SEED AWARDS

seed awards

Application Period: June 2, 2025 - July 31, 2025
Total Funding Available: $300,000
Award Size: $8,000 - $10,000 (No match required)

The NextCycle Michigan Seed Award Program is designed to provide small-scale funding and support to early-stage projects focused on keeping materials out of landfill. These awards are designed to help businesses, public sector entities and non-profits get a jump-start to launch or scale a solution which fills a gap in Michigan’s circular economy.

These awards are funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) as part of NextCycle Michigan. Applicants do not have to be involved in other aspects of the NextCycle Michigan program to apply.

  • Businesses, non-profit organizations, tribal governments, universities/colleges, public-sector entities, municipal solid waste authorities, or similar entities physically located in Michigan.

  • Any project that directly or indirectly improves collecting, processing, minimizing, reusing, composting, or recycling of Michigan’s waste materials are eligible. Types of materials recovered may range from textiles, plastics, metals, organic waste, food scraps, C&D, batteries or other materials.

    Materials which are not eligible for this funding opportunity are tires or electronic waste.

  • A clear work plan and budget can include the following expenditures which are eligible to be covered by the award.

    • Equipment and Supplies*

    • Prototyping/Lab Testing/R&D (supplies or labor*)

    • Project Related Event/Meeting Space Rental

    • Marketing and collateral

    • Contracted services related to expenditures

    • Awardee labor or project stipends

    • Surveys

    • Project Related Travel/Lodging - aligned with the state travel rates.

    *Individual equipment purchases of the full $10,000 will not be eligible. Funding regular salaries, paid holiday, or similar is not eligible. Labor will need to be reported based on hourly tracking.

  • Applications must be submitted through the online submission portal. Submissions are due on or before July 31, 2025, at 5pm ET.

    The application will include:

    • Narrative responses to general project questions

    • A detailed budget

    • A detailed work plan

    Budget and work plan templates are linked in the online portal.

    Jump to Application Portal

  • Informational Meeting

    • June 18, 11am ET

    • Online Zoom Meeting

    • Register HERE

    Virtual Office Hours

    • One-on-one online meeting

    • Ask questions specific to your project/application

    • Links to schedule listed further down this page.

    Email

DOWNLOAD PACKET

Click on the image to download a PDF of the application packet.

INFORMATIONAL MEETING - JUNE 18

Join us on June 18 at 11;00 am ET for an informational meeting! We’ll provide a quick overview of the Seed Awards program and then open it up for your questions. This will be an online Zoom meeting, so have your cameras and microphones ready to go.

REGISTER HERE: Seed Awards Info Meeting

start your application here

All applications should be submitted through the online portal by 5:00 pm ET on July 31, 2025. Applicants will be contacted via email regarding their grant application.

You can save your application in the portal and return later to finalize.

Schedule Virtual Office Hours

Schedule a one-on-one virtual meeting with a program facilitator.

  • Understand if this program is a right fit for your project or if there are other opportunities that would be a better fit.

  • Ask questions about eligibility or other application requirements.

  • Get help using the online application portal.

  • Discuss resources that may be able to support your project.

General Seed Award questions please email: NextCycleMI.Awards@recycle.com.