Functionally graded materials (FGMs) are advanced composite materials with spatially varying properties, and their porosity distribution further enhances their complexity. The distribution pattern of porosity within a porous material plays a crucial role in determining the mechanical response of these structures. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to analyze the bending, free vibration, and buckling characteristics of porous FG plates by considering different porosity distributions and their effects on the overall behavior. To achieve this goal, a new finite element model is developed in the framework of an improved first-order shear deformation theory (IFSDT). In contrast to the conventional Mindlin–Reissner theory, the present IFSDT incorporates an improved mathematical formulation and provides a more realistic parabolic depiction of shear strain throughout the plate's thickness without using any shear correction factors. In the present study, five types of porosity distribution functions are considered for the analysis. The material characteristics of the FGM porous plate change gradually in the thickness direction based on a power-law function. The governing equations are derived here using Hamilton's principle, and a finite element method is employed for numerical analysis. Comparative analyses with previously published literature underscore the precision and simplicity of our developed finite element model. Moreover, the effects of various types of loads, porosity parameters, power-law index, side-to-thickness ratio, aspect ratio, porosity distributions and boundary conditions on the deflections, natural frequencies, and critical buckling loads are thoroughly analyzed in detail. Finally, the findings of this research contribute to the understanding of the mechanical behavior of FGMs and pave the way for designing and optimizing novel porous functionally graded structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]