Northern Michigan Counties Association Meeting Wrap
May 18, 2026
Roscommon County Building
Prepared by Commissioner Alan Campbell
Attended by 23 commissioners, with another four on ZoomGrants for counties. They’re out there, can be written by anyone with a computer and a gift for gab, and can make real differences in communities.
Our guest speaker at the NMCA meeting was Jennifer Figgs, director of the nonprofit Develop Iosco organization, who spoke of community buy-in to an organization that brings cash to local governments and nonprofits.
She has helped folks help themselves, having a hand in writing grants for 87 entities in the county. The grants sought $19 million and were successful in bringing in $6.5 million.
Perhaps the most important point she made was that for every dollar spent on grant writing, some $73 was realized.
Develop Iosco, though a separate organization, is more an arm of county government than any other entity. It’s funded by contributions from the county, townships, villages, and cities, which each contribute $1 per resident. Nonprofits are charged $100 each to join.
What they all get is someone experienced to look over their grant document, make suggestions, and offer tips for new grant opportunities.
“It’s just a matter of framing,” she explained in the organization’s success. “You frame your need with what the grant giver is looking for. You won’t hit 100 percent, so apply often.”
Some cautions, though. Most grants require a match, so don’t ask for more than can be handled by the applicant’s current funds.
Of note to Leelanau, Figgs talked highly of Jon Stimson of Leland Township Homestretch.
In other discussions at the meeting:
• We learned that Jimmy Johnson, Michigan Association of Counties liaison to the group, was attending his final meeting. He has resigned from MAC. Jimmy was tight-lipped about his next adventure but was wished all the best by those of us who have come to rely on him as a valuable resource.
• We met (and I talked with afterwards) Dan Kelly, who has been hired by MAC to help Amy Dolinky work with opioid programs funded through counties. Good eggs.
• The outlook for state funding for counties looks positive in the legislature, where the state Senate has approved a bill guaranteeing counties 36 cents for every $6 collected in sales tax. Strange ratio, to be sure, but MAC likes the idea of being guaranteed a share from a source very likely to increase most years. Expect a state budget to be approved sooner rather than later to give lawmakers an opportunity to campaign for the midterms.
• On the negative side for county funding, several revisions to Michigan property tax collections are being considered. They are likely nods to the Ax My Tax effort that failed to get enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. One bill would only allow property tax elections on the November ballot. I like the idea of restricting the timing of millage requests to elections that draw more people to the polls.
• Next month we will likely take up the issue of regionalizing dispatch services as a way to decrease pressure on local county budgets.
