BIRHC Receives Grant From Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians
There were lots of winners on July 28th when the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians (GTB) announced the awarding of $706,559 in gaming revenue to local units of government in Michigan The $706,759 represented 2% of the bands video gaming revenue for 2025. It is one of two 2% allocations the band gives annually. The 2% allocation began in 1994 and since that time the Grand Traverse Band has allocated $48,488,375 dollars to local organizations, including several on Beaver island.
Traverse City Public Schools hit the jackpot at the July 28th ceremony when Tribal Council Chairwoman Sandra Witherspoon of Charlevoix announced the TC Public Schools had been awarded $103,000 in support of the schools Indian Education Program. The smallest grant awarded was $1,652 and it was given to Acme Township to purchase equipment for the new townhall kitchen.
The seven member GTB Tribal Council votes to determine which organizations would receive allocations. Chairwoman Witherspoon indicated the band received 63 grant requests totaling $1,930,320 and the Tribal Council awarded 39 applicants a total of $706,759. Three of the 39 recipients were from Charlevoix County and they were the Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlevoix Township Fire Department and the Beaver Island Rural Health Center.
The Charlevoix County Sheriff’s Office received $25,000 for blight cleanup on Beaver Island and the mainland. The Charlevoix Township Fire Department secured a grant for $25,000 to buy three sets of turnout gear, a thermal imaging camera and miscellaneous equipment. The third Charlevoix County recipient was the Beaver Island Rural Health Center, which received $2,584 for a portable ultrasound system. Frank D’Andraia, President of the BIRHC Board of Directors, accepted the award from the Tribal Council at ceremonies held at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa on the afternoon of July 28th. D’Andraia indicated this is the 4th award the center has received from the band since the program was initiated. He added GTB has awarded the health center about $80,000 in grants for a variety of medical projects, including the construction of the island’s medical center in 2002. D’Andraia added, “The Health center is grateful to the tribe for their continued support, for the tribal grants have allowed the center to stretch its purchasing power.”
Among those attending the award ceremonies was tribal Councilor Brian S. Napont, who grew up on Beaver Island. D’Andraia noted that upon conclusion of the formal program Councilor Napont came over and introduced himself and congratulated the health center for submitting a successful grant application and expressed pleasure in seeing a representative of the center attend the award ceremonies. Napont was elected to GTB Tribal Council in 2022.
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians has set the next 2% distribution for Janaury 2026.
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