The Pokagon Fund Inc
New Buffalo, MI · EIN 30-0130499. Reported 267 grants totalling $4,523,896 to 117 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Pokagon Fund Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $5,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,000 and $10,000; the smallest was $72 and the largest $557,743. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Buffalo Township | New Buffalo, MI | $1,531,577 | 12 | 4 | 2024 |
| Neighbor By Neighbor | Union Pier, MI | $750,818 | 9 | 4 | 2024 |
| City of New Buffalo | New Buffalo, MI | $475,092 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| New Buffalo Area Schools | New Buffalo, MI | $203,311 | 19 | 4 | 2024 |
| Harbert Community Church | Harbert, MI | $118,500 | 3 | 1 | 2021 |
| Chikaming Township | Harbert, MI | $114,384 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| River Valley School District | Three Oaks, MI | $83,488 | 8 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Avenue Family Network | Benton Harbor, MI | $71,400 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor | Benton Harbor, MI | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Village of Grand Beach | New Buffalo, MI | $58,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Smoke Vision Care | New Buffalo, MI | $47,383 | 30 | 4 | 2024 |
| New Buffalo Sports | New Buffalo, MI | $42,740 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| School of American Music | Three Oaks, MI | $42,100 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Feeding America West Mi | Comstock Park, MI | $36,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Harding's Market | St Joseph, MI | $35,362 | 10 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Avenue Family Networkcaring Connections | Benton Harbor, MI | $34,200 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blessings in a Backpack | Louisville, KY | $33,200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Three Oaks Townshp | Three Oaks, MI | $32,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Temple B'nai Shalon | Benton Harbor, MI | $28,741 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| Toys for Tots- New Buffalo | Three Oaks, MI | $28,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Chikaming Open Lands | Sawyer, MI | $24,170 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Harbor Country Rotary Foundation | Three Oaks, MI | $23,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Girls on the Run Sw Mi | St Joseph, MI | $21,749 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Habitat for Humanity of St Joseph Co | South Bend, IN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Potawatomi Zoo | South Bend, IN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Senior Nutrition Services | Benton Harbor, MI | $20,000 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| Senior Nutrition Servicesmeals on Wheel Sw Mi | Benton Harbor, MI | $18,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Helping Hands of Cass County | Cassopolis, MI | $17,547 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Three Oaks Township | Three Oaks, MI | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Caring Connection | Benton Harbor, MI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Community Healing Centers | Kalamazoo, MI | $15,000 | 2 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hartford United Methodist Church | Hartford, MI | $15,000 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| The Salvation Army of Niles Mi | Niles, MI | $15,000 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| Reins of Life | South Bend, IN | $14,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Nbas | New Buffalo, MI | $13,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Rvsd | Three Oaks, MI | $13,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Coastline Children's Film Festival | Bridgman, MI | $13,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| United Way of Sw Mi | Saint Joseph, MI | $12,775 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| New Buffalo Railroad Museum | New Buffalo, MI | $12,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Children's Dispensary & Hospital Assoc | South Bend, IN | $12,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Feeding America West Michigan | Comstock Park, MI | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Senior Nutrition Services Region IV Inc | Benton Harbor, MI | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Village of Michiana | Michiana, MI | $11,748 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Centrica Care Navigators | Kalamazoo, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Corvilla Inc | South Bend, IN | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry | Garrett, IN | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Region of Three Oaks Museum | Three Oaks, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Snsmeals on Wheels Swm | Benton Harbor, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Francis Outreach | Dowagiac, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Temple Bnai Shalom United Through Motherhood | Benton Harbor, MI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Unity Gardens | South Bend, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Village to Village International- | Middlebury, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Youth Service Bureau of St Joseph County | South Bend, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hartford Lions Club | Hartford, MI | $9,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| New Buffalo Twp Library | New Buffalo, MI | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| River Valley Senior Center | Harbert, MI | $8,227 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Indian Lake Volunteer Fire Dept | Dowagiac, MI | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wai-Iam Inc | Lansing, MI | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Acorn Center for the Performing Arts | Three Oaks, MI | $6,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Green Bridge Growers | Mishawaka, IN | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra | St Joseph, MI | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Life Treatment Centers | South Bend, IN | $5,750 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Pokagon Volunteer Fire Department | Niles, MI | $5,340 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Women's Care Center Inc | South Bend, IN | $5,300 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Calvary Chapel Church | Granger, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cultivate Food Rescue | South Bend, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Des Dance Company Foundation | Goshen, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Girls on the Run Southwest Michigan | St Joseph, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Michiana Public Broadcasting- Wnit | South Bend, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Miss Mr New Buffalo Scholarship Pageant | New Buffalo, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| St Joseph County Public Library Foundation | South Bend, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Music Village | South Bend, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| United Way of Sw Michigan | Stjoseph, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Water's Edge United Methodist Church | New Buffalo, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| New Buffalo Township Library | New Buffalo, MI | $4,400 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hartford Public Library | Hartford, MI | $4,328 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Junior of Achievement of Northern in | Fort Wayne, IN | $4,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Children's Advocacy Center of Sw Mi | St Joseph, MI | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Telamon Migrant Head Start | Raleigh, NC | $4,000 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Ghostlight Theatre | Benton Harbor, MI | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Christ Child Society of South Bend | Mishawaka, IN | $3,618 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Michigan's Great Southwest Strategic Leadership Council | Benton Harbor, MI | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Center for the Homeless | South Bend, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| El Campito Inc | South Bend, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kinexus Youth Solutions Inc | Benton Harbor, MI | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mishawaka Troop Town | Elkhart, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| New Day Intake Center | South Bend, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| River Park United Methodist Food Pantry | South Bend, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Riverbend Cancer Services | South Bend, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| St Margaret's House | South Bend, IN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Women's Care Center Inc | Niles, MI | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| C2 Your Health Women's Initiative | South Bend, IN | $2,900 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Parent and Caregiver Connections | Decatur, MI | $2,800 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Detroit Institute of Arts | Detroit, MI | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Vincent De Paul Society of St Joseph County | South Bend, IN | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Reading League Michigan | Lawton, MI | $2,388 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Nature's Way Landscaping | Stevensville, MI | $2,107 | 5 | 3 | 2023 |
| African American History & Literature Gallery | Benton Harbor, MI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Busy Hands of Michiana | South Bend, IN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dustin's Place | Plymouth, IN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Fischoff National Chamber Music Assoc | Notre Dame, IN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Intercultural Relations Institute | Elkhart, IN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Temple B'nai Shalom | Benton Harbor, MI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| United Way of Southwest Mi | Saint Joseph, MI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| United Way of St Joseph County | South Bend, IN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Harbor Arts Inc | Sawyer, MI | $1,800 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Salvation Army of Niles | Niles, MI | $1,700 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Insource | Mishawaka, IN | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Radio Harbor Country | Sawyer, MI | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ensemble Concept-21 Inc | Mishawaka, IN | $1,400 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bridgman Lake Township Youth Soccer | Bridgman, MI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Greater Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce | Hartford, MI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Restorative Justice Collaboration Hub Inc | South Bend, IN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Robo Tech Zone of Michiana | Dowagiac, MI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Follett Higher Education Groupwmu Bookstore | Chicago, IL | $584 | 2 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Berrien Co Trails | New Buffalo, MI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Barnes & Noble College Bookstore | Philadelphia, PA | $269 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
34 of 117 (29%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 42%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- New Buffalo Township
UNION PIER REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT-REMAINING BALANCE - City of New Buffalo
DUNE WALK RESTORATION PROJECT - Neighbor By Neighbor
FROM DEPENDENCE TO INDEPENDENCE - Chikaming Township
RED ARROW UNION PIER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - Harbert Community Church
NEIGHBOR BY NEIGHBOR-DIGGING OUT AND SEEING THE LIGHT - Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor
FORMULA FOR IMPACT: SUMMER PROGRAM
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 75 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 69 | $1,416,419 | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 60 | $921,678 | $6,000 |
| 2023 | 85 | $946,758 | $3,000 |
| 2024 | 53 | $1,239,041 | $5,750 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 94% of this one's giving went to organizations in Michigan. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $5,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Michigan.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Pokagon Fund Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 821 East Buffalo Street, New Buffalo, MI, 49117. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 30-0130499 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.