Michigan – 9/29/23 –
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MDARD) Office of Rural Development (ORD) is awarding 21 grants totaling more than $1 million through its Rural Readiness Grant Program to support pre-development activities to expedite housing production, infrastructure improvements, and bolster rural economies.
“These grants represent a critical step forward in addressing the significant housing, infrastructure, and other challenges facing our rural communities,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring. “With Governor Whitmer’s continued budget investments and MSHDA’s partnership, MDARD and ORD can expand our reach even further as Michigan makes ongoing progress with high-speed internet infrastructure, affordable housing, and wastewater capacity expansion. ORD is the state’s leading voice in rural development and these investments are another step in building the long-term vitality of those local economies.”
The three grants dedicated to Upper Peninsula communities were as follows:
- Marquette County Land Bank Authority – (Marquette County) – $50,000 to identify and advance shovel-ready housing projects.
- Western U.P. Planning and Development Region Commission (Baraga County) – $50,000 to activate the L’Anse Area Community Development Corporation and prepare for development and redevelopment on priority properties.
- City of Ironwood – (Gogebic County) – $50,000 for a housing needs assessment and strategic housing plan.
It will be interesting to see how this money will be utilized for the communities these organizations represent.

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