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Flint, Michigan – On January 30, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced they’re giving $87.5 million in grants to 18 different projects in Michigan. This money is part of the Strategic Site Readiness Program (SSRP) to help Michigan be a strong competitor for big projects.
With this money, places all over Michigan can grow economically by getting ready for business and working together with local, regional, and energy groups.
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“These grants will fund 18 projects across Michigan, preparing us to win more manufacturing projects creating thousands of good-paying jobs,” said Governor Whitmer.
“Together, with a strong, bipartisan economic development toolkit, we are competing with other states and nations to bring home supply chains of cars, chips, and clean energy. We will get it done while making communities across Michigan—from big cities to small towns—better places to live, work, and invest. Let’s move some dirt!”
They took grant applications from September 18 to October 30, 2023. The MEDC got over 70 applications asking for $420 million – way more than they had to give. This shows there’s a big need for getting sites in Michigan ready for business. The grants went to projects in nine out of Michigan’s 10 “prosperity regions,” which means every region that asked for money got at least one grant.
Out of the 18 projects getting money, 10 are cleaning up and developing previously used (brownfield) sites, getting nearly half of the total grant money. The rest of the money is going to new (greenfield) sites. Having these sites ready for investment means Michigan can attract and grow more businesses all over the state.
Strategic Site Readiness Program awardees
(by prosperity region)
Region 1
- Hancock Business & Technology Park, City of Hancock: $969,352
Region 3
- Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority Small/Medium Hangar Infrastructure, Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority: $500,000
Region 4
- Muskegon Heights Industrial Parks – West & East, Muskegon Area First (brownfield site): $121,200
- Covenant Business Park, The Right Place: $17,500,000
Region 5
- 3 Mile and Wilder Road, Bay Future (brownfield site): $4,161,500
Region 6
- Flint Commerce Center, Flint Genesee Economic Alliance (brownfield site): $5,900,000
- Corunna – Parmenter Rd, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership: $435,000
Region 7
- Lansing RACER Trust Plant 6 Site, City of Lansing (brownfield site): $18,975,000
- Delhi College Road Site, Lansing Economic Area Partnership (brownfield site): $6,500,000
Region 8
- Southwest Michigan Commerce Park, Southwest Michigan First (brownfield site): $2,106,000
- Hartford Industrial Site, Market Van Buren (brownfield site): $467,250
- Benton Harbor Data and Tech Park, a partnership between Cornerstone Alliance and developer Franklin Partners (brownfield site): $3,600,000
Region 9
- AICP – Lot 14, City of Saline: $15,350
- LAC Site, Monroe County Business Alliance: $82,310
- Latson Innovation Interchange Technology & Industrial Park, Ann Arbor SPARK: $6,500,000
- Pleasant Valley Development, Ann Arbor SPARK (brownfield site): $604,000
Region 10
- 440 Acres in Van Buren Township (Ecorse and Belleville Roads), Detroit Aerotropolis: $18,600,000
- DET Crosswind Runway, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (brownfield site): $510,000
Total SSRP grant funding: $87,546,962
The rest of the $100 million from the SSRP will be used for projects that need more time to check out, unexpected needs later this year, and to help sites that join a new program to get ready for development. This program is starting this year.
Because there were more requests than there was money, the MEDC has sent a list of projects on old industrial sites to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. They’ll look at these projects to see if they can help them out.