Certified Local Government (CLG) Grants

Purpose: Provide annual State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) subgrants to Michigan Certified Local Governments (CLGs) to plan for, protect, and promote historic resources. Funding supports both bricks-and-mortar improvements and activities that build local preservation capacity.

Eligibility: Applicants must be Michigan CLG county, city, village, or township governments in good standing; communities certified by the deadline are eligible. Nonprofits and public entities in a CLG community may partner with the CLG, but the CLG is the applicant. For development projects, eligible properties must be publicly or nonprofit-owned and listed in the National Register of Historic Places or contributing to a listed district; for pre-development projects, properties must be listed, contributing, or determined eligible by SHPO.

Project eligibility: Two categories are funded. (1) Pre-development and development projects including condition assessments, plans/specs, structural stabilization, roof, masonry, window/door work, finishes, accessibility, and related treatments consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. (2) Planning, documentation, and education projects including historic resource surveys, archaeological studies, historic contexts, National Register nominations, local district studies and ordinance updates, preservation plans, design guidelines, revitalization/facade studies, training, workshops, and public education/outreach materials.

Application process: FY26 cycle opened 10/13/2025; optional draft review by 12/12/2025; applications due 02/06/2026. SHPO anticipates issuing letters of intent to award in spring 2026, executing agreements in July 2026, and projects beginning summer 2026. All project activities must be completed by 08/31/2028. Application materials include the FY26 CLG Grant Project Manual, application forms (PDF/Word), signature page, and required exhibits such as budget/fiscal templates and resolutions.