Open October 28, 2026. Restricted applicant eligibility and controlling RFP amendments apply. Application deadline November 9, 2026. Exact expenditure restrictions and any proposed match should be confirmed with Michigan LEO.
Michigan FY2027 Maritime Manufacturing M3 Initiative Community College Grant ($3,500,000 State Pool; November 9)
Funding$3,500,000 TOTAL FY2026-2027 Michigan State School Aid Fund appropriation for the M3 continuation grant to a qualifying community college. Exact individual award is budget- and award-dependent; this amount is not a guaranteed applicant award.
DeadlineNovember 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Questions due October 30, 2026.
Last verifiedOctober 28, 2026 (Michigan LEO official program page and 15-page controlling RFP; budget and prohibited-use clarifications outstanding)
Required next actionConfirm the applicant is a Michigan community college directly involved in prior M3 phases. Obtain written clarification about equipment, training materials, student support and match because the RFP Prohibited Uses section and budget narrative create ambiguities. Submit signed cover letter, 10-page maximum narrative, completed budget worksheet and 2-page maximum budget narrative to LEO-Industry-Engagement@michigan.gov by November 9, 2026, 5:00 p.m. EST.
Broad Eligibility
Michigan community colleges that demonstrate direct prior involvement in the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing M3 Initiative and existing maritime welding, machining and construction facilities, equipment and outcomes. Other organization types and colleges without qualifying prior involvement are not eligible as direct applicants.
Atlas Analysis
NEW official Michigan LEO FY2027 M3 RFP released October 26, 2026. 15-page RFP read and visual pages 5-6 reviewed October 28. State School Aid Fund $3.5m total program appropriation for continuation grant to an eligible Michigan community college, not guaranteed per-applicant amount. Deadline November 9 5pm EST, questions October 30. Allowable curriculum/instructors, certification, coordination, recruitment; prohibited Section I explicitly lists equipment/training materials directly tied to maritime trades and student support services directly tied to training. Section proposal budget asks for match funds that the grantee and/or partners will provide but no minimum percentage stated. RFP template erroneously labels proposal Reliable Rides Incentive Pilot Program, another source-document inconsistency. Hold final approval until written agency clarification if material. Source reviewed; duplicate checks across title, description and meta returned no M3 record. Financial assistance not vendor procurement. No publication approval claimed.
Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M3) Initiative: FY 2026-2027
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Employment and Training, released a competitive state grant Request for Proposals on October 26, 2026 to continue maritime manufacturing workforce training. The program supports instruction and credentials in maritime welding, maritime machining and maritime construction. This is a grant for education programming, not an ordinary equipment or services procurement.
Funding and deadline
The RFP identifies $3,500,000 in total FY2026-2027 Michigan State School Aid Fund support for continuation of the M3 Initiative, with a selected eligible community college. This amount is the total appropriation for this opportunity, not a guaranteed individual award. The final amount is subject to the funded budget and award terms. Proposals are due November 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Who may apply
Applicants must be Michigan community colleges able to document direct involvement in prior phases of the M3 Initiative, existing maritime training facilities and equipment, previous training outcomes, and the capacity to continue and expand the established program. Other colleges, organizations and training vendors without qualifying prior M3 participation are not eligible direct applicants under this restricted competition.
Allowable activities and restrictions
The solicitation lists curriculum delivery, instructional staff, certification costs, employer and workforce partnerships, program coordination, and recruitment as allowable activities. The RFP also places equipment and maritime training materials and student support services directly tied to training in its Prohibited Uses section. Applicants should seek written clarification before budgeting those items. The RFP does not state a fixed mandatory match percentage but instructs applicants to identify any matching resources in the budget narrative. Awardees must provide quarterly performance and fiscal reports, student outcomes, and required success stories.
Submission
Review the official Michigan LEO application page and the controlling 15-page RFP. Prepare a signed proposal, a narrative of no more than ten pages, a budget worksheet and a two-page budget narrative. Demonstrate prior M3 participation and submit the complete application to LEO-Industry-Engagement@michigan.gov by the deadline. Questions are due October 30, 2026. The stated grant term is December 14, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Consult any published agency amendment before applying.
Source verificationOfficial government source · www.michigan.govAtlas last verified this record October 28, 2026 (Michigan LEO official program page and 15-page controlling RFP; budget and prohibited-use clarifications outstanding). Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
