of Governments, and the 41 Coastal Counties’ Planning Departments with jurisdictions that touch the Great Lakes.

Electronic submission to [email protected] is required no later than November 30, 2022.

Michigan Coastal Management Program (MCMP) 2024 Grant Funding Opportunity (GFO)

The MCMP builds upon efforts to enhance the preparedness and resiliency of coastal communities and their capacity to mitigate the impacts of coastal hazards.  Coastal communities are facing steadily increasing coastal hazards, making it imperative that efforts to effectively prepare for, mitigate impacts of, and quickly recover from these hazards are taken.  The MCMP supports strategic investments in:

• Technical assistance, planning, and actions necessary to strengthen coastal hazard preparedness, mitigation, and recovery capacity of communities.
• Planning, assessment, design, and implementation of nature-based solutions including natural infrastructure and green infrastructure.
• Work with local communities to ensure safe public access to coastal areas by investing in coastal infrastructure and habitat restoration projects that support healthy habitats and resilient communities.

Eligible applicants include local units of government, cities, counties, villages, and townships, regional planning agencies, educational institutions (e.g., universities and school districts), Tribal governments, not-for-profit 501(c) organizations, and state agencies.

Electronic submission to [email protected] is required no later than December 2, 2022.

2023 Request for Proposals State High Water Infrastructure Grant Program (michigan.gov) 2023 Request for Proposals State High Water Infrastructure Grant Program (michigan.gov)

Funding is available statewide and restricted to infrastructure and planning projects that directly address the impacts and vulnerabilities presented by high water severe weather events (e.g., projects that address flooding, coastline erosion, urban heat, and stormwater management).  Eligibility of activities will be project-specific and determined on a case-by-case basis.  Any activities or costs not directly related to the proposed project or costs incurred outside of the project period are not eligible. Eligible activities under this funding opportunity include:

• Development of local or regional resiliency plans.
• Updating local master plans to consider high water levels, climate and storm resiliency, the dynamic nature of the Great Lakes, infrastructure risk assessments for climate and storm resiliency, or nature-based or green infrastructure to address flooding, coastline erosion, urban heat, or storm water management.
• Implementation of nature-based and green infrastructure solutions that strengthen climate and storm resiliency and preparedness, or address flooding, coastline erosion, urban heat, or storm water management.
• Development of feasibility studies or engineering plans for nature-based and green infrastructure projects that address climate and storm resiliency.
• Relocation and protection of critical infrastructure (e.g., roads, sewer, water lines) using nature-based and climate-resilient principles.
• Development or implementation of climate resiliency projects for stormwater management, including restored and constructed wetlands, stream/floodplain connectivity restoration, or other green infrastructure.
• Habitat restoration projects that directly address the impacts and vulnerabilities presented by high water and severe weather events.

Regional councils of government and local units of government are eligible to apply.  A local unit of government may act as a primary project sponsor and fiduciary for a grant that includes partnerships or consortiums with other public or nonprofit organizations.  Applicants must demonstrate their project will address the impacts and vulnerabilities presented by high water and severe weather events.

Applications are to be submitted in PDF form to [email protected] and must be received no later than November 30, 2022.

Herasanna Richards is a legislative associate handling energy, environmental, elections, and external municipal services for the League. She can be reached at [email protected] or 517-908-0309.