Heads up: Michigan Chronicle readers: if you run a 501( c )3 that offers utilities assistance or you want to start a non-profit that helps fellow Detroiters with utilities assistance, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services just opened a request for proposal (RFP) on June 2for organizations to help eligible Michiganders with water and wastewater costs.
The purpose of this program is to assist eligible residents who have a financial burden; have accumulated a balance on their water and/or wastewater utility bill; have had their water and/or wastewater service shut off; and/or are at risk of having their water and/or wastewater service shut off.
“This funding will allow communities provide critical assistance to qualified families, so they are not forced to choose between paying for water services and other necessities,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director.
Eligible expenditures from these funds must be income-based and must include all of the following:
- Restoring residential water and/or wastewater service.
- Paying down water and/or wastewater bills currently in arrears.
- Supporting reasonable water and/or wastewater affordability plans that are based on an individual’s ability to pay, including capped payments based on household income to prevent accumulating a balance on future water bills and funding to qualified providers to cover the remaining cost of service.
- Protecting participating residents from water and/or wastewater shutoffs.
Eligible applicants are community water systems; community action agencies and nonprofit, community-based organizations organized under the laws of this state that are exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 USC 501, with a history of doing utility assistance work.
The award begins on Oct. 1, 2023, and ends Sept. 30, 2024. MDHHS expects to award $25 million in grants. Successful applicants may be awarded funding annually through at least Sept. 30, 2027, based upon funding availability and acceptable performance. Grant applications for the Water Affordability- 2024 RFP must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. Thursday, June 29.
A pre-application conference will be held to discuss this funding opportunity and provide instruction on using the EGrAMS system. The pre-application conference will be held Tuesday, June 6, at 10 a.m., and will last approximately 90 minutes. The conference can be accessed at https://bit.ly/3N79zvS.
For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete RFP can be accessed under the ‘Current Grants’ section under the “Community Action & Economic Opportunity” link and selecting the “WATER-2024” grant program.