What’s happening: Replacing the aging boardwalk at Covert Park Beach and Campground in Van Buren County. Renovating Marlette Community Park and adding an accessible walking trail, playground equipment, and updated pavilions in Sanilac County. Continuing improvements to the Stone Lake waterfront in Cassopolis. These and more than a dozen additional public recreation projects throughout the state have recently been announced as recipients of more than $14 million in Michigan Spark Grant funding.
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Related: Read “Cassopolis: A village reimagined” on Rural Innovation Exchange.]
What it is: The Michigan Spark Grants were first announced in March 2022 with Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signing of the Building Michigan Together Plan, a nearly $5 billion investment in the state’s infrastructure. The plan touches on everything from housing to high-speed internet, with $450 million invested in Michigan parks — $65 million of which is being reserved for the Spark Grant program.
Who won: A total of 21 Spark Grants have been recommended by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the department tasked with administering the grants. The majority of the grants are headed to Michigan’s rural communities, and includes $863,500 for the reactivation of Stephenson Park in Morenci; $1,000,000 for a shared-use path in the Village of Hersey; $362,300 for the revitalization of Village Park in the Village of Vermontville; and more.
Click
HERE for a complete list of selected projects and communities.
High demand: Interest in the Spark Grants was overwhelmingly high, with the DNR receiving a total of 462 applications requesting more than $280 million in funding. And with approximately $50 million in additional Spark Grants expected to be awarded later this year, the abundance of applications further emphasizes the need for public recreation funding throughout the state. For its part, the DNR says that it plans to explore additional funding opportunities with Michigan’s greater philanthropic community and continue working with communities on future grant opportunities.
Why it’s important: “The response was more than we could have imagined,” says acting DNR Director Shannon Lott. “Clearly, the Michigan Spark Grants opportunity and outreach have tapped into a critical need in many areas of the state, and we are proud to deliver support that will help create and restore the quality public recreation resources that we know can improve public health, anchor communities and strengthen a sense of place.”
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