The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is offering matching grants to accelerate the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy on farms, agriculture-related entities, and rural business through the Agriculture and Rural Businesses Energy Incentive Program.
Donor Name: Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE)
State: Michigan
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants
Deadline: 03/03/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
This grant opportunity will support increased resilience and stability of agricultural, agriculture-related, and rural businesses in Michigan through energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrification, and other innovative projects.
EGLE protects Michigan’s environment and public health by managing air, water, land, and energy resources, and is focused on addressing climate change, diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2024, EGLE will provide matching grants to support energy and cost savings in the agricultural sector and in rural communities. The MI Healthy Climate Plan includes a goal to leverage innovative strategies to support climate-smart agriculture. This program will support the MI Healthy Climate Plan goal by investing in energy waste reduction projects and renewable energy projects in the agricultural sector and in rural areas of the state. Innovative solutions to agricultural energy issues, such as solar paired with storage for irrigation systems, are of special interest to this program.
Program Objectives
- Support innovative technologies to reduce onsite energy use and reduce climate impacts of the agriculture industry.
- Improve energy efficiency of agricultural operations and small businesses in rural Michigan.
- Increase onsite renewable generation at agriculture operations and small businesses in rural Michigan.
- Improve resiliency of agricultural operations, ag-related businesses and entities, and rural businesses in Michigan through energy use reduction.
- Support economic vitality and stability in rural areas of Michigan through investment in rural businesses.
Program Priorities
- Entities with significantly less than 500 employees worldwide.
- Innovative integration of renewables with agricultural activities like pumped water storage, agrivoltaics, or thermal battery.
- Rural small businesses that serve staples to their community (i.e. grocery stores, hardware stores, etc.)
- Utilizing state, federal, and utility energy assistance programs.
- Activities with significant environmental and economic benefits.
- High value success stories of interest to many other agricultural businesses in Michigan.
Funding Information
A total of $250,000 will be made available for this program. The maximum individual grant award amount is $25,000. All grants require a minimum 100 percent match. EGLE reserves the right to issue awards/amounts reflecting program priorities. Expenditures incurred outside the executed grant agreement time period are ineligible.
Eligibility Criteria
- Any agriculture, or related, entity (farm, crop processing, food processing, etc.) with less than 500 employees worldwide and physically located in Michigan is eligible to apply.
- Also eligible are small businesses (non-manufacturing) with less than 500 employees worldwide and physically located in rural Michigan as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rural Businesses, Property Eligibility Map for the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP).
- Projects must address one or more program objectives and one or more program priorities listed under Section I-B of the Request for Proposals.
Awardee Obligations
- Monthly progress report emailed to program manager,
- Report project impacts, addressing potential energy and cost savings,
- Provide documentation of project expenditures (i.e. invoices and proof of payments),
- Submit payment request within 30 days of completing the project / activity,
- Onsite visit with EGLE staff following project completion,
- One-year follow-up survey on continued impacts of implemented project/activity.
For more information, visit EGLE.
