Irish Mahoney operates an earth mover as she prepares land for her venture, Umani Farms on Piiholo Road. Photo courtesy Irish Mahoney

From Mindanao to Maui, Irish Mahoney has taken her love of farming and her business acumen and transferred it from a family farm in the Philippines to a site on Piiholo Road in Upcountry Maui.

More than that, she was recently awarded a grant to help develop her start-up farm on 1.5 acres of land secured in March by her business partner beekeeper Aaaron Damon.

Mahoney’s Umani Farms Maui business plan was judged the top entry and winner of a $15,000 grant in the fourth annual Best Business Plan contest staged by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Center.

Mahoney, who is an accountant for MEO and grew up in the Philippines, said she was in the process of prepping the land and constructing a greenhouse where she will grow micro-greens — plants a bit larger than sprouts that are harvested seven to 14 days after they are planted.

Mahoney has been involved in farming since an early age and saw an opportunity to turn her passion into a business that provides for the Maui community.

She lived in Hana where she had a lush garden.

Top prize business plan winner Irish Mahoney. Photo courtesy MEO

Her business plan called for growing and supplying fresh organic micro-greens to local restaurants, grocery stores and health-conscious consumers while employing sustainable agricultural practices.

The plants selected are nutrient-dense and popular in the culinary world for vibrant flavors, aesthetics and health benefits.

“Umani” means “to harvest” in Tagalog, which Mahoney said connects the farm to the agricultural heritage and the land that defines her mission.

“At Umani Farms Maui, we believe that harvesting is not merely the act of gathering crops; it symbolizes the culmination of hard work, dedication and respect for nature,” Mahoney said. “Our farm celebrates this philosophy, where every seed sown represents a commitment to sustainability, quality and community.”

The contest, which announced six winners last week, was funded by a $60,000 grant from the Maui County Office of Economic Development to provide financial support for start-up businesses countywide.

According to a news release, entrants had to complete a five-week BDC Core Four Business Planning Course from July 1, 2024, to June 30.

A total of 12 plans were submitted for a juried review by an outside panel of three community development partners. The top six plans received grants with amounts based on ranking. Five of the winners came from Maui and one from Lanai.

Other winners included:

• Wealth Worthy Wahine, a financial resource and training platform for women offering online and in-person workshops, received $12,500.

• HI Caliber Concrete, a service company specializing in concrete and asphalt cutting, concrete coring and other masonry services for residential and commercial customers, received $10,500.

• I Love Lanai Tacos, a food trailer on Lanai specializing in authentic Mexican dishes, $9,000.

• Thriftly, online secondhand apparel marketplace, received $7,500.

• Maui Harvest Delights, a mobile fruit and farm stand in Keanae with soft serve farm-to-table frozen treats and locally grown produce, received $5,000.

Judging for the contest was based on business plan narrative and summary, marketing plan, operational plan, cash flow projections and economic diversity impact to Maui’s economy.

MEO also offers a Core Four business planning class series that covers writing a business plan and provides the information needed to start, operate and grow a business. It is geared for those thinking of starting a business or who are just starting and need direction. It is offered multiple times during the year on Maui and Molokai.

The course costs $75. Financial assistance is available upon request. For more, call (808) 249-2990 or go to www.meoinc.org.