Rural Readiness Grant Program

The Rural Readiness Grant Program provides rural communities, via tax-exempt organizations, with up to $50,000 to support collaborative planning and capacity initiatives. These competitive, reimbursement grants support and invest in underserved areas and populations by providing grant funding for capacity building activities, development readiness initiatives, partnership and plan formation, and cross-sector collaboration.

Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations serving rural communities and populations across Michigan. The program focuses on empowering local partners to build local capacity and prepare for future growth and development.

Eligible projects focus on capacity building, development readiness, cross-sector partnership formation, and collaborative planning efforts. Activities may include updating community plans, preparing for infrastructure or hazard response, or building systems to ensure communities are resilient and ready for future opportunities.

The application process requires applicants to first submit a Letter of Intent by the established deadline. Following review, invitations to apply and full application materials are issued to selected applicants. All applicants receive guidance on the status of their Letter of Intent, and invited applicants must submit their full applications by the final due date.