Michigan Craft Beverage Council Education Grant

The FY26 Michigan Craft Beverage Council Education Grant is a competitive funding opportunity administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). This initiative is part of the Michigan Craft Beverage Council’s efforts to promote the continued growth and innovation of the state’s craft beverage industry. The Council provides funding to support educational projects that benefit stakeholders across the industry, including growers, producers, and associated partners. By supporting educational initiatives, the Council aims to ensure that Michigan remains at the forefront of craft beverage production, quality improvement, and sector sustainability. The grant supports projects conducted within Michigan that demonstrate clear and measurable benefits to multiple constituents in the state's craft beverage ecosystem. This includes educational activities that inform, train, or connect industry members in ways that improve knowledge, practices, or engagement. Importantly, projects must serve more than one company or individual; the intention is to promote broad-based impact. The funding is structured as a reimbursement grant, meaning that funds are disbursed only after the project has been completed and a financial review has been conducted. Eligible applicants for this program include educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and government entities. All applicants are required to be registered vendors in the State of Michigan’s SIGMA Vendor Self-Service (VSS) system prior to submission. Only one education grant application is allowed per organization each calendar year, although applicants may serve as collaborators on other projects submitted in the same funding cycle. Awards are capped at $5,000 and aim to support a wide range of educational formats, as long as they align with the Michigan Craft Beverage Council’s strategic goals. The submission deadline for grant requests is November 10, 2025, by 3:00 p.m., and applications must be sent to [email protected]. Award notifications are expected to be released in January or February 2026. Applicants will be evaluated competitively, and funding is not guaranteed. Applications should provide a clear summary of the proposed educational event or activity, its relevance to Michigan’s craft beverage industry, the number of anticipated participants, and the counties in which the activities will take place. Approved grantees are subject to specific reporting requirements. An interim report is due by October 2, 2026, covering activities from the time of award through September 30, 2026. This report must confirm that the project is underway and identify any changes from the proposed work plan. A final technical report and final billing are both due by August 15, 2027. The final report should detail the project’s goals, accomplishments, methods, and impacts, and include any related communications or dissemination activities. The FY26 Education Grant reflects the Michigan Craft Beverage Council’s commitment to capacity-building and collaborative learning in the craft beverage sector. The Council encourages innovative proposals that support the beer, wine, spirits, and hard cider segments, and expects projects to collect and report metrics related to participation and outcomes. All proposed expenditures must comply with grant rules; notably, alcohol purchases are not reimbursable. Questions regarding the grant can be directed to [email protected].