LANSING — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced Wednesday a new competitive grant opportunity for the state’s county fairs to make building and other capital improvements to their fairground facilities.
Additionally, grants are available for associations or other organized events hosting fairs or expositions showing livestock and commodities. Both grant proposals must be received by MDARD no later than close of business on Feb. 27.
The capital improvement program provides additional funds for county fair officials to help make needed improvements to their fairground facilities including, but not limited to, structural improvements or other renovations to buildings.
The shows and expositions grant provides financial support for awards in the form of premiums or promotional activities of the livestock and commodity expositions.
The submitted grants will go through a competitive grant process and be reviewed by an evaluation committee.
Eligible applicants include fairs that are incorporated under Act 80 of 1855 or county owned and operated fairs operating under Act 11 of 1929 and that have submitted all required year-end reports for the prior two years, and fairs that did not receive a competitive capital improvement grant for the grant period of March 1 through Dec. 31, 2016.
Livestock expositions hosting expos must meet the required number of exhibitors.
For detailed program information, application form and submission criteria, people may visit michigan.gov/mdard or contact Cinda Karlik by email at karlikc@michigan.gov or by phone at (517) 284-5723. Proposal should be sent to P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI 48909 and must be received (not postmarked) by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27.