Michigan employers with 250 or fewer workers can apply for matching grants to improve workplace safety. The cycle opened Oct. 1, and awards will continue until the funding runs out.
MIOSHA opened its latest grant cycle on Oct. 1, 2026, with $500,000 available for workplace safety projects. The agency will make awards until the money is gone.
The MIOSHA Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health program, known as MIWISH, matches eligible employer spending dollar for dollar. Each employer can receive up to $5,000, but must contribute an equal amount toward eligible costs.
During fiscal year 2025-26, MIOSHA awarded $500,000 to 129 employers, according to state program figures. That works out to an average of about $3,876 per recipient, though individual awards vary.
MIWISH supports equipment purchases tied to worker health and safety. Last year, many grants helped businesses buy personal protective equipment, including helmets and high-visibility clothing. Other purchases included gloves and safety glasses. Some employers bought fall-protection harnesses. WJRT/ABC12 reported that most grants in the previous cycle went to construction companies. Protective gear is a last line of defense when hazards cannot be eliminated or adequately controlled through other methods.
Sobie Company used its grant to buy Type II safety helmets and full-body harnesses. The company said the purchases upgraded head protection and replaced harnesses used by field crews.
MIWISH also supports related instruction as part of preparing workers for safer jobs. A state workforce report covered other Michigan workforce measures, including apprenticeship outcomes. MIWISH grants specifically fund workplace safety purchases and implementation.
Applicants must have no more than 250 employees companywide and fall under MIOSHA jurisdiction. They must complete a site-specific evaluation supporting the proposed purchase. The application must show how the project would reduce employees' risk of injury or disease.
Employers also need the knowledge and experience to carry out the project, and they must commit to putting it into practice. MIOSHA gives preference to businesses in high-hazard industries identified in its Strategic Plan. Projects connected to state or national emphasis programs also receive preference.
MIOSHA's emphasis areas include amputations and cannabis. The agency also targets heat-related illness. Trenching and excavation are covered as well. Preference does not change the program's core requirements: applicants must tie the proposed equipment to a specific workplace risk and show how they will use it.
The program is aimed at small employers that have identified a safety need but face a cost barrier. Since MIWISH is a matching grant, businesses must put up an equal amount for eligible costs, up to the $5,000 award limit.
Applications are open during the current cycle, which began Oct. 1. MIOSHA will award grants until the available funding is exhausted, so the application period has no stated closing date and could end when the pool runs dry.
Employers can find program details and application information at Michigan.gov/MIOSHAGrants or call MIOSHA's grant administrator at 517-647-3155. MIOSHA is part of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. It carries out its worker-safety mission through enforcement and consultation, along with education and training.
