The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) Office of Rural Development (ORD) is offering the 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.
Donor Name: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
State: Michigan
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $50,000
Grant Duration: 18 months
Details:
This reimbursement grant program provides eligible communities with up to $50,000 to support collaborative planning and capacity initiatives.
Eligible Areas
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.
Communities may apply as a
- RRGP Eligible Rural Area: Communities located in an eligible rural area, are not required to reference additional programs or definitions.
- Self-identified Rural Area: Communities may self-identify as rural if they can provide an example of another state or federal program that classifies them as rural. Applicants must specifically reference the state or federal program in their Letter of Intent.
Funding Information
- The maximum limit on grant fund requests is $50,000. (Please submit budget in whole dollar amounts and round to the nearest $100.). Applicants must provide a minimum 20% match.
- The match is 20% of the grant amount you are requesting. For example, if you are requesting a $50,000 grant, you must provide a match amount of at least $10,000. Overmatch is encouraged.
Grant Period
Grantees will be eligible for reimbursement up to three (3) times, at specified dates, during the 18-month grant cycle, with the final reimbursement provided at the completion of the project.
Eligible Activities
Funding will be focused on the following types of projects in rural areas:
- Rural Capacity Building
- Eligible activities include new, enhanced, or scaled fellowship programs or community-based internship programs, development of training curricula, leadership development programs, and shared services or staff dedicated to specific project or planning needs. Projects must demonstrate an innovative, collaborative approach to building long-term capacity.
- Development Readiness
- Projects include activities that prepare communities or key properties for development or investment, including development of property inventories, site development studies, site material development, site implementation or land assembly activities, feasibility, or market studies, and more.
- Partnerships and Planning
- Activities include development of plans and implementation structures that build readiness for future projects, collaborative initiatives, development, and investment.
- Cross-sector Collaboration
- Activities include different forms of community and stakeholder engagement that foster planning and dialogue across sectors, governments, and agency types.
Eligibility Criteria
Tax-exempt organizations/nonprofits, including community foundations and statewide associations.
- Local units of government (county, city, township, village, school district; any authority composed of counties, cities, townships, villages and school districts or combination of these entities). NOTE: Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) and Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) are eligible.
- Federally Recognized Tribes
- Educational institutions (i.e., universities, community colleges). Note: while the educational institution applying for funding may be in an urban area, the project itself must serve one or more eligible rural areas.
- Regional planning agencies and economic or workforce development organizations
For more information, visit MDARD.
