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Rural Readiness Grants
The Office of Rural Development (ORD) is pleased to announce its Rural Readiness Grant Program (RRGP), a funding opportunity designed to empower community-specific solutions that build capacity and readiness in rural communities and regions across Michigan. Grants of up to $50,000 will support and invest in underserved areas and populations by providing reimbursement grant funding for planning, capacity building activities, development readiness initiatives, and building collaboration and partnerships across communities and sectors.
Rural communities and tax-exempt organizations serving rural communities are eligible to apply for grant funds designed to support collaborative planning and capacity building initiatives that advance efforts to address local needs including, but not limited to, housing, broadband, placemaking, energy, transportation, health, infrastructure, economic development, and workforce. Multi-jurisdictional and
multi-sector projects are encouraged.
For the full RRGP grant guidelines and letter of intent form, visit the Rural Readiness Grant Program website.
Questions regarding the Rural Readiness Grant Program can be directed to Matt Wiitala, Capacity and Grants Specialist, at WiitalaM@michigan.gov.
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“The communities successfully addressing challenges like housing, high-speed internet connectivity, childcare, and infrastructure are those which did the ‘prep work’ and planning, often in collaboration with a variety of partners. That critical work lays the foundation necessary to compete for funding and attract investment. These grants will allow communities to invest in the planning and preparation needed for long-term successful, comprehensive solutions and resources in their hometowns.”
Sarah Lucas, Director
MDARD, Office of Rural Development
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Grant Overview
Type:
Competitive; reimbursement
Amount:
Up to $50,000
Matching requirement:
20% of the requested grant amount (cash, in-kind, or a combination)
Eligible activities:
Capacity building, Cross-sector collaboration, Development readiness, Partnerships and planning
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Key Dates
Proposal release:
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Webinar:
Tuesday, April 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. EST
Letter of Intent due:
Thursday, May 25, 2023, 3 p.m. EST
Invitation to apply:
Week of June 12, 2023
Full applications due:
Thursday, August 3, 2023 3 p.m. EST
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Eligible applicants:
Tax-exempt organizations/nonprofits, including community foundations and statewide associations serving rural areas
Local units of government
Federally Recognized Tribes
Educational institutions
Regional planning agencies and economic or workforce development organizations
Multi-jurisdictional and
multi-sector projects are encouraged.
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Eligible rural areas are defined as:
- Counties designated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as non-metropolitan counties, including those located within micropolitan statistical areas.
- Outlying counties in Metropolitan Statistical Areas that do not include an urbanized area as defined by the Census.
In addition to rural counties, census tracts with Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes between 4-10 are considered rural areas in eleven metropolitan counties.
For more information on eligibility, consult the Grant Guidelines and Eligibility Document.
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