Grants Clock
Michigan, we’re on the clock.
Every year, the Michigan Legislature and Governor allocate billions of dollars for Michigan’s public schools. Most of these funds are distributed by the Michigan Department of Education.
Many grants are designed to be distributed to schools and students in underserved districts, but funding is slow to come through and burdensome for schools to request.
In recent years, distributing grant funds has taken longer and longer. At the close of the 2023-2024 school year, some grant funds were still not in the hands of districts and schools.
Why does this matter? Schools and districts need timely access to the budget funds to provide important programming and supports to students. They need to know how much they’re getting and when so that they can budget and ensure services aren’t lost.
Launch Michigan created the Grants Clock to provide transparency regarding available grant opportunities and the grant distribution process and to hold the State of Michigan accountable for efficiently distributing funds for classrooms.
Last updated November 27, 2024
Days since October 1
Michigan’s fiscal year begins October 1 and ends September 30. This counter shows the number of days since grant funds became available.
Distribution by Grant Type
As of November 27, 2024
Total Distributed
As of November 27, 2024
About the Grants Clock
Launch Michigan is tracking 99 grants totaling $3.8 billion for the current fiscal year. The Grants Clock updates with the number of days since grant funds became available and the amount of funds distributed. The distribution figures will be updated monthly.
$275 million in competitive grants
These grants are awarded based on the merit of the application. School districts must submit proposals and compete against others for limited funds, with the most compelling or high-quality proposals receiving funding.
$126 million in direct grants
Funds are allocated directly to school districts, typically for specific purposes or programs, without the need for competitive applications. These grants often come with specific guidelines on how the money can be used.
$2.3 billion in formula grants
These grants are distributed based on predetermined formulas, usually tied to factors like student enrollment, poverty levels, or other demographic data. All qualifying districts are supposed to automatically receive funds based on the formula.
$1 billion in reimbursement grants
Districts must spend their own funds upfront for eligible activities or programs and then submit documentation to receive reimbursement from the granting agency.
Our Recommendations
Triage the list of grants: Prioritize the distribution of grants that have the most direct impact on students.
Improve the system: Complete the integration of MICIP with other funding systems, such as the federal consolidated application, GEMS/MARS, NexSys, and other state systems. This will help districts easily find funding sources based on their annual strategic plans.
Fund improvements to the grants system: Provide MDE and DTMB with enough funding for upgrades to the NexSys system and staffing to support this process. Most MDE staff are federally funded, but these are state grants and state systems; federal regulations severely restrict the extent to which federal funds can support state efforts. Funding staff with state funds is important to ensure adequate support for this work.
Form a steering committee: We also recommend forming an external steering committee that includes district finance staff, state IT experts, and people with in-depth knowledge of the process from start to finish.
Create a streamlined platform for districts to manage grants and report financial data: Consistent tools on the district side will make it easier to design efficient state systems and resolve ongoing issues.
Support technical assistance partners to help districts: Partner with outside organizations that can help districts apply for grants.
Learn from superintendents who have built their own systems for grants management.