|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 5, 2026
Jeff Johnston, EGLE Public Information Officer, Johns...@Michigan.gov, 517-231-9304
Tamara Lipsey, EGLE Aquatic Biologist, Lip...@Michigan.gov, 517-342-4372
MiCorps Volunteer Stream Cleanup and Monitoring grants available
Note: This updates a Feb. 4 press release to correct the application deadline and link to both grant opportunities.
The Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps),
a volunteer monitoring program network that collects and shares surface water quality data throughout the state, is accepting 2026 funding proposals for two grant programs.
Volunteer Stream Cleanup Program: A total
of $25,000 (in increments of $500-$5,000) is available for grants to support local units of government in cleaning up garbage from Michigan’s rivers, streams, and creeks. This program is funded by fees from the sale of Michigan’s specialty water quality protection
license plates, available from the Michigan
Secretary of State.
Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program:
A total of $75,000 is available across three grant types for volunteer benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring and habitat assessment in wadeable streams and rivers. Benthic invertebrates are small, bottom-dwelling aquatic animals such as larval insects, snails,
worms, and beetles. Local units of government, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply for the following:
- Startup grants for
organizations that seek to learn MiCorps monitoring protocols and set themselves up to submit successful implementation grant proposals in future years. A maximum of $5,000 per grant award is available for one-year projects.
- Implementation grants supporting volunteer
training and macroinvertebrate data collection to assess water quality in support of state and local efforts to protect and manage water resources. Grants may fund a monitoring coordinator and/or buy water quality monitoring supplies. A maximum of $20,000
per grant award is available for two-year projects.
- Maintenance Grants
for groups already monitoring with MiCorps procedures. A maximum of $3,000 is available to pay for staff time, equipment, and travel to MiCorps trainings and conferences.
The request for proposals for each of the grant opportunities can be found at MiCorps’
Stream Monitoring Grants and Stream
Cleanup Grants webpages. All grants except startup grants require a 25% local match commitment.
Grant applications are due by 5 p.m. March 6, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Direct questions
about the application process to Dr. Paul Steen, Huron River Watershed Council, at 734-519-0449 or PSt...@HRWC.org; or Tamara Lipsey, Water Resources Division, Michigan
Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), at 517-342-4372 or Lip...@Michigan.gov.
MiCorps is sponsored by EGLE and is administered in partnership with Michigan State University Extension, the Michigan Lakes
and Streams Association, and the Huron River Watershed Council.
To stay up to date on other EGLE news, follow us at Michigan.gov/MIEnvironment.
###
|
