For more than 50 years, Michigan Sea Grant has worked in the Great Lakes region to provide science-based information for managers and communities, educational programs for youth and adults, and much more. We listen to your needs and respond with research, on-the-ground extension work, and education to help address challenges and opportunities among Michigan’s coastal communities.
In March 2025, Michigan Sea Grant underwent an external program evaluation with a review team assembled by the National Sea Grant Office. Each Sea Grant program is regularly reviewed to make sure we meet standards of excellence and are making progress toward state and national strategic goals.
Our 2025 review gave us an opportunity to showcase the breadth and impact of our work in 2018-23, and to demonstrate our ongoing value to Michigan and the Great Lakes region. We are deeply grateful to the review team members and to the many staff and program partners who spoke during the virtual review.
We’re pleased to report that in addition to meeting the National Sea Grant standards of excellence, our performance received an accomplishment of special merit in all four of our focus areas: sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, healthy coastal ecosystems, environmental literacy and workforce development, and resilient communities and economies.
Stepping back to see the big picture helps put our work in perspective. In 2018-23, we turned $19 million in federal and state funding into nearly $86 million in on-the-ground project dollars — a four-times return on investment that directly benefits Michigan communities. We reached nearly 47,000 youth and adults through informal education programs, helped launch the careers of 28 graduate students, and provided tangible resources and training support to 780 fishermen, seafood processing, and aquaculture industry personnel.
And our good work continues. In 2024, we generated nearly $7 million in economic benefits and savings through statewide initiatives such as Catch and Cook, the Michigan Clean Marina Program, and invasive species tracking. We funded undergraduate students to monitor stream health and research native fish species, helping to create the next generation of scientists and managers. We’re revamping and releasing free, high-quality science lessons for teachers to use in the classroom. We look forward to serving Michigan and the Great Lakes region for many more years to come.
One way you can help support this work is by donating to the Mike Fraker Student Research Memorial Fund. The fund helps us support undergraduate interns and graduate student fellows, a key part of building the next generation of Great Lakes scientists and stewards. Learn more about the fund and consider contributing today.
