Michigan Infrastructure Office Awards Nearly $1.4 Million in Pre-Development Grants to Help Communities Access Federal Infrastructure Funding

Michigan Infrastructure Office Awards Nearly $1.4 Million in Pre-Development Grants to Help Communities Access Federal Infrastructure Funding

Thirty communities across Michigan will receive grants of $20,000-$50,000 to advance water and surface transportation infrastructure projects.

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Infrastructure Office (MIO) has announced $1,398,675 in Pre-Development Accelerator Pilot (PDAP) grants to 30 communities across Michigan. The grants, administered through the MIO Technical Assistance Center (TAC), will help local governments with critical early-stage work needed to successfully prepare infrastructure projects to complete grant applications and compete for federal funding.

Funded projects span the state and cover two infrastructure categories: surface transportation and drinking water/wastewater systems. The grants will fund activities such as preliminary engineering and design, environmental review, feasibility studies, public engagement, cost estimation, and permitting.

“These awards help communities take the steps necessary to turn local infrastructure needs into competitive applications for federal funding,” said Kevin Mehren, director of the Michigan Infrastructure Office. “By supporting project development now, Michigan is creating a stronger pipeline of ready-to-fund projects across the state, strengthening Michigan’s ability to bring federal dollars home and deliver real improvements for residents.”

The PDAP program received applications from communities across the state during an open window in late 2025. Awarded communities will use PDAP funds to conduct activities required in order to pursue federal funding through programs such as BUILD transportation grants, USDA Rural Development grants, the Bridge Investment Program, and EPA Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funds.

“We are so very excited to have the financial ability to improve the water quality for our residents. Providing clean, safe, quality water is not a statutory duty of a municipality, but our residents expect and deserve it. We are so appreciative to the State of Michigan for making this possible,” said Glenn Rowley, Supervisor of Bangor Charter Township.

“These water, wastewater and local roads projects are critical to our communities,” said Kris Brady, MIO Technical Assistance Center Director. “But the work that needs to be done prior to making a federal application to actually build the project is often cost prohibitive.  Planning documents, preliminary engineering, designs, conducting public input sessions are all things that have to be submitted with federal applications. And they come with a price tag that often creates a hurdle that under resourced communities can’t get over. Providing small amounts of funding at key stages to move projects to the federal funding request stage leverages big wins for Michigan.” 

Visit the MIO Technical Assistance Center website for a full list of communities who received Pre-Development Accelerator Pilot grants to support completing early-stage work for federal funding applications.

ABOUT THE MICHIGAN INFRASTRUCTURE OFFICE

The MIO is responsible for organizing and executing Governor Whitmer’s vision for infrastructure, coordinating across state government, marshaling resources, and partnering with local officials, federal partners, and outside stakeholders to ensure resources sent to Michigan through BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are used efficiently and effectively.