Opportunity Overview
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Office of the Great Lakes, is accepting applications for the Wheels To Water Pilot Program, part of the From Students to Stewards initiative. The program provides noncompetitive reimbursement grants to Michigan K-12 schools and school districts for transportation to experiential field trips at freshwater ecosystems in Michigan.
Funding and Deadline
Approximately $81,000 is available statewide, with grants of up to $1,000 per applicant. Awards are made on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Complete applications must be received by Friday, December 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, or earlier if the available balance is fully committed.
Eligibility and Project Requirements
Eligible applicants are Michigan K-12 schools and school districts. Individuals are not eligible. Applicants are also ineligible if, during the 12 months before the application deadline, they had an EGLE grant contract terminated, unresolved EGLE enforcement actions, a history of inability to meet EGLE contractual terms, or placement on the federal debarment list at SAM.gov. Funded field trips must occur at a Michigan freshwater ecosystem between August 2026 and May 2027 and include experiential learning that advances Great Lakes literacy.
Allowable Costs, Match, and Procurement
No match is required. The RFA is unusually narrow: grant funds may be used only to reimburse transportation-related expenses for qualifying freshwater field trips. Equipment, telehealth, clinical services, curriculum purchases, and other non-transportation costs are outside the published allowable-use rule. The RFA does not publish a separate vendor-procurement procedure beyond the transportation reimbursement requirements.
Application and Required Documentation
Applications must be submitted through the online Wheels to Water Funding Application form and digitally signed by an authorized representative. Required uploads include proof of a successful financial audit for a period ending within the 24 months immediately preceding the application due date and proof that the applicant is not on the federal debarment list at SAM.gov. Jeanine Barks, BarksJ@Michigan.gov, 517-275-1302, is the published application-submittal contact; Dr. Katie Mika, MikaK2@Michigan.gov, 517-643-6790, is the program contact.
Atlas Strategic Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 58/100. The opportunity is verified, open, statewide, and directly relevant to Michigan K-12 schools, but the maximum award is only $1,000 and the funding may be used solely for transportation.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. The Nonagon N9+ remote physical examination platform is not an allowable fit because the RFA restricts reimbursement to transportation-related field-trip expenses. QC Healthcare and other Dr. Miltie clinical or professional-service offerings are likewise not a legitimate cost fit. Dr. Miltie, LLC is not an eligible prime applicant because eligibility is limited to Michigan K-12 schools and school districts.
Verification Notes
No solicitation number is published in the controlling RFA. No mandatory match applies. No references are requested in the published application requirements reviewed by Atlas. The official program page states the Wheels to Water program is still open for applications. Atlas will treat the opportunity as closed earlier than December 18 if EGLE announces that available funds have been exhausted.
Verified sources: EGLE From Students to Stewards and Wheels to Water Request for Applications.