LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Gary McDowell today announced the recipients of the 2022 competitive grants to county fairs to make building and other capital improvements on their fairground facilities. Additionally, MDARD also awarded grants to associations or other organized events hosting fairs/expositions showing livestock and commodities.
The submitted grants are awarded through a competitive process and reviewed by a joint evaluation committee. 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. There was $1,455,000 in funding allocated for the 2022 grant cycle with 28 recipients receiving funding.
The shows and expositions grants provide financial support for awards in the form of premiums or promotional activities of the livestock and commodity expositions, fairs and festivals. Livestock expositions hosting expos must meet the required number of exhibitors
Eligible applicants for the capital improvement grant program include fairs incorporated under Act 80 of 1855 or county owned and operated fairs operating under Act 11 of 1929 and have not received a grant in the 2021 grant cycle. Also, they have submitted all required annual reports for the prior three years.
The selected and confirmed recipients for the Capital Improvement grants includ:
• Cass County Fair Association, Fire Suppression System for Exhibit, $100,000
• Kent County Youth Fair, Livestock Barn, and Security Fencing, $100,000
• St. Joseph County Grange, Pathways to the Fair, $61,000
• Van Buren Youth Fair, Pavement Restoration, $22,286
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