BATTLE CREEK, MI – The Native American Heritage Fund (NAHF) has announced that funding applications are now available for K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and local government units. These funds aim to support projects that enhance relationships and provide accurate information about Michigan’s Indian tribes and Native Americans.
“We are excited to announce the 2024 grant cycle for the Native American Heritage Fund,” said NAHF Board Chairperson Jamie Stuck, who also serves as the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) Tribal Council Chairperson. “Michigan is home to 12 federally recognized tribes, each with their own diverse community, history, government, and cultural practices. We owe it to them to continue to educate our fellow Michiganders and promote the inclusion of Native Americans within our home state. Past grant recipients have shown how impactful the fund can be, and we look forward to another year of continued progress for the tribal community.”
The NAHF, which was approved in 2016 as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Gaming Compact between NHBP and the State of Michigan, allocates a portion of NHBP’s annual state revenue sharing payment to the fund. Since its inception, the NAHF has funded the removal of offensive imagery and language from 14 schools and three municipalities and has cultivated several opportunities for education, reconciliation, and unification.
Eligible projects for funding include events, art projects, and language classes that foster inclusivity between Native Americans and Michiganders. Funding can also be used for changing curricula, improving programs, revising government seals or images in public spaces, and replacing mascots or imagery considered offensive to Native Americans.
Applications are now available on the NAHF website at https://nahfund.com/application and are due to the NAHF Board by Friday, June 7, at 5:00pm. Applications can be submitted online, via mail to Calhoun County Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott at 315 West Green Street, Marshall, MI, 49068, or via email to [email protected].