The Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Office of Health and Safety, in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), is informing K-12 public and nonpublic schools, and licensed child care centers that the application for the Filter First – Healthy Hydration Grant is open in GEMS/MARS. The grant application will remain open until Friday, October 17, 2025, at 11:59 PM.

In October 2024, the Filter First – Healthy Hydration Grant made available $50 million in federal funding to reimburse public schools, nonpublic schools, and child care centers for filtered bottle-filling water stations, tap-mounted water filters, water filter pitchers, or universal cartridge water filters. Note: In-line filter costs do not qualify for this grant. In-line filters were not yet approved to meet the Filter First requirements at that time.

Approximately $360,000 of the $50 million for grant funding remains to be awarded. Additionally, if grant recipients are not able to utilize their full awards, these monies will be reallocated to new awardees based on priority scoring criteria. Please apply for your Filter First needs.

Schools and child care centers previously awarded 2024 Filter First – Healthy Hydration grant funds are not eligible to receive additional funding at this time.