OHA Awards Nonprofit Grants

OHA News Release

A Molokai program is among 14 nonprofit organizations statewide that received grant awards from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs totaling $1.25 million that will support the Native Hawaiian community through its new ‘Ohana and Community Program Grants. The funding is intended to help reinforce and strengthen Native Hawaiians’ ‘ohana (family), moʻomeheu (culture) and ʻaina (land and water).

On Molokai, Maui Family Support Services, Inc., is awarded $41,199 for their “Ho‘owaiwai Kaiaulu Project – Molokai” to provide a continuum of programs to strengthen the physical and mental wellbeing of Native Hawaiian ‘ohana and keiki, to increase their social and emotional competence, and improve ‘ohana strengths and resilience.

With a $124,000 OHA grant award, the Adult Friends for Youth will establish a Mobile Assessment Center in Waiʻanae and ʻEwa to help divert youth who commit status offenses from entering the juvenile justice system. The program employs a non-directive method that has been proven to be effective with Hawaii’s highest risk youth. Services will improve the wellbeing of youth and their ‘ohana and create safer schools and communities.

Other projects that were awarded grants include establishment a Mobile Assessment Center in Waiʻanae and ʻEwa to help divert youth who commit status offenses from entering the juvenile justice system, the restoration of dryland native forests in Kawaihae on Hawaii, a substance abuse treatment program on Maui, a program that uplifts ʻohana by restoring access to lāʻau lapaʻau and lomilomi (traditional healing methods) on Oahu, and an ʻaina-based education program on Kauai.

“It is our belief that we can best address the disparities that Native Hawaiians face today by focusing on supporting and building on the foundational strengths of our culture. We recognize that these foundations have the power to affect the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians, and we are very proud to partner with these community organizations who share our goals and objectives in moving the lahui forward,” said OHA Board Chair Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey.

The purpose of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Grants Program is to support Hawaii-based nonprofit organizations that have projects, programs, and initiatives that serve our Native Hawaiian lahui in alignment with the strategic foundations, directions and outcomes of OHAʻs Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan.

This new grant is a part of OHAʻs effort to increase its total community investment to benefit Native Hawaiians and the larger community. So far in 2021, OHA has awarded $1,838,632 in ʻAhahui event, Iwi Kupuna and Repatriation, and Homestead grants statewide to advance its strategic directions in the areas of education, health, housing and economic stability. To read OHA’s 15-year Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan visit oha.org/strategicplan.