Little River Band Of Ottawa Indians

Little River Band Of Ottawa Indians, a federally recognized tribal government headquartered in Manistee, Michigan, operates as a federal grant recipient across environmental protection, natural resource management, child welfare and development, elder and nutrition services, victim services, and broadband infrastructure programs. The tribe does not hold federal contracts as a prime or subcontractor; it operates exclusively as a recipient of federal grants and cooperative agreements, holding 222 prime grants (92% of its award footprint) and receiving 19 sub-awards through pass-through funding from state agencies.

The tribe's grant portfolio spans environmental stewardship and habitat restoration as a primary capability domain. Recent representative work includes a $1.120 million cooperative agreement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (CFDA 11.463, awarded October 1, 2026, performance through September 30, 2029) to develop permit-ready plans reintroducing free-flowing connectivity between the Muskegon River and a historic channel in Michigan, restoring walleye and lake sturgeon fisheries and expanding recreational angling opportunities. The Department of Agriculture Forest Service Region 9 awarded the tribe $221,594.89 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Restoration/Revegetation program (CFDA 10.717, awarded August 17, 2026, performance through June 15, 2036) for tribal ecology and restoration pre-timber activities in Northern Michigan. The Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has funded multiple air quality and brownfields programs, including formula grants under CFDA 66.038 (tribal air program development with monitoring, permitting, and emissions inventory work) and CERCLA Section 128(a) tribal response program grants (CFDA 66.802) for brownfields site assessment, remediation planning, and cleanup across tribal lands.

Domestic social services and elder care constitute the second major capability stream. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living awarded $157,530 under the Special Programs for the Aging Title VI Part A program (CFDA 93.047, awarded April 1, 2026, performance through March 31, 2029) to deliver supportive services and nutrition programming to American Indian elders. HHS Administration for Children and Families has awarded multiple formula grants and block grants for child care and development (CFDA 93.575 and 93.596), low-income home energy assistance (CFDA 93.568 through the Office of Community Services), and family violence prevention services (CFDA 93.591). The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded the tribe $671,482 under the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (CFDA 10.567, awarded October 1, 2025, performance through September 30, 2027) to administer nutrition assistance and food distribution for income-eligible households on and near the reservation. The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded $589,608 under the Violence Against Women Discretionary Grants for Indian Tribal Governments program (CFDA 16.587, awarded October 1, 2024, performance through September 30, 2027) to enhance victim services, criminal justice collaboration, and public safety capacity.

Customer concentration is substantial and tribal-focused. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families dominates the award count at 25 awards, with the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development Public and Indian Housing Office each placing 20 awards and the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service contributing 19 awards; these five top-tier customers account for 45% of all awards. Obligated dollars across the entire footprint total $78.8 million across 241 awards spanning forty distinct federal agencies since 1996. Activity has remained relatively stable over the recent five-year window (ranging from 7 to 19 awards per year), with twelve awards reaching ultimate completion inside the next twenty-four months. The tribe also receives federal grant sub-awards routed through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for healthcare preparedness, tribal behavioral health initiatives, and victim services programming.