LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring has announced that 23 county fairs and expositions across the state were selected for more than $1.5 million in available grant funds to make needed building and other capital improvements on their fairground facilities; including, but not limited to structural improvements or other renovations to buildings.

“Our county fairs and expositions are often the first connection people have to Michigan agriculture and can be the place where our youth find a lifelong passion to farming and agri-food entrepreneurship,” Boring said. “These grants invest in our rural communities, support our fairs and expos and help encourage our future ag leaders to learn and grow.”

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 2022 grant cycle. Also, they have submitted all required annual reports for the prior three years.

The capital improvement grant recipients for the Fiscal Year 2023 funding cycle are:

• Alger County Fair: Improvements to the Horse Arena - $24,388

• Allegan County Fair: Bathroom Renovations - $100,000

• Barry County Fair: Communication Improvements - $52,501.29

• Branch County Fair: Hilltop Campsite Improvements - $98,210

• Chippewa County Stalwart Agricultural Fair: Campground Expansion - $41,862

• Clare County Agricultural Society: Building Improvement Project - $49,500

• Croswell County Fair: Restroom and Shower Construction - $57,000

• Genesee County Fair: Electrical Upgrade - $40,000

• Gladwin County Fair: Livestock Swine and Sheep Barn Pen Project - $57,000

• Hillsdale County Fair: Technology Upgrade - $63,915.81

• Houghton County Fair Association: Exhibit Building Addition - $100,000

• Huron Community Fair: STEPS in the Right Direction - $78,996.67

• Ionia Free Fair Association: Floral Building Roof and Stair Replacement -$100,000

• Iosco County Fair: Grandstand Seating Expansion - $60,000

• Iron County Fair Association: Fairgrounds Electrical Upgrades Project -$49,626

• Lapeer County Agricultural Society: Public Safety/Security/General Fair Infrastructure - $74,467.47

• Midland County Fair: Facility Safety/Security Upgrade - $100,000

• Montcalm County 4-H Fair Association: ADA and Connectivity Improvements - $35,432.76

• Oakland County 4-H Fair Association: Asphalt Renovation and Expansion Project - $100,000

• Osceola County 4H and FFA Fair: Swine Barn and Grandstand - $100,000

• Western Michigan Fair: Covered Horse Arena - $100,000

The shows and expositions grants were also announced by MDARD. These 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. The FY23 grant recipients are the Shiawassee County Fair’s Promotional Support Project for $4,100 and Isabella County Fair’s Senior Showman Scholarships for $5,000.

For more information on the grants available through MDARD, please visit their website at MDARD - County Fairs Capital Improvement Grants (michigan.gov) and MDARD - Livestock and Commodity Exposition Competitive Grants (michigan.gov).