The Renewables Ready Communities Award is a funding initiative managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). It is designed to incentivize municipalities that permit or host utility-scale renewable energy projects in Michigan. The program was established through the state budget under Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration, with funds allocated to encourage renewable energy adoption across the state. The award provides financial incentives to municipalities that participate in the development of grid-connected wind, solar, or energy storage projects.

Eligible applicants include municipalities that either host or permit any portion of an eligible renewable energy project. To qualify, a project must be at least 50 megawatts (MW) in size, except for wind energy projects, which must have a minimum capacity of 100 MW. The program defines "permitting" as the process of securing a land use permit or an approved site use plan, while "hosting" refers to municipalities where the renewable energy project is physically located. Municipalities expecting to host a project based on relevant permitting documentation are also eligible to apply.

The funding structure provides $5,000 per MW to municipalities that both host and permit a project. If a municipality is only responsible for one of these roles (either hosting or permitting), the award amount is $2,500 per MW. The maximum funding amount per project is capped at $3,000,000, and the total available funding pool for this program is $30,000,000. Awards are distributed on a rolling basis, meaning applications are accepted until the allocated funds are fully awarded. Award disbursement is divided into two phases: 50% of the award is granted upon project construction, and the remaining 50% is disbursed once the project becomes operational.

Recipients of the award must fulfill several obligations, including notifying EGLE when the project begins construction and when it becomes operational. Awarded municipalities are also required to attend biannual check-in meetings and submit summary reports detailing the use of the awarded funds. These obligations ensure that the funds are effectively utilized according to the community's Award Use Plan.

There is no application deadline; the program remains open until all funds are allocated. Applicants can access the program’s request for proposals (RFP), a sample agreement, and an application walkthrough to guide them through the submission process. More information, including a frequently asked questions section and webinar resources, is available on the EGLE website. For additional inquiries, interested applicants can contact program representatives Zona Martin at MartinZ2@Michigan.gov or Ian O’Leary at Olearyi@Michigan.gov.