NEW BUFFALO — The Pokagon Fund awarded 13 grants in September and October totaling $156,808, including $5,000 Junior Achievement in Dowagiac.
The total of all grants awarded since TPF’s inception in 2007 is more than $9.6 million. Here are the grants awarded in September and October.
• $46,378 to New Buffalo Township for Electric Signage: This new signage will allow the township to post daily events and meetings occurring at Memorial Park and at the township.  The sign will also provide warning for motorists when emergency vehicles are exiting onto Red Arrow Highway.
•$35,000 to Kaleidoscope Preschool for scholarships for day care and preschool: Scholarships for students attending day care and preschool will be available for those families who meet the ‘free and reduced lunch’ criteria set by the state.
•$25,000 to New Buffalo Service League to support families during the holiday season: This unsolicited grant was awarded to the New Buffalo Service League to support families in need.  Gift cards for food, clothing and gas will be provided along with emergency support. The Service League will be working with local schools, churches and senior centers in New Buffalo, Three Oaks and Chikaming townships to determine recipients of support.
•$16,870 to the city of New Buffalo for the Riverfront Scoping Project: The city will review engineering solutions to address erosion at its Lakefront Park where the Galien empties into Lake Michigan.  The project’s goal is the development and improved utilization of the Lakefront Park.
• $8,000 to the US Marine Corps for Toys for Tots: Each year since 2007, The Pokagon Fund has awarded funding to Toys for Tots to support the children in the service area during the holidays.  This year’s award is larger than in previous years with the hope that even more children can be served.
• $5,000 to the Miss New Buffalo Pageant Committee for pageant expenses.
• $5,000 to the Miss Three Oaks Pageant Committee for pageant expenses.
• $4,000 to Galien Township Schools for Adult Education: Funding supports students from New Buffalo, Chikaming and Three Oaks townships that are taking their General Education Development (GED) tests.
• $4,000 for Capacity Building Workshops for grantees: Workshops on the topics of strategic planning and board governance will be offered to grantees.
“We believe that offering capacity building workshops strengthens our grantees’ organizations and insures The Pokagon Fund’s investment,” said Executive Director Mary Dunbar.
• $1,500 to the New Buffalo Halloween Committee for the Halloween Parade and Festivities.
• $260 to New Buffalo Area Schools for a preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch.
While 90 percent of The Pokagon Fund grants are awarded in Harbor Country, 10 percent of funding goes to support areas where there are Pokagon Band Land Consolidation Sites. Those sites are South Bendº and Dowagiac. The following “Band Grants” were awarded in September and October:
• $ 5,000 to Junior Achievement for JA Works! in Dowagiac: JA Works! is a program that teaches financial literacy to school children grades K-12.  Classes will now be offered to children in the Dowagiac schools.
• $1,000 to New Peter’s Rock for food pantry support in South Bend
This is the first of many mini-grants that will provide funding to food pantries and meal sites in the South Bend area during the holiday season.
The Pokagon Fund is a private foundation funded by 1 percent of the electronic gaming revenue from the Four Winds Casino Resort.
For more information on past projects funded and funding guidelines please visit www.pokagonfund.org.