Hui Malama i ke Ala Ulili (huiMAU), a community-based nonprofit, is a recipient of an OHA Community Grant award to support responsible resource management. OHA photo

The Maui News

More than $9 million in grant solicitations to help native Hawaiians are being made available, announced the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Solicitations include community grants to strengthen ohana, mo’omeheu (culture) and aina connections, and grants to support education, health, housing, economic stability, homestead communities, and iwi kupuna repatriation and reinterment. 

Two new granting categories are being launched to support native Hawaiians with disaster recovery and provide technical assistance to organizations serving native Hawaiians, the news release said.

“OHA Grants play a key role in providing our beneficiaries with much needed support and services in education, health, housing and economic stability,” said OHA Board Chair Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey in a news release. “We look forward to supporting innovative community-based programming throughout the pae aina that help to improve the quality of life for native Hawaiians.” 

 Eligible nonprofits must demonstrate that at least 60 percent of participants are native Hawaiian and must be able to provide 20 percent in matching funds for larger program grants.  

OHA’s Ahahui Grant Program is making more than $300,000 available for community events scheduled from June to December. 

Additionally, grant applications will now be reviewed on a rolling deadline in order to better accommodate community needs, the news release said.

OHA’s Grants Program aims to meet the needs of the Native Hawaiian community by providing support to Hawaii-based nonprofit organizations with projects, programs and initiatives that align with achieving the outcomes of OHA’s 15-year Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan.

 OHA grants are funded by income and proceeds that OHA receives from the Public Land Trust. This income goes directly toward funding beneficiary and community investments, as well as sponsorships and legal services.   

 Interested parties can learn more about OHA’s grant solicitations and access a video orientation available virtually and on-demand on the OHA Grants website at www.oha.org/grants.