Homestead Group Gets Grant to Continue COVID Relief

DHHL News Release

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has announced eight recipients of the Native Hawaiian Development Program Plan, who will each receive a portion of $1 million in grants. The Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance received $200,000 to support its existing COVID-19 relief program to distribute food, produce, hot meals, supplies (masks, sanitizers, etc.), and certificates for drugstore/prescription purchases. The goal is to serve 800 beneficiaries on the island of Molokai.

In October, the Hawaiian Homes Commission approved the Native Hawaiian Rehabilitation Fund (NHRF) grant funds for the current fiscal year. The allocation included $500,000 to support COVID-19 relief efforts within the native Hawaiian community and $500,000 toward Regional Plan Priority projects on the homelands.

As part of NHDPP, DHHL makes available annual grant funding to nonprofit organizations that demonstrate a purpose to benefit native Hawaiians. The Department has offered grants in several program areas over the years as a means of implementing the community development component of the rehabilitation fund. Grant offerings reflect DHHL priorities and community interests.

In this round of grants, DHHL solicited proposals for COVID-19 Relief Projects and Regional Plan. The COVID-19 Relief Project Implementation grant is intended to rapidly deploy resources to beneficiaries to address basic needs in housing, food security, health, and safety. The Regional Plan Priority Project grant is intended to help beneficiary organizations lead and implement a priority project that is identified in an HHC-approved Regional Plan.

A total of 16 applications were received for each of the grant offerings.

“The Department saw an increase of two to three times the applications received during this grant cycle. This highlights both the great need for community resources and the creativity and desire to come together during such a difficult period,” said Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William J. Aila, Jr. “I am confident that this year’s grant recipients will be important moving pieces to both provide beneficiary aid during the COVID-19 pandemic and look to the future with priority projects as they relate to our Regional Plans.”