local government

Community Connect Program, Deadline July 11

gourdiefraserLeave a comment

800px-Ashs-digital-technology-suite

The purpose of the Community Connect Grant Program is to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to eligible applicants that will provide currently unserved areas, on a ‘‘community-oriented connectivity’’ basis, with broadband service that fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care, and public safety services.

Eligibility

The following entities are eligible for funding:

  • Incorporated Organizations;
  • Indian Tribes or Tribal Organizations, as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b(e);
  • State or local units of government; or
  • Cooperatives, private corporations or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis.

Applications

Applications for the 2013 Fiscal Year are now being accepted.

Fund Uses

Grant funds may be used to finance the following:

  • The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, including spectrum, land or buildings, used to deploy service at the Broadband Grant Speed to all residential and business customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area (PFSA) and all participating Critical Community Facilities, including funding for up to 10 Computer Access Points to be used in the Community Center. Buildings constructed with grant funds must reside on property owned by the awardee. Leasing costs will only be covered through the advance of funds period included in the award documents;
  • The improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a Community Center and provision of Computer Access Points. Grant funds for the Community Center will be limited to 10% of the requested grant amount. If a community center is constructed with grant funds, the center must reside on property owned by the awardee; and
  • The cost of providing the necessary bandwidth for service free of charge to the Critical Community Facilities for two years.

Contact us for more information!

Photo: Mosbourne01, Wikicommons

Community Connect Program, Deadline July 11

Rural Business Opportunity Grants, Due June 24

gourdiefraser, , , Leave a comment

DSCN0801

Estimated Program Funding: $2.6 million
Maximum Grant Amount: $100,000
Cost Sharing Requirement: None

Eligibility

Public bodies, nonprofit corporations, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and rural cooperatives are eligible to apply.

Uses

Grant funds must be used for projects in rural areas and they can be used for:

  •    Community economic development
  •    Technology-based economic development
  •    Feasibility studies and business plans
  •    Leadership and entrepreneur training
  •    Rural business incubators
  •    Long-term business strategic planning

The RBOG program promotes sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs through provision of training and technical assistance for business development, entrepreneurs, and economic development officials and to assist with economic development planning.

Rural Development is participating in the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), which is a new Administration-wide initiative that will accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing and help cultivate an environment for businesses to create well-paying manufacturing jobs in regions across the country. The IMCP is designed to reward communities that demonstrate best practices in attracting and expanding manufacturing by using long-term planning that integrates targeted investments in workforce training, infrastructure, research, and other key assets.

The IMCP is being initiated in FY 2013 as EDA, USDA, SBA and EPA each provide funding for regional implementation strategy grants. The agencies will allocate funding through existing programs to advance this critical national priority. Strategies developed by these grants, as well as existing strategies and those otherwise under development, will enhance regions’ efforts to compete for future proposed large scale IMCP grants (10 to 100 times the size of the implementation strategy grants). These grants will be given to communities with the best strategies for attracting private investment. IMCP partner agencies will coordinate funding across agencies in order to leverage complementary activities while also preventing duplication of efforts.

Contact us for more information!

Rural Business Opportunity Grants, Due June 24

Coastal Zone Management Grant Reminder – Due March 26!

gourdiefraserLeave a comment

The MCZMP provides grant funds to our coastal communities and partners to assist in the development of vibrant and resilient coastal communities through the protection and restoration of our sensitive coastal resources and biologically diverse ecosystems. This year’s solicitation seeks projects that further the MCZMP objectives of protecting and restoring healthy coastal ecosystems, including:

  • fish and wildlife habitat;
  • creating and enhancing public access to the Great Lakes and coastal resources;
  • preserving historic maritime structures;
  • revitalizing urban waterfronts;
  • minimizing the loss of life and property in areas vulnerable to coastal hazards including erosion, floods, and rip currents;
  • conducting research related to the potential impacts of climate change on Great Lakes coastal wetlands;
  • conducting wind energy planning to limit impacts to wildlife, fisheries, and coastal and offshore habitats; and increasing recreational opportunities along Michigan’s Great Lakes coast.

Grants are offered on a competitive basis to eligible applicants and are made available through the MCZMP from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972.

Complete Applications must be received no later than March 29, 2013. Faxed submissions will not be accepted. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered for funding.

Coastal Zone Management Grant Reminder – Due March 26!

MEDC Downtown Development Grants, Deadline April 26

gourdiefraser, Leave a comment

by Heather Brady

The CDBG Downtown Development Planning Grant program is designed to identify activities that the Unit of General Local Government (UGLG) could undertake to increase the viability/accessibility of economic opportunities that will revitalize and stimulate job creation within the downtown area. Planning projects will only be considered if the UGLG can demonstrate that the planning grant will likely lead to an eligible implementation project. The planning study must be building or area specific, with identified goals and outcomes. Planning studies must be completed within one year of grant agreement sign date.

Ineligible activities for this initiative include activities that create, update, or provide information solely for an UGLG to meet legislatively mandated requirements (i.e. Downtown Development Authority (DDA), Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and Master Plans) and/or engineering and design for specific projects.

Proposed projects are expected to meet the national objective of likelihood for near term position creation where at least 51 percent of the jobs are held by Low/Moderate Income persons.

Funding priority will be given to projects that demonstrate a majority of the following:

  •     Located in a DDA or other like district
  •     Located in a Main Street or Redevelopment Ready Community
  •     Located in a community that does not have any open grants that have not been drawn down
  •     Likely potential for 51% low/mod job creation and private investment
  •     Involves a multi-story building
  •     Will lead to the rehabilitation of a historic resource and/or address brownfield condition; and address an underutilized downtown theater

Funding priorities will also be given to communities with a higher percentage of matching funds (committed funds only), but a cash match equal to the awarded CDBG funds is required.

The maximum grant award will not exceed $100,000. The total amount of grant funds available is $500,000 for the Downtown Development Planning Grant program. Due to funding limitations, only one submission per UGLG is allowed.

Administration costs will not be eligible as CDBG or match funded activities. The capacity of the UGLG to administer the project will also be taken into consideration.

The selection of award recipients is at the complete discretion of the MSF Board of Directors and is based competitively on a 75 point scale. Part I Applications will be accepted and evaluated on a competitive basis. Projects must meet a minimum quality threshold of 45 points in order to be considered. Award decisions are not subject to appeal. Awards are subject to applicable state and federal policies, procedures and regulatory requirements. Award announcements are anticipated in June 2013.

Contact us for more details!

Google+

MEDC Downtown Development Grants, Deadline April 26

Business Incubator Grants, Deadline Nov. 26

gourdiefraser, Leave a comment

At its October 24, 2012 meeting the Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved the RFP for the 2013 Business Incubator Program. The program will provide funding to business incubators/accelerators to stimulate the creation and continued growth of technology-based businesses and jobs by capitalizing on the State of Michigan’s growing base of high technology industry, its skilled labor force, its nationally recognized university system, its SmartZones, and its business incubators/accelerators.

Per Public Act 200 of 2012, Section 1034, the MSF is requesting proposals to award grants that total not more than $8,500,000.00 for business incubators and accelerators as follows:

(a) A high performance regional business incubator or accelerator that provides services in at least eight (8) counties and received funding as an auto technology business accelerator under section 88j of the Michigan strategic fund act, 1984 PA 270, MCL 125.2088j, shall receive a grant of not less than $2,000,000.00.
(b)  Funding of not less than $750,000.00 and not greater than $1,000,000 shall be awarded to one (1) high performance business incubator or accelerator in a city with a population greater than 650,000.
(c)  Funding of not less than $500,000.00 and not greater than $1,000,000 shall be awarded to one (1) high performance business incubator or accelerator in each of the following governmental units:
(i)  Houghton County
(ii)  Isabella County
(iii) Kent County
(iv) Macomb County
(v) Oakland County
(vi) Washtenaw County
(vii) Midland County
(viii) A Mason County business incubator that provides services to Lake, Mason, Manistee, and Oceana Counties
(d) Funding of not less than $275,000.00 and not greater than $1,000,000 shall be awarded to one (1) high performance business incubator or accelerator in Ingham County.

Application Process:

  • A proposal is requested with a limit of 20 pages for the Business Plan.
  • The RFP document (attached below) identifies the program criteria and requirements for the proposal.
  • The proposal must be milestone and metrics based with semi-annual reporting to the MEDC.

Timeline:

  • October 25, 2012 – RFP issued to the public
  • October 31, 2012 – Questions due from public
  • November 5, 2012 – Answers to questions submitted posted to web page
  • November 26, 2012 – Applications due
  • January 23, 2013 – Results presented to MSF Board for funding decisions

Applications Specifics:

  • Request for Proposals Guidelines click here
  • Complete Proposals (one pdf that includes Business Plan and other schedules, see Request for Proposals Guidelines above) should be emailed to 2013BIRFP@michigan.org. In the email subject line, please include: BI2013 – Location of Incubator or Accelerator (including City, County).
Business Incubator Grants, Deadline Nov. 26

Community Food Projects, Deadline Nov. 28

gourdiefraser, , Leave a comment

Community Food Projects should be designed to (1): (A) meet the food needs of low-income people; (B) increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs; and (C) promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and/or (2) meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs for (A) infrastructure improvement and development; (B) planning for long-term solutions; or (C) the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.

Proposed projects should seek comprehensive solutions to problems across all food system levels, not just short-term food relief. This point is emphasized because some previously submitted proposals were denied funding because they were designed primarily for expanding efforts in food relief and assistance, or for connecting established or partially established programs (such as community gardens and farmers’ markets), with little evidence of strategic planning and participation by stakeholders. Proposals should emphasize a food system and/or food security approach and show evidence of information sharing, coalition building, and substantial outreach and linkages to the community.

The USDA and several other federal agencies offer programs that may help strengthen the impact and success of CFPs. These include:

  •     Food recovery and gleaning efforts;
  •     Connecting low-income urban consumers with rural food producers;
  •     Helping citizens leave public assistance and achieve self-sufficiency; and
  •     Using micro-enterprise and/or development projects related to community food needs.

Only private, nonprofit entities meeting the following three requirements are eligible to receive a CFP or PP grant: (a) have experience in the area of (i) community food work, particularly concerning small and medium-size farms, including the provision of food to people in low-income communities and the development of new markets in low-income communities for agricultural producers; or (ii) job training and business development activities for food-related activities in low-income communities; (b) demonstrate competency to implement a project, provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and prepare reports and other necessary documentation; and (c) demonstrate a willingness to share information with researchers, evaluators, practitioners, and other interested parties, including a plan for dissemination of results.

Estimated Total Program Funding:     $5,000,000
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:     Yes

Contact us for more information!

Community Food Projects, Deadline Nov. 28

Brownfield Area Planning Grants, Deadline Nov. 30

gourdiefraserLeave a comment

This notice announces the availability of EPA grant funds for projects from eligible entities to facilitate community involvement and conduct research, training and technical assistance necessary to develop area-wide plans and implementation strategies to facilitate brownfields assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse. Brownfields area-wide planning grant funding must be directed to specific areas affected by a single large or multiple brownfield sites, such as a neighborhood, downtown district, city block or local commercial corridor. The grant funding will result in an area-wide plan, including implementation strategies, for the brownfields-affected area. The brownfields area-wide plan will inform the assessment, cleanup and reuse of brownfields properties and promote area-wide revitalization.

Expected Number of Awards:     20
Estimated Total Program Funding:     $4,000,000
Award Ceiling:     $200,000
Award Floor:     $200,000

Contact us for more information!

Brownfield Area Planning Grants, Deadline Nov. 30

Community Growth Grants, Deadline Sept. 7

gourdiefraser, Leave a comment

Grants available through the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments (NWMCOG) will give local units of government in northwest lower Michigan an opportunity to support the principles of The Grand Vision.

The New Designs for Growth: Community Growth Grants program will award grants of up to $15,000, provided as cash or technical assistance, available on a competitive basis to city, village, township, and county governments within the six-county Grand Vision region. The grant deadline is September 7, 2012.

“These grants strengthen our region by removing barriers and creating incentives for greater public and private sector investment in the communities in our region,” said Matt McCauley, NWMCOG director of regional planning and community development. “Their purpose is to move The Grand Vision to action by providing direct financial support to communities for leadership, planning, collaboration, local decision-making, and action-oriented projects that enhance our communities’ sense of place, and build the foundation for a stronger regional economy.”

Successful projects will create a framework for sustainable and efficient growth and development by implementing strategies consistent with The Grand Vision principles.

The Grand Vision is a citizen-led vision for the future of land use, transportation, economic development and environmental stewardship in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, and Wexford counties.

The ultimate goal of The Grand Vision is to create prosperity by making the communities it serves more attractive and viable.

The New Designs for Growth: Community Growth Grants program is administered by the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, in partnership with the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance, and is made possible through generous support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

 

Community Growth Grants, Deadline Sept. 7

Assistance to Firefighters Grants, Deadline July 6

gourdiefraserLeave a comment
Nation’s first LEED Gold fire station; site engineering, construction oversight, materials testing by GFA

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program. The purpose of AFG is to enhance through financial assistance the safety of the public and firefighters regarding fire and fire-related hazards. FEMA strives to provide clear guidance and application tools to assist applicants. This package provides an overview of AFG, the grant application information, and an explanation of FEMA requirements for a successful grant request.

Eligible Applicants

County governments
City or township governments
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification)

Additional Information on Eligibility:

Fire Departments and Non-Affiliated Emergency Medical organizations

Contact us for more information!

Assistance to Firefighters Grants, Deadline July 6

NEA GAP: Art Works 2 – Deadline August 9

gourdiefraserLeave a comment

The Arts Endowment’s support of a project may start on or after June 1, 2013. The NEA’s guiding principle is embodied in one sentence: “Art works.” “Art works” is a noun; the creation of works of art by artists. “Art works” is a verb; art works on and within people to change and inspire them. “Art works” is a statement; arts jobs are real jobs that are part of the real economy.

Art Works encourages and supports the following four outcomes:

  1. Creation: The creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence,
  2. Engagement: Public engagement with diverse and excellent art,
  3. Learning: Lifelong learning in the arts, and
  4. Livability: The strengthening of communities through the arts.

You will be asked to select the outcome that is most relevant to your project, and you also will be able to select a secondary outcome (note that all Arts Education applicants must choose the Learning outcome as their primary outcome). When making selections, you should identify the outcome(s) that reflect the results expected to be achieved by your project. If you receive a grant, you also will be asked to provide evidence of those results.

Awards: Minimum $10,000, maximum $100,000

Eligible Applicants:

State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education

Additional Information on Eligibility:

Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes may apply. Applicants may be arts organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, local education agencies (school districts), and other organizations that can help advance the goals of the Arts Endowment. To be eligible, the applicant organization must: • Meet the Arts Endowment’s “Legal Requirements” including nonprofit, tax-exempt status at the time of application. (All organizations must apply directly on their own behalf. Applications through a fiscal agent are not allowed.) • Have a three-year history of programming prior to the application deadline. • Have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all Arts Endowment grant(s) previously received.

Contact us for more information!

NEA GAP: Art Works 2 – Deadline August 9