May 2023 Vol 5 

The Office of Rural Development Newsletter provides timely and relevant resources that support rural communities across the state of Michigan. 

Office of Rural Development Updates

Rural Readiness Grant Program Letters of Intent Due May 25^th

Reminder: Letters of Intent for MDARD’s Office Of Rural Development Rural Readiness Grant Program (RRGP) are due no later than Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 3 p.m. EST.  Letters of Intent should be emailed to Matt Wiitala, Capacity and Grants Specialist at wiitala@michigan.gov. 

Visit the Rural Readiness Grant Program website for additional information.

Housing Capacity Virtual Rural Roundtable

On April 26, 2023, rural stakeholders from across Michigan attended the Office of Rural Development’s first Virtual Rural Roundtable focusing on Housing Capacity. ORD Director Sarah Lucas provided an overview before special guests Ryan Kilpatrick, Founding Director- Housing Next and CEO of Flywheel Community Development Services; Yarrow Brown, Executive Director- Housing North; Gary Heidel, Chief of Staff - Michigan State Housing Development Authority; and Tonya Joy Director, Neighborhood Housing Initatives- Michigan State Housing Development Authority discussed case studies and resources.

Presentation slides and a recording of the webinar are available here.

Increasing Access: High Speed Internet

The initial application scoring for the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) program, administered by the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI), is complete. The MIHI office will now develop an initial set of funding recommendations with final grant awards anticipated to be announced in September. In addition to ROBIN, another funding opportunity to increase broadband access in unserved and underserved areas will be coming soon through MIHI as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. MIHI will be announcing more details about BEAD this summer, including specific program information. For more information on the ROBIN or BEAD programs, make inquiries or sign up for updates, please visit MIHI at: https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi.

Current and Upcoming

Rural Resources and Opportunities

In each ORD newsletter, we’ll provide updates on select grant programs, resources, and opportunities that may be of particular interest to rural Michigan communities.

The MEDC Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) Program 2.0 is now accepting applications. RAP 2.0 will provide access to gap financing for place-based infrastructure development, real estate rehabilitation and development, and public space improvements. There are new RAP guidelines, including increased flexibility for housing and regional set-asides, so be sure to review application materials closely! The application portal closes June 30, 2023.

Housing and Community Development

The Michigan Housing Opportunities Promoting Energy-Efficiency (MI-HOPE) program’s third funding round will provide up to $8 million dollars statewide. The program is an extension of the Neighborhood Enhancement Program. MI-HOPE is a federally-funded program utilizing United States Department of the Treasury American Rescue Plan (ARP) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). This funding will be made available statewide based on a formal subrecipient award structure to 501(c) nonprofit agencies and units of government, with award determinations based on competitive funding rounds and subsequent obligation and expenditure performance. The minimum funding request amount is $50,000 and the maximum request amount is $500,000 per agency. Phase 3 is due June 16, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Submission requirement details can be found on the MSHDA MI-HOPE website.

State Land Bank Authority’s Predevelopment Investment Program provides up to $10,000 is available to qualified entities to cover costs of certain predevelopment activities for residential development.

State Land Bank Authority’s Housing Development Loan Program for local units of government and qualified housing developers can get help developing property in their inventory for housing with support from the State Land Bank Housing Development Loan program. These short-term loans provide capital to develop housing projects with the intention to sell the property after development.

Transportation and Infrastructure

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, click here.

The Michigan Infrastructure Office (MIO) Technical Assistance Program allows eligible recipients to directly contract with pre-qualified consultants through their Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Regional Planning Agencies, or Economic Development Districts (MPO/RPA) to first receive consulting services on a fast-track, as-needed basis, and then get reimbursed from the MIO for those approved services. Selected contractors will perform consulting services, grant identification, project management, grant writing and administration for projects supported with federal infrastructure discretionary grants. More details and contact information can be found on the website. Additionally, MIO launched a set of online tools to serve Michigan communities as a one-stop shop to learn how to connect with federal infrastructure funding opportunities, request technical assistance from the state and track project funding. The tools include the Community Navigator and Infrastructure Investment Tracker, which currently track projects ranging from roads to water to high-speed internet.  

High Speed Internet

The United States Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (USD) Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) Grant opportunity aims to support technical assistance activities for qualifying rural communities, including project planning and community engagement, financial sustainability, environmental compliance, construction planning and engineering, accessing federal resources, and data collection and reporting that will help expand broadband access. (Construction costs are not an eligible use of funds.) Applicants can apply to be a technical assistance provider, recipient, or to support existing cooperatives. Application deadline is June 20, 2023.

The USDA Rural Development Office’s Community Connect Grants provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically-challenged communities where service does not exist.  Application deadline is June 20, 2023.

Community Building and Innovation  

The Small Town & Rural Development Conference hosted by Rural Partners of Michigan is on June 6-8, 2023 at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville.  Conference registration is now open.