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 Sarah Lucas, Director, Office of Rural Development
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Office of Rural Development to become Office of Rural Prosperity
The first half of 2023 has been exciting for the Office of Rural Development – we’ve built out our staff, launched the Rural Readiness Grant Program, and have collaboratively developed initiatives with rural stakeholders across communities and agencies. We’re continuing to evolve. On July 12, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2023-6 moving ORD to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). We’ll continue to build on the same important work, but under a new office name – the Office of Rural Prosperity at LEO. The ORD team has collaborated across departments and has worked closely with the offices and agencies within LEO since our inception last year - and we’ll do the same with MDARD as we continue the work of supporting Michigan’s rural communities. This change will officially take place December 1, 2023. We’re excited about this evolution and will keep you posted as updates become available.
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Rural Perspectives and Priorities Survey
The Office of Rural Development continues to prioritize outreach and engagement in Michigan’s rural communities to understand what’s most important to residents and community leaders. We developed a statewide survey to broaden our reach and gather additional input from our rural residents and individuals working in rural communities. Please fill out this survey to share your insights and pass along to your rural friends and family to fill out too! Your input is critical to uplifting rural priorities in policies and programming. Follow this link to fill out this 10-15 minute survey.
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Rural Readiness Grant Program
The Office of Rural Development is now accepting letters of intent for a second round of Rural Readiness Grant funding. The second round of RRGP grants will provide funding of up to $50,000 to support collaborative planning and capacity initiatives in Michigan’s rural communities. Grants will help invest in underserved rural 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. Round two grant guidelines mirror round one, but with an expanded definition of eligible rural communities. Details on eligibility can be found on www.michigan.gov/ord. Interested communities and organizations must submit a Letter of Intent using the form provided to Matt Wiitala at wiitalam@michigan.gov no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced Michigan is set to receive over $1.5 billion through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to expand high-speed internet access and digital equity to over 200,000 Michiganders in unserved and underserved areas across the state. Funding for this program comes from the $65 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and will help close the digital divide and help ensure Michigan residents have access to affordable, reliable and high-speed internet.
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In each ORD newsletter, we’ll provide updates on select state and federal grant opportunities, resources, and more that may be of particular interest to rural Michigan communities.
Housing and Community Development
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MSHDA Investing in Community Housing: (MICH) – Phase Two: The Michigan State Housing Development Authority announced the new program launch of MSHDA Investing in Community Housing (MICH) designed to provide single-family home repair and facilitate new construction at the local level to increase accessibility and visit-ability statewide. This program is Housing & Community Development grant-funded with State and Local Fiscal Recovery – American Rescue Plan funding. Up to $15 million dollars will be made available in phased awards statewide in 2023. MSHDA is seeking submissions from municipalities, non-profit agencies, land banks, emerging developers, and stakeholder groups such as the Area on Aging and the disability networks by August 11, 2023. For more information, please visit their website Michigan.gov/mshda-mich .
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Michigan Housing Opportunities Promoting Energy Efficiency (MI-HOPE) – Phase Four: MSDHA seeks proposals for its MI-HOPE program, a federally funded program based on a formal subrecipient award structure to 501(c) nonprofit agencies and government entities. MSHDA has federal funds available to help households presumed to have encountered pandemic-related hardships remain in housing units and assist with improving the health and safety of their homes. Subrecipient applications for MI-HOPE Phase 4 will be open from July 10 to August 11, 2023. For more information visit Michigan.gov/mi-hope.
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Calling all rural land banks! Round 3 Blight Elimination Funding is now open. County land banks should have received their Letter of Acceptance of Grant Funds from the State Land Bank Authority. Responses are due by August 1, 2023, in order to receive your county’s Blight Elimination Funding for acquisition, demolition, stabilization, rehabilitation, and/or environmental remediation of vacant property projects. Contact the State Land Bank Authority ASAP if you have questions or concerns regarding your Letter of Acceptance so that your county doesn’t miss out on this opportunity: LEO - State Land Bank Authority (michigan.gov)
Transportation and Infrastructure
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Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP): There are two remaining application cycles in 2023 with due dates of June 21, 2023 and October 11, 2023. TAP is a competitive grant program for projects such as bike paths, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, and preservation of historic transportation facilities enhancing Michigan’s intermodal transportation system and provide safe alternative transportation options. More information is available on their website.
Energy
- The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program is program is available to eligible applicants that generate electricity for resale to residents in both rural and nonrural areas; however, at least 50 percent of the population served by your proposed renewable energy project must live in communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer. PACE funds can be used to finance wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass renewable energy projects. In order to be considered for funding, you must first submit a letter of interest (LOI). The application window is open June 30 – September 29, 2023, with applications processed on a rolling basis. Additional information about PACE is available in the NOFO published in the Federal Register, and on the USDA Rural Development Inflation Reduction Act.
- The United States Department of Agriculture – Rural Development (USDA RD) Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants (REAP) provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. The 2023 REAP application period is currently open.
Economic Development
- The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is now accepting applications from new or existing entrepreneurial hubs looking to participate in the Small Business Support Hubs (SBSH) program. Entrepreneurial hubs are being defined by the SBSH program as entities that have a physical space that provide training and resources to entrepreneurs through a combination of services to support the launch, sustainability and growth of entrepreneurs:
- Direct service such as on-site support through staff, contractors, or strategic partnerships
- Remote services such as off-site support through field staff, contractors, or strategic partnerships
- Referral relationships with organizations, entities or individuals with distinct or complementary technical or culturally competent expertise
The application window is open through September 8, 2023. You can view the informational webinar here.
- The National Association of Counties (NACo) is hosting a webinar exploring Outdoor Recreation as a Component of Economic Diversification on Thursday, July 27,2023 from 3:00 p.m.- 4p.m. ET. Participants will learn from a collective of rural communities, all located in or near a national forest region, working together towards economic growth and quality of life while striving to maintain their unique cultural identities.
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