Native American Heritage Fund Grant Recipients Announced

Liz Gullett

Jul 20, 2018

This week, the Native American Heritage Fund (NAHF) Board selected projects in three Michigan communities to be the fund’s first ever grant recipients. There are six additional applications are still under consideration for possible funding this year.

The approved grants include:

Belding Area Schools – Funding to support the replacement of equipment, apparel, and signage following the revision of the school’s mascot from Redskins to Blackhawks.
City of Battle Creek – Funding to assist with removal and replacement of a stained-glass window medallion in City Hall.
City of Kalamazoo – Funding to assist the removal of the Fountain of Pioneers and site improvements at Bronson Park.

The NAHF was approved in 2016 as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Gaming Compact between the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (an MLC client) and the State of Michigan. The amendment allowed for a portion of their annual state revenue sharing payment to be deposited into the NAHF. The fund provides resources to help improve curricula and educational resources related to Michigan Indian History, as well as to replace or revise mascots and imagery that may be deemed as offensive to or inaccurately conveying the culture and values of Native Americans.

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