The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Michigan Coastal Management Program (MCMP) is seeking proposals for a second round of funding for the Creating a Culture of Resilience Capacity 2023 grant funding opportunity (GFO). Established in 1978, the MCMP’s strategic goals are to plan for growth and change in our coastal communities; protect, preserve, restore, enhance, and wisely develop coastal areas for use and enjoyment to improve quality of life; and build partnerships to create networks that strengthen and expand the collective impact of effective and efficient coastal management.  As a federally approved coastal program, the MCMP is supported, in part, by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

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 local interests, insufficient staff capacity, and a lack of technical expertise make planning for resiliency challenging.

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.  EGLE anticipates $500,000 in grant funds to be available for this round of funding. Eligible entities include the 10 Regional Councils of Governments, watershed councils, planning agencies, conservation districts, Tribal Nations, and community planning with jurisdiction that touch the Great Lakes and are all encouraged to apply for grant funding. Additional information on this GFO can be found on EGLE’s 2023 Capacity Building GFO webpage.

In addition, EGLE is hosting an information webinar on June 29, 2023 at 1:00pm to provide more information about the program and the specifics of the application requirements to submit a proposal.

If you have any questions, please contact Adam Arend, EGLE, MCMP at [email protected].

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