Implementation Grant

The Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program (VSMP) Implementation Grant is a competitive funding opportunity administered by the Huron River Watershed Council in partnership with Michigan State University and funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The program is part of the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) initiative and seeks to empower local organizations in Michigan to conduct stream monitoring using volunteer labor. The purpose of this grant is to support macroinvertebrate monitoring efforts that provide critical data on water quality in Michigan’s rivers and streams. The grant emphasizes building sustainable, community-based monitoring programs that can contribute to statewide environmental goals. The 2026 Implementation Grant specifically supports organizations that are ready to begin collecting macroinvertebrate data in Fall 2026. This grant is not intended for organizations currently conducting MiCorps monitoring—such organizations should seek the separate Maintenance Grant. Implementation grants provide training, supplies, and organizational support to launch long-term volunteer monitoring programs. These grants fund activities such as volunteer recruitment and training, purchase of field equipment and supplies, and coordination with local stakeholders and EGLE biologists. Training is a central component, with MiCorps offering hands-on instruction and requiring grantees to train their volunteers according to standardized MiCorps protocols. Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to each of two recipients for a two-year period from June 2026 to June 2028. These are cost-reimbursement grants and require a local match of at least 25%, which may include cash, in-kind services, or volunteer labor (valued based on skill level and professional background). Projects must include tasks such as developing a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), conducting biannual monitoring at a minimum of six stream sites, submitting data to the MiCorps database, presenting findings at annual conferences, and providing quarterly and final reports. Equipment purchases are allowed but limited to items under $1,000 each, and chemical/thermal analysis is explicitly excluded from eligible costs. Applicants must be either a federally recognized Tribe, a local government entity in Michigan (such as a county, city, township, or village), or a nonprofit organization. They must have completed a successful financial audit within the past two years or partner with an eligible audited entity to serve as fiduciary. Entities such as individuals, for-profit companies, and federal or state agencies are not eligible. Projects involving schools may be included if adult volunteers remain the core participants. Only monitoring projects focused on streams and macroinvertebrates are eligible; river cleanups, lake monitoring, and restoration efforts are not supported by this funding. Applications must be submitted via email by 5:00 p.m. ET on March 6, 2026, to Dr. Paul Steen of the Huron River Watershed Council. The application package must include a narrative in PDF format and a budget in Excel format using the required template. The narrative must cover project details, staff qualifications, partner commitments, sustainability plans, and a timeline, along with a map of the monitoring area. Mandatory activities include attending MiCorps trainings and conferences, conducting a side-by-side monitoring session with MiCorps staff, entering data in the online database, and giving a presentation on project outcomes at the second-year conference. Projects will be evaluated based on the clarity of their goals and work plan, proposed use of data, community education strategies, staff qualifications, volunteer engagement plans, partnerships, alignment with watershed priorities, sustainability beyond the grant period, and overall cost-effectiveness. Successful applicants will be notified by May 2026, with project work beginning as soon as contracts are executed in June 2026.

Applicants must be ready to conduct monitoring in Fall 2026 and submit a detailed plan including a side-by-side monitoring event.