The state is offering grant funding to help county fairgrounds become more usable year round.
State officials said the hope is developing fairgrounds for year round use will help bring people to communities. To that end, counties can receive up to $40,000 in grant funding for projects.
Cinda Karlik is financial specialist for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which awards the grants.
“Everybody knows of the fairgrounds for the week of the fair. But we’re hoping that they make improvements so that these grounds can be used year round and have impact not only for the fair but to the community by bring people to the community”.
Karlik said around 20 of Michigan’s 83 counties receive fairground grant funding each year.
“These grants can be used for capital improvements such as expanding your campground, putting a new roof on a building, something that extends the useful life of the building or improves the grounds”.
Proposals this year are due February 1.