Upper Peninsula Deer Habitat Improvement Grants

The Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative (DHIPI) is a grant program designed to foster productive relationships between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, sportsperson’s organizations, interested citizens, and other partners. The primary goal is to produce tangible deer habitat improvements in the Upper Peninsula and educate the public about the importance of the habitat work and scientific principles involved. Projects should address three fundamental goals: producing on-the-ground deer habitat improvements (summer and/or winter range), establishing partnerships, and showcasing cooperative projects through public outreach.

To be eligible, an application must be submitted by a conservation organization, sportsperson group, non-governmental organization, or local conservation district with a formal mission promoting wildlife conservation and/or hunting. Private individuals, government entities (city, county, state, federal), and private hunting clubs are ineligible to apply directly but may serve as partners. Projects may be located on privately owned lands, industrial forests, Commercial Forest Act-enrolled lands, or federal lands (with permission), while state-owned lands are ineligible. Projects allowing legal public access are scored more favorably.

Applications must be submitted via mail or parcel service to the Norway Field Office or by fax; email submissions are not accepted. Proposals must be postmarked by the deadline. Successful applicants will be notified shortly after the deadline, with project implementation commencing immediately and completion required by the end of the state fiscal year.