Michigan Cuts $1.2 Million in Invasive Species Funding as West Michigan Conservation Groups Brace for Harder Battles

State budget slashes invasive species grants, forcing conservation organizations to prioritize fewer species across West Michigan

Michigan reduced funding for invasive species projects by $1.2 million in the 2026 budget, dropping from $3.6 million to $2.4 million. Conservation organizations serving West Michigan communities are rethinking their funding priorities as they face tighter budgets and competing demands.

The funding decrease came after requests for proposals had been released, meaning organizations applying for money had to adjust their priorities midstream.

"We had to make decisions then on the fly," Joanne Foreman said. "Applicants had already started developing applications."

Foreman is the invasive species communications coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

West Michigan CISMA programs face resource constraints

The state preserved base funding for its 22 Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas, or CISMAs, which cover every county and coordinate local responses to invasive species. Each CISMA receives $70,000 in base funding annually to support basic operations such as staffing and coordination.

While that core funding remains intact, the reduction has made additional project-based grants more competitive. The state identified maintaining CISMAs as its top priority, leaving fewer dollars available for other proposals.

"We told everybody that we would be prioritizing the cooperative invasive species management areas," Foreman said.

The West Michigan CISMA serves Allegan, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa counties. The Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network covers Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Manistee counties. The North Country CISMA serves Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Osceola, and Wexford counties.

Detection and control efforts must become more efficient

The funding shift also affects how the state approaches early detection, which is an important factor for stopping invasive species before they spread widely.

"If we're scouting for one particular species, we ask people to scout for multiple species at the same time," Foreman said.

Shelby Bauer, the stewardship program coordinator for Huron Pines, noted that the Huron Heartland Invasive Species Network is focusing on a set of priority species this year.

"We have a top seven that we're going to actively manage this year," Bauer said.

Those are garlic mustard, Japanese barberry, invasive phragmites, wild parsnip, Japanese knotweed, black swallow-wort, and purple loosestrife. Bauer said they were selected based on their presence in the region and ecological impact.

Evan Chalmers, the program coordinator for invasive species at Three Shores CISMA, said his team would like to conduct more extensive surveys on certain invasive species, such as reed mannagrass, but lacks the resources to do so.

"That's not an option this time," Chalmers said.

Prevention and education remain critical

Despite the challenges, collaboration remains a key strategy. Organizations are working with federal and state agencies, municipalities, tribes, nonprofits, and volunteers to stretch limited resources.

Public engagement is also playing a larger role, particularly in early detection, as residents are encouraged to report invasive species sightings directly to the CISMA in their county.

The program focuses on four objectives: preventing the introduction of new invasive species, strengthening early detection and response, limiting the spread of recently confirmed invasive species, and managing widespread established invasive species.

Since 2014, grant-funded efforts have surveyed more than 720,000 acres of land and water, treated more than 60,000 acres for invasive terrestrial and aquatic plants, reached more than 531,000 people through direct outreach, and generated an additional 52 million indirect outreach contacts.

Long-term impacts remain uncertain

For the 2025 funding cycle, which opened in September 2025, the state received 55 applications requesting approximately $8.3 million in funding. The full list of grant recipients and award amounts is available through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.

Foreman said the focus remains on protecting Michigan's ecosystems as effectively as possible with the resources available.

"Species that are recently introduced and can cause a lot of damage – that's primarily where we've been spending those grant funds," Foreman said.

While Michigan faces tighter budgets, both state officials and local partners say maintaining that consistency may become increasingly difficult, potentially leading to harmful species gaining more ground.

The program is cooperatively implemented by the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and Natural Resources.