MDARD

Jul 13, 2023

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The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is seeking applications for a new Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Grant. As a reimbursement grant, this program will be assisting the food and agriculture industry to ensure compliance with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) wastewater regulations under the Groundwater Discharge Permit Program.

Beginning August 8, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. EST, applications will be accepted continually until the funding is exhausted. The grant cycle is determined by funding awarded and distributed to approved projects.

Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Informational Webinar Presentation

The following criteria will be used to determine the business’ wastewater infrastructure needs. Projects must meet the below requirements for consideration for the grant from a technical standpoint.

The grant is open to existing agriculture and food processors located in Michigan who are under an Administrative Consent Order, compliance and enforcement action, or have a Schedule of Compliance found in a Certificate of Coverage or state Groundwater Discharge Permit from EGLE.

Eligible wastewater investment costs include:

Ineligible wastewater investment costs include:

The following milestones will be required by the applicant if grant funds are awarded:

Funding for this grant is based upon the daily flow in gallons per day of wastewater and overall project investment. The funding ranges are shown in the tiered table below. A grant to an individual system shall not exceed $2,000,000. This grant will cover 50% of the total eligible investment costs and, if a company is eligible for funding, project milestones listed above must be completed prior to receiving a disbursement of the performance-based grant. Selected companies are required to cover 50% of the total eligible investment costs from other funding sources.

50% of eligible investment Maximum grant award of $225,000

50% of eligible investment Maximum grant award of $350,000

50% of eligible investment Maximum grant award of $500,000

50% of eligible investment Maximum grant award of $1,000,000

50% of eligible investment Maximum grant award of $1,500,000

50% of eligible investment Maximum grant award of $2,000,000

Interested applicants may complete the online Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Pre-Qualification Form. This form will be used to determine a company and project’s eligibility for grant funding. Companies will be notified of eligibility and, if eligible, will be provided instructions via email, from [email protected], to complete a full application.

How do I know my company is eligible to participate in the program?The grant is open to agriculture and food processors located in Michigan who are under an Administrative Consent Order, Compliance and Enforcement Action, or have a Schedule of Compliance found in a Certificate of Coverage or state Groundwater Discharge Permit from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). This information is verified through EGLE and MiEnviro.

Additionally, the company must be in good standing and in compliance with MDARD. This information is verified through all MDARD divisions.

How do I apply for the program?The Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Pre-Qualification Form is available above in the Application and Submission Process section. Once a pre-qualification form has been received and reviewed, an email from [email protected] will be sent with questions and/or next steps, which may include a full application form to complete. The program cycle is determined by funding allocations awarded to each project based on pre-qualification and application acceptance until funds are exhausted.

What documentation do I need to provide to be qualified for the program?The Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Pre-Qualification Form will ask for the following:

Can you provide a list of the questions on the Wastewater Infrastructure Fund Pre-Qualification Form?Here is an overview of the questions are asked in the pre-qualification form:

What are the items I will need to provide throughout the process if I receive funding?If grant funds are awarded, a grantee is required to meet and provide documentation on the milestones listed above.

Is there an application period for the grant?There is no specific deadline to apply for the grant as it is an ongoing enrollment until all allocated funds are utilized.

When is the deadline for the grant applications?The application will remain open until all the funding has been distributed. Note: Only one proposal per applicant facility location or permit number will be considered for funding.

How much money will I receive?The amount of funding you may be awarded will be based on the above Tiered Funding System. MDARD will monitor applicant funding requests and funding allocated will be based by the Tiered Funding System to ensure companies of all sizes are able to receive funding.

How are the awarded amounts determined?Grant awards are determined by the above Tiered Funding System, from Tier 1 to Tier 6, and will be based off Daily Flow in Gallons Per Day of the water system. This tiered system helps to determine the appropriate amount of funding to be awarded to each project.

What can I use the grant money for if I receive funding?Eligible wastewater investment costs may be found in the Eligible Investments section above. This is a cost-reimbursement grant, meaning the cost is first covered by the company and then eligible for reimbursement through awarded grant funding.

What can I not use the grant money for if I receive funding?Ineligible wastewater investment costs may be found in the Ineligible Investments section above.

We have already purchased some items for wastewater upgrades but have not yet installed these items. Would previous expenditures be eligible for this program?If approved for WIF funding, previous expenditures for a wastewater project are eligible if they were incurred on or after February 1, 2023.

For more information about this funding opportunity, please contact the Agriculture Development Division at [email protected].

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