After receiving a record number of applications during this grant cycle, Maui United Way has awarded $900,000 in Community Resiliency Grants to 13 nonprofit organizations that serve Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

According to Maui United Way, the grants provide three years of funding to help the 13 nonprofits strengthen essential services, build organizational capacity and support community resilience.

The nonprofits awarded grants include Emergency Animal Care & Help, Family Hui Hawaii, Hale Mahaolu, Hāna Arts, Hawaiian Community Assets, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Ka Hale Pomaikaʻi, Molokai Community Service Council, Nā Hoaloha-Maui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Pacific Gateway Center, Parents And Children Together, The Maui Farm and Us Versus Cancer.

The Molokai Community Service Council, which operates the island’s only domestic violence shelter, Hale Hoʻomalu, the grant will help keep the shelter operating after a loss of federal funding.

“A year ago, the federal government cut our funding by $40,000,” said Karen M. Holt, executive director of Molokai Community Service Council, in a news release. “This cut made it very challenging to cover ongoing staffing and operating costs. By strictly monitoring and minimizing all expenditures we have kept the shelter open. Maui United Way’s decision to help support our shelter means we can keep our doors open to victims and survivors.”

The Community Resiliency Fund was created in response to Maui United Way’s community needs assessment, which identified growing challenges in meeting the health, wellness and financial stability needs of residents across Maui County.

Through this investment, Maui United Way prioritized strengthening the capacity of local nonprofits by providing flexible funding to build organizational infrastructure, enhance operations and invest in long-term sustainability.

The goal is to help the nonprofits better position themselves to secure additional funding, expand their impact and continue serving the community beyond the grant period.

Grant recipients were selected through a competitive process based on alignment with Maui United Way’s priorities. Applications were evaluated on program effectiveness, organizational leadership, service delivery and long-term financial sustainability.

“We’re making a long-term investment in the organizations that help our communities thrive,” said Jeeyun Lee, CEO of Maui United Way. “Nonprofits continue to face rising costs and increasing demand for services, particularly as our communities recover from the impacts of the 2023 wildfires and this year’s floods. These issues impact thousands of our residents in complex ways across Maui, Molokai and Lanai and require community-driven solutions with high impact.”