The Deer Private Land Assistance Network grant application period is now open; applications are due by Sept. 1.
The Deer PLAN is a cooperative grant program designed to support private-land deer habitat improvement projects in the northern Lower Peninsula. It is funded by Deer Range Improvement Program dollars. For 2019, a total of $50,000 will be available through a competitive grant process.
Given the limited amount of Deer PLAN funding available and the goal of producing tangible, on-the-ground efforts that markedly improve deer habitat, this program will have a focus area within the northern Lower Peninsula. The focus area for 2019 will include Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties. Funds will be allocated across these six counties based on grant application scoring.
“A focus area will concentrate habitat projects in a particular region and, in doing so, will provide benefits to deer hunters in areas where we have identified habitat issues,” said Ashley Autenrieth, deer program biologist.
Proposals for deer habitat improvement projects on privately owned lands in the six counties identified seeking $2,000 to $10,000 in cooperative funding will be considered. A 25 percent match of funds in the form of financial match, cost share, volunteer labor, material contributions and/or other in-kind support also is required for each proposal.
Project applications are due by Sept. 1, and successful applicants will be notified by Oct. 1. A selection committee will evaluate proposed projects and competitively score them on a range of criteria.
The complete Deer PLAN grant application package is available online here.