A new state funding stream can help auto service shops pay for training—but only if you know it exists and meet the application window.
Most Michigan auto service owners don't realize that buried in this year's state budget is $14.5 million earmarked specifically to help small businesses like theirs pay for workforce training. It's real money, it's competitive, and the application window is narrowing.
Senate Bill 0878, signed into law as part of Michigan's fiscal 2026–2027 appropriations, sets aside $14.5 million in one-time Going Pro workforce training grants. The money flows through the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) to reimburse employers for the cost of training workers—either new hires or existing staff you want to upskill.
For an auto service shop, this could mean grants to cover technician certification programs, ASE training, diagnostic equipment instruction, or other skills-based instruction directly tied to your business needs. You apply competitively; the state reviews applications and awards funds based on merit and eligibility.
The law explicitly directs LEO to prioritize applications from small businesses that have never received a Going Pro grant before, or that didn't receive one in prior years. If your shop hasn't tapped this program yet, you're in the priority pool—at least for this funding cycle.
The practical effect: your out-of-pocket training costs shrink. Instead of absorbing the full cost of sending a technician to certification or bringing in specialized instruction, you can apply for reimbursement. For shops operating on thin margins, that's meaningful cash flow relief.
The grant window runs through the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. But there's a critical early deadline: LEO must post application guidelines and program rules by October 1. That's your signal to start preparing your application.
Two reporting deadlines follow: March 15 and November 30. These are state compliance dates, not application deadlines, but they signal when the department will review and process awards.
The legal authority for this program sits in Sections 1004–1005 of Article 9 (Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity) in the SB0878 budget language.
Start by identifying training costs you're already planning to incur—or would incur if funding were available. Document what your technicians need to learn and what that training costs. When LEO posts guidelines in early October, you'll have a clear picture of whether your planned training fits the grant criteria.
Contact LEO's Going Pro program directly or check your trade association for updates on application procedures. Because this is a competitive grant, early preparation and a clear application matter.
This isn't a loan or tax credit. It's direct reimbursement for training costs—one-time money that won't come around again in the same form. If your shop has workforce development plans, now is the time to align them with this funding opportunity.
Source: Michigan SB0878, Sections 1004–1005, Article 9 (Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity), fiscal year 2026–2027 appropriations.