MI Deer Private Land Assistance Network grant application period opens

The Department of Natural Resources yesterday announced that the application period for the Deer Private Land Assistance Network (Deer PLAN) – a cooperative grant program designed to support private-land deer habitat improvement projects in the northern Lower Peninsula – is now open.

“There are three main goals applicants should strive to meet,” said DNR wildlife biologist Brian Piccolo. “The projects should improve deer habitat for hunters, help reduce crop damage and the risk of TB on farms, and build partnerships between the DNR and sportsmen.”

The Deer PLAN is funded by a combination of Michigan’s Deer Range Improvement Program and Fish and Game funds. In 2015, a total of $50,000 will be made 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 2015 will include the following counties: Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle. Funds will be allocated across these six counties based on a competitive grant application scoring process.

“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 DNR Deer Program biologist Ashley Autenrieth.

Proposals for deer habitat improvement projects 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 one or more of the following: financial match, cost share, volunteer labor, material contributions or other in-kind support – is also required for each proposal.

The habitat improvement projects are to take place on privately owned lands. Project applications are due by Sept. 15 and successful applicants will be notified by Oct. 1. Proposed projects will be evaluated and competitively scored on a range of criteria by a selection committee. The complete grant application package is available online at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants by following the Deer PLAN link under Wildlife Habitat Management near the bottom of the page.