Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band Of Pottawatomi

Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band Of Pottawatomi, doing business as Gun Lake Tribe, is a federally recognized Indian tribe based in Shelbyville, Michigan that receives federal grants as a prime recipient across cultural preservation, public health, environmental management, and community infrastructure programs. The tribe does not pursue federal contracts; its footprint consists entirely of grant awards (92% as prime recipient, 8% as sub-recipient under Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and other tribal intermediaries).

The tribe's grant portfolio centers on five core capability areas. Library and cultural services dominate the recent award count, with 13 grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services program (CFDA 45.311) supporting the Gun Lake Tribe Learning Center's makerspace operations, collection management, higher education programming, and cultural artifact preservation and exhibition. The tribe manages recurring formula grants from the Administration for Children and Families for family violence prevention and services (FVPS), with 16 awards across multiple award years providing direct victim support services through the Gun Lake Tribe Victim Services Program for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Environmental stewardship grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (10 awards) fund tribal environmental program operations under Clean Water Act sections 106, 319, and Brownfields 128(a) authority, water quality protection on Pierce Drain Extension, wetland invasive species management, and solid-waste infrastructure for recycling (SWIFR) initiatives including a food-waste digester and recycling center at Gun Lake Casino. Public health and substance-use-disorder programming includes grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for opioid response and trauma-informed integrated care delivery, grants from the Department of Health and Human Services for special diabetes programming and caregiver support under the Older Americans Act, and sub-awards from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for public health emergency preparedness and COVID-19 response. Justice and public safety grants include two Project Grants from the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (CFDA 16.710) totaling approximately $688 thousand for community policing capacity and equipment, plus a $507 thousand Violence Against Women Discretionary Grant under the Violence Against Women Grants to Indian Tribal Governments program (CFDA 16.587).

Infrastructure and economic development grants round out the portfolio: a $3.84 million Economic Development Administration grant for water and sewer system upgrades in Shelbyville under the Economic Adjustment Assistance program (CFDA 11.307), a $300 thousand Department of Transportation Cooperative Agreement for road and non-motorized trail design and permitting under the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program (CFDA 20.943), a $140 thousand EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant for climate action planning, broadband infrastructure funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and utility resilience grants from the Department of Energy.

The top five customer agencies by award count account for 39% of recent awards: the Administration for Children and Families (16 awards), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (13 awards), the Environmental Protection Agency (10 awards), and the National Park Service within the Department of the Interior (9 awards). The combined obligated dollars across all prime and sub awards total approximately $38 million across 157 awards since 2002. Activity ramped sharply from 2022 (8 awards) through 2024 (15 awards) but has moderated in 2025 and 2026 (4 awards each). Nine awards are scheduled to complete within the next twenty-four months, representing potential recompete or renewal pipeline. The tribe operates its Learning Center and tribal government functions in Shelbyville, Michigan with direct service delivery across its five-county service area in Allegan, Barry, Kalamazoo, Kent, and Ottawa Counties of Michigan.