State spends $9 million on zoos, museums

The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity announced in June it will award $9 million in taxpayer funds for selected museums and educational organizations. Several of the organizations listed have already received millions from taxpayers.

Many of the organizations also receive funding from local tax payers, and some also charge admission fees. One example is the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, which will receive $409,600 from the department.

The zoo also gets funding from Kent County. Voters there approved a 10-year 0.44 mill to fund the zoo and the Grand Rapids Public Museum. In 2023 the tax generated $12.1 million, which was split between the zoo and museum. Kent County also contributes operational funding, over $2 million per year to the zoo, according to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.

The June announcement follows on a $14 million grant the zoo received from state taxpayers in the 2023 budget.

Flint Children’s Museum received $500,000 from state taxpayers in 2023. It will receive another $106,862, state officials announced in June.

The awardees include:

• Detroit Zoological Society: $819,200
• Ford Piquette Avenue Plant: $819,200
• Michigan Humanities: $819,200
• Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Center: $819,200
• The Henry Ford Museum: $819,200
• Detroit Public Schools Foundation: $819,200
• Barry County: $819,200
• Michilimackinac Historical Society: $614,400
• Dexter Area Historical Society: $491,520
• John Ball Zoo: $409,600
• Troy Historic Village: $399,770
• The Great Lakes Children's Museum: $345,526
• Flint Institute of Science and History: $217,088
• The War Memorial of Grosse Pointe Farms: $204,771
• Charter Township of Fenton: $136,806
• Ionia County Historical Society: $108,954
• Flint Children's Museum: $106,862
• IQhub: $98,468
• Hamtramck Historical Museum: $95,558
• Michigan Military Technical and Historical Society: $36,277