The Pokagon Fund Inc
Historical FunderNew Buffalo, Michigan · EIN 30-0130499 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2024)$1.4M
Organizations funded99
Typical grant$3,288
Total assets$9.6M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $2,000 and $6,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | DAN PETERSEN |
|---|---|
| Address | 821 E BUFFALO STREET, NEW BUFFALO MI 49117 |
| Phone | 2694699322 |
| DPETERSEN@POKAGONFUND.ORG | |
| Form and materials | ALL APPLICATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED ONLINE AT WWW.POKAGON.ORG USING THE PRE-FORMATTED FORMS. |
| Deadlines | SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE DUE 3/15; GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE DUE 1/15, 4/15, 7/15, AND 10/15 |
| Restrictions | ALL DISTRIBUTIONS ARE TO BE ALLOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER, AFTER OPERATIONAL COSTS AND REASONABLE RESERVES AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT BENEFITS AREAS OF THE ARTS, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, RECREATION, HEALTH, AND HUMAN SERVICES: TEN PERCENT (10%) OF ALLOCATIONS WITHIN EACH FISCAL YEAR SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO PROJECTS BENEFITTING COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING POKAGON BAND TRUST LAND CONSOLIDATION SITES IN MICHIGAN AND INDIANA; FORTY-FIVE PERCENT (45%) OF ALLOCATIONS WITHIN EACH FISCAL YEAR SHALL BE ALLCOATED TO THE FOLLOWING LOCAL ENTITIES (NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, CITY OF NEW BUFFALO, CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP, THREE OAKS TOWNSHIP, NEW BUFFALO SCHOOL DISTRICT, VILLAGE OF THREE OAKS, VILLAGE OF MICHIANA, VILLAGE OF GRAND BEACH AND RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT. |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
31% of grants went outside Michigan.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Buffalo Township | New Buffalo, MI | New buffalo twp marquette greenway- discretionary funds | $300,000 |
| New Buffalo Township | New Buffalo, MI | Red arrow linear park- municipal funds | $213,333 |
| City of New Buffalo | New Buffalo, MI | Marquette greenway -city portion | $150,000 |
| Neighbor by Neighbor | Bridgman, MI | Operations 2025-2027 | $150,000 |
| New Buffalo Township | New Buffalo, MI | Red arrow linear park- discretionary funds | $106,667 |
| City of New Buffalo | New Buffalo, MI | Marquette greenway trailhead | $37,500 |
| River Valley School District | Three Oaks, MI | Playground enhancement project | $22,605 |
| Harding's Market | Three Oaks, MI | Mobile food pantries protein supplement grant | $18,483 |
| Senior Nutrition Servicesmeals on Wheel Sw Mi | Benton Harbor, MI | Beyond five meals per week for seniors | $18,000 |
| Caring Connection | Benton Harbor, MI | Violence prevention outreach | $15,000 |
| New Buffalo Area Schools | New Buffalo, MI | Bus trips 2024-2025 | $15,000 |
| River Valley School District | Three Oaks, MI | Bus trips 2024-2025 | $15,000 |
| Feeding America West Mi | Kentwood, MI | Mobile food pantries- harbor country 2025 | $12,000 |
| School of American Music | Three Oaks, MI | Enhancing a sustainable community cultural resource | $10,000 |
| Temple Bnai Shalom United Through Motherhood | Benton Harbor, MI | Sustainable diaper bank in southwest michigan/michiana | $10,000 |
| Smoke Vision Care | New Buffalo, MI | The pokagon fund in- house vision program grant | $9,652 |
| New Buffalo Area Schools | New Buffalo, MI | Summer meals at nbas | $9,311 |
| New Buffalo Railroad Museum | New Buffalo, MI | General operations support 2025 | $7,500 |
| Thomas M Cooley Law School | Lansing, MI | Todd taylor spring 2025 | $7,500 |
| Indian Lake Volunteer Fire Dept | Dowagiac, MI | Gear dryer | $7,000 |
| Toys for Tots-New Buffalo | Three Oaks, MI | New buffalo toys for tots 2024 campaign | $7,000 |
| Girls on the Run Sw Mi | St Joseph, MI | Spring 2025 program in harbor country | $6,749 |
| New Buffalo Sports | New Buffalo, MI | Baseball/Softball scholarships and equipment 2025 | $6,740 |
| Chikaming Township | Harbert, MI | Thermal imaging camera replacement | $6,184 |
| Green Bridge Growers | Mishawaka, IN | Fighting hunger in south bend | $6,000 |
| Harbor Country Rotary Foundation | Three Oaks, MI | 2025 school district families identified in need | $6,000 |
| Helping Hands of Cass County Inc | Cassopolis, MI | 7Th annual farmworkers welcome back to mi event | $5,750 |
| Life Treatment Centers | South Bend, IN | Empowerher: jane's house | $5,750 |
| Coastline Children's Film Festival | Sawyer, MI | Coastline children's film festival 2025 | $5,000 |
| Depaul University | Chicago, IL | Sela van buskirk 2024-2025 | $5,000 |
| Des Dance Company Foundation | Goshen, IN | Dance the magic 2025 | $5,000 |
| Jacksonville University | Jacksonville, FL | Zoe price 2024-2025 | $5,000 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | Kira arvanitis summer session 2025 | $5,000 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | Michael bombin 2024-2025 | $5,000 |
| St Mary's College | Notre Dame, IN | Isabella notorangelo 2024-2025 | $5,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Ashton mc nabb 2024-2025 | $5,000 |
| Water's Edge United Methodist Church | New Buffalo, MI | The gathering (gate 2.0) | $5,000 |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton, IL | Faith nash 2024-2025 | $5,000 |
| Southwestern Michigan College | Dowagiac, MI | Lillyana landess 2024-2025 | $4,685 |
| New Buffalo Township | New Buffalo, MI | Public safety day school supply giveaway 2024 | $4,423 |
| Cedarville University | Cedarville, OH | Isaiah nash 2024-2025 | $4,000 |
| Central Michigan University | Mt Pleasant, MI | Matthew johnson 2024-2025 | $4,000 |
| Georgia Southern University | Atlanta, GA | Jay D. van buskirk 2024-2025 | $4,000 |
| Michigan Technological University | Houghton, MI | Joseph pokuta 2024-2025 | $4,000 |
| Reins of Life | South Bend, IN | Equine-Assisted learning for K-8 students | $4,000 |
| The Ghostlight Theatre | Benton Harbor, MI | The thanksgiving play by larissa fasthorse | $4,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Keagen papke 2024-2025 | $4,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Addison stover 2024-2025 | $4,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Ava johnson 2024-2025 | $3,500 |
| Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids, MI | Macey springer fall 2025 | $3,288 |
| Acorn Center for the Performing Arts | Three Oaks, MI | Jazzreach at rvsd | $3,000 |
| Center for the Homeless | South Bend, IN | Outdoor beautification project | $3,000 |
| Indiana University | Bloomington, IN | Erin whitaker: 2024-2025 | $3,000 |
| Knox College | Galesburg, IL | Jayden mcnabb 2024-2025 | $3,000 |
| Southwestern Michigan College | Dowagiac, MI | Amanda jones fall 2024 | $3,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Samantha smith 2024-2025 | $3,000 |
| Ball State University | Muncie, IN | Quinn whitaker 2024-2025 | $2,500 |
| Ball State University | Muncie, IN | Allison ransom 2024-2025 | $2,500 |
| Bethel University | Mishawaka, IN | Monica graziano 2024-2025 | $2,500 |
| Detroit Institute of Arts | Detroit, MI | Contemporary anishinaabe art: a continuation | $2,500 |
Showing the 60 largest of 99 grants to organizations.
The return also lists 2 grants to individuals ($8,500). We do not publish the names of individual recipients.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,388,564 | 101 |
| 2023 | $1,104,485 | 139 |
| 2022 | $1,038,529 | 111 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 13, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202543179349101609
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 30-0130499
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.