Marine Safety Grants

The Marine Safety Grants program provides financial assistance to promote safety in the use of recreational watercraft across Michigan through law enforcement patrols and education. Administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with state funds under Part 801, 1994 PA 451, as amended, and federal funds under the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety Financial Assistance program (CFDA 97.012), the grants support county sheriff departments in conducting waterway enforcement, safety education, and livery oversight.

All 83 counties in the State of Michigan are eligible to apply through their county sheriff departments. Funding allocations depend on factors such as the area of public waters to be patrolled, the number of law enforcement personnel available for marine patrol, the volume of boat livery inspections to be conducted, the extent of the county's boating safety education program, total marine safety expenditures, and past operating grant performance. Applicants requesting federal funding that intend to charge an indirect rate must notify the department via email by March 1 or the rate is deemed waived.

Eligible expenses include patrol time and enforcement duties, instruction of boating safety courses, proctoring approved online boating safety exams, inspecting boat liveries, patrol craft operating and maintenance costs, dedicated marine vehicle expenses, safety supplies, and approved officer training. Ineligible items include firearms, ammunition, duty belts, dive equipment refills and repairs, dive or firearms training, employee physicals, motor vehicle purchases, out-of-state travel without prior DNR approval, and rent for county-owned buildings.

Grant applications open annually in early January and must be submitted electronically through the DNR Grants Management online system, MiGrants (https://migrants.intelligrants.com/), no later than March 1. The Authorized Official of the county sheriff's department must execute and submit the application and agreement. Review and award determinations take approximately three to four months, after which project agreements are executed and reimbursements are processed based on submitted state aid vouchers and activity reports.