Appropriations Requests for

• Cosponsoring legislators' names (if applicable):
• Physical address of legislatively directed spending item recipient and the intended location of the project or activity:
  13170 S. West Bay Shore Drive Traverse City, MI 49684
• The recipient's employer identification number:
  770660051
• Requested amount of the legislatively directed spending item:
  $3,000,000.00
• What is the purpose and how does the legislatively directed spending item provide a public benefit that is an appropriate use of taxpayer money?
  Outfitting Laboratory and Makerspace at the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center. Outfitting the specialized wet labs, technical makerspace, and wet bay space at the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center is a strategic investment in workforce development and new business creation for Michigan’s growing BlueTech economy and requires significant upfront capital for specialized, high-cost equipment. Each of the Center’s seven laboratories requires $345,000 to build out and furnish, with an additional $375,000 needed to equip the technical makerspace and $210,000 to outfit the wet bay tank space. These environments must include essential infrastructure such as fume hoods, core lab equipment, 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC equipment, welding and fabrication resources, and large-scale water test tanks—tools critical for hands-on training, applied research, and real-world technology development but often beyond the reach of schools and startups on their own. Embedded within the Center, these spaces function as immersive learning environments and business accelerators, connecting students to real-world projects and career pathways while lowering barriers for entrepreneurs to prototype, validate, and commercialize freshwater innovations. Fully outfitted, they will strengthen Michigan’s talent pipeline, accelerate startup growth, and translate freshwater challenges into jobs, investment, and long-term economic prosperity.
• Has the legislatively directed spending item previously received or been awarded any of the following types of funding in the past 5 years?
  Federal Funding, State Funding
• If so, how?
  Amount: $16,627,000.00
• Estimated time frame for completion of the legislatively directed spending item project:
  December 31, 2027
• Has the nonprofit corporation continuously operated in this state for the preceding 36 months?
  No
• Has the nonprofit corporation had a physical office in this state for not less than the preceding 12 consecutive months?
  No
• Does the nonprofit corporation have a board of directors?
  No
• List all of the officers and active members on the board of directors:

Certification By Sponsoring Legislator