Tag Archives: Funding

Applications for Community Forestry Grants Open through Sept. 24

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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for Community Forestry grants.

Eligible organizations including local and tribal governments, educational institutions, and nonprofits can apply for grants of $1,000-$25,000 with a 1-1 match for projects that increase urban forest cover or improve community forest care and management.

Projects may include tree inventories and assessments, tree planting and maintenance, Arbor Day celebrations, training and outreach, urban forestry technology, and others.

Projects should align with state goals outlined in the Michigan Forest Action Plan and a pledge to plant 50 million trees by 2030 as part of the DNR’s MI Trees initiative.

Submit applications by Sept. 23. Projects must be completed by Sept. 1, 2023.

Questions? Contact Urban and Community Forestry program coordinator Kevin Sayers, 517-582-3209, or urban forester Lawrence Sobson, 313-316-4137.

Learn more about community forests at Michigan.gov/UCF.

Herasanna Richards is a legislative associate handling energy, environmental, elections, and external municipal services for the League. She can be reached at hrichards@mml.org or 517-908-0309.

Recycling Grants for Communities Available from EGLE and The Recycling Partnership

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The national nonprofit The Recycling Partnership and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) want members of the Michigan Municipal League to know about an exciting grant opportunity totaling $575,000 that exists for communities statewide in 2021 to dramatically improve residential recycling.

EGLE and The Partnership are encouraging elected officials and local government leaders to apply for these grants that can help Michiganders improve the quality of materials they recycle at curbside or drop-off locations, as well as reduce recycling contamination.

All Michigan community recycling programs are eligible to apply for these grants from EGLE and The Partnership of up to $4 per household for curbside programs and up to $3 per household for drop-off programs.

Applications are due Aug. 20, 2021, and complete instructions can be found in the request for proposals at recyclingpartnership.org/michiganrfp.

In addition to continuing to build on the success of Michigan’s award-winning Know It Before You Throw It recycling education campaign, grantees with curbside recycling service will utilize The Partnership’s nationally acclaimed Feet on the Street cart-tagging program – an initiative designed to improve the quality of curbside recycling by providing residents personalized and real-time education and feedback on their recycling practices.

Grantees with drop-off recycling services will use a modified version of the Feet on the Street program to combat recycling contamination and illegal dumping at recycling drop-off sites while also improving awareness and participation in the local recycling program.

Highlights for successful grantees include:

  • Selected drop-off recycling program grantees will benefit from inclusive signage and site improvements, security upgrades such as cameras, increased recycling participation, and other opportunities to educate households on what is and isn’t recyclable.
  • Selected curbside grantees will benefit from the use of The Partnership’s new mobile app.
  • All grantees will have access to EGLE and The Partnership’s expertise to help create and distribute effective recycling education materials such as direct mail and targeted digital and social media campaigns.

The 2021 grant opportunity will build on recent successes at combating recycling contamination in more than 100 Michigan communities that were previously awarded similar grants. The City of Grand Rapids, for example, was recently announced as the winner of the 2021 Program of the Year Award from industry leader Resource Recycling. Grand Rapids’ submission materials to the awards program reported a contamination rate of 7.4%, which is far lower than what’s being seen in many local programs in the U.S., where contamination rates above 20% are common. (The metric describes the percentage of material put in recycling carts by residents that do not belong in the recycling cart).

Based on our combined track record of achievement with local partners, EGLE and The Partnership are looking to develop new partners in the Upper Peninsula, West Michigan, and Mid-Michigan. To learn more, visit recyclingpartnership.org/michiganrfp.

Herasanna Richards is a legislative associate handling energy, environmental, elections, and external municipal services for the League. She can be reached at hrichards@mml.org or 517-908-0309.

Appropriations Sub-Committee to Host Hearing on High Waters Impact for Communities

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The Michigan Municipal League has secured a hearing in the House Appropriation Sub-Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Quality to highlight the devastating impact of shoreline erosion and high waters on Michigan’s coastal communities.

The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, January 23rd at 10:30 a.m., and located at the Anderson House Office Building in Lansing, is graciously hosted by Rep. and Chairman of the committee, Sue Allor, R- Wolverine, in response to ongoing conversations with several lawmakers in Lansing. Four communities from across the state will be testifying on behalf of the League along with representatives from Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).

League members are welcome to attend the hearing and may pass along any testimony or images related to high waters damage to the League to be included in the record. The League extends our sincerest thanks to our many MML members that have provided information and images for us to help illustrate the impact of this crisis. Without you, the League’s ability to raise awareness on this critical issue would not have been possible!

Shoreline erosion and high waters have brought unprecedented damage and unexpected mounting costs in the millions of dollars to Michigan’s shoreline communities. Throughout the fall, the League has been working with legislators, the Governor’s Office, EGLE, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Great Lakes Coalition to address the long-term impact of rising water levels, barriers to funding, and the inability to access emergency fund at the state and federal levels.

This fall, the League participated in a tour with Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit of the damaged shoreline communities along the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers with Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and International Joint Commission for the Great Lakes, Rob Sisson.

In Lansing, the League has engaged lawmakers on the compounding impact of high waters to local communities. Using the images and estimates provided by our members, we’ve illustrated the devastating impact on roadways, bridges, water filtration centers, stormwater utilities, wastewater treatment plants and more.

Based on these conversations, the League has identified two objectives to provide relief to our members:

  • Secure financial assistance for immediately impacted coastal communities. 
  • Define high waters, and shoreline erosion as a declarable emergency, and provide better pathways for communities to address the damages and acquire financial assistance 

Legislators have been open to conversations on both objectives, stating that they are aware of the impact to their constituent communities. Many have assisted in identifying potential sources of funding to provide financial relief to our communities, as well as offered interest in modifying state statues to better address a high waters crisis. Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann, is also working to spearhead a statewide high waters taskforce to bring together local units of government, state agencies and other stakeholders to address ongoing maintenance to Michigan’s shoreline.

Additionally, the following legislation has been introduced to address the high waters crisis and assist local communities and effected homeowners:

  •  SB 714 — Sen. Roger Victory, R-Georgetown Township-: Allows for those in areas at risk from erosion to begin work on the construction of temporary erosion control structures, without a permit and provides for alternative steps to streamline the process.
  • HR 157 – Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit: A resolution to memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to increase funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to $475 million per year.
  • HR 214 – Rep. Jim Lilly, R-Park Township: A resolution to call on the Governor to formally request that Ontario cease or limit to the greatest extent possible the redirection of water into the Great Lakes.
  • HB 5309 – Rep. Lilly, R- Park Township: Modifies issuance of soil erosion permit during a state of emergency declared by the governor

The League will provide an update of Thursday’s hearing on Inside 208 this week, and we will continue to monitor and provide any updates as we gather more information.

Herasanna Richards is a legislative associate handling energy, environmental, elections, and external municipal services for the League. She can be reached at hrichards@mml.org or 517-908-0309.

Regional Transit Authority to Receive Funding for Administrative Costs

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The Regional Transit Authority will receive $2 million in additional funding to help cover administrative costs. SB 608 will appropriate these much needed funds to the RTA which will help cover the cost of staff and other related administrative expenses as they work towards creating a bus rapid transit system in Southeast Michigan.

The success if the RTA is vital to the region and this state and the League will continue to support efforts that will further enhance the transportation options in Michigan.

This bill has not yet been voted out of committee and will receive another hearing this Thursday, February 20th at 9 a.m.

John LaMacchia is a Legislative Associate for the League handling transportation and infrastructure issues. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

Legislature Takes First Step Towards Helping Municipal Budgets Hit Hard by Winter Weather

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This morning the Senate Appropriations Committee added an amendment to SB 608 that would put an extra $100 million into this year’s budget to help road agencies across this state cover excess snow removal costs that have accumulated this winter.

The $100 million will be divvied up through the state’s normal road funding formula with $39.1 million to the state transportation budget, $39.1 million to counties and $21.8 million to municipalities. We are also hopeful that most of the $39.1-million state share will flow back to counties and municipalities that contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation for winter maintenance on state trunk-line routes within their boundaries.

This bill has not yet been voted out of committee and will receive another hearing this Thursday, February 20th at 9 a.m. The League is committed to finding ways to support local governments hit hard by this years winter weather and we will continue to offer our efforts to support that any additional funds that may be appropriated to our communities. Additional details can be found in this Detroit Free Press article.

John LaMacchia is a Legislative Associate with the League handling Transportation and infrastructure issues. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.

Applications Being Accepted for Federal Lands Access Program

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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Eastern Federal Lands (EFL) Division will be accepting applications for Federal Lands Access Program funding via electronic submittal through October 4, 2013.

Projects eligible for FLAP funding include transportation facilities such as public highway, road, bridge, trail, or transit system that is located on, adjacent to, or provides access to Federal lands for which title or maintenance responsibility is vested in a State, county, town, township, municipal, or local government.

For further information on how to apply please see the following letter sent to the League by MDOT. Call for Projects FLAP Program

John LaMacchia is a Legislative Associate for the League handling Transportation issues. He can be reached at jlamacchia@mml.org or 517-908-0303.