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 are listed below:
- Bay County Fair & Youth Exposition, Equine Facilities Revitalization, $100,000
- Berlin Fair, Parking and ADA Access Improvements, $63,666
- Calhoun County Agricultural Society, Lockwood – Avery Granary, $60,000
- Cass County Fair Association, Fire Suppression System for Exhibit, $100,000
- Cheboygan County Fair, Electrical Improvements, $50,000
- Chippewa County Fair, Electrical Upgrades, $56,000
- Dickinson County Fair, Bathroom Remodel, $25,913
- Eaton County Agricultural Society, Expand and Improve Grandstand Area, $62,000
- Emmet-Charlevoix County Fair, Fiber Optic Cable Install, $16,000
- Fowlerville Family Fair, Horse Barn Improvements, $71,829
- Gratiot County Fair for Youth, Roofing Project, $45,000
- Isabella County Youth & Farm Society, Horse Barn Restoration, $41,000
- Kent County Youth Fair, Livestock Barn, and Security Fencing, $100,000
- Lake Odessa Fair, Grandstand Modernization & Accessibility , $100,000
- Marquette County Fair, Youth Building Upgrade, $18,500
- Mecosta County Free Fair, Grandstand and Office Building Improvement, $50,000
- Newaygo County Agricultural Assoc., NCAFA Office Roof Replacement, $52,666
- Northern District Fair, Grandstand Infrastructure Upgrade, $22,666
- Saginaw County Fair, Cement Floor, $12,300
- Sanilac County Fairgrounds, Roof Replacement, $50,065
- Shiawassee County Fair, Electrical Upgrades, $83,323
- Clair County 4-H, Goodells Parking and Ground Improvements, $38,500
- Joseph County Grange, Pathways to the Fair, $61,000
- Tuscola County Fair, Roofing Improvements, $60,000
- UP State Fair, Dairy and Speed Barn Roof Repair, $82,286
- Van Buren Youth Fair, Pavement Restoration, $22,286
The selected and confirmed recipients for the Shows and Exposition grants are listed below:
- Isabella County Youth & Farm Society, Senior Showman Scholarship, $5,000
- Ogemaw County Ag Expo, Return of Premiums, $5,000
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