OHA Opens Grant Process

OHA News Release

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs today announced it is making $8.9 million total in grant money available to community-based organizations that can help address key priorities of improving conditions for Native Hawaiians.

Starting Wednesday, Sept. 17, community-based organizations will be able to apply for between $100,000 and $500,000 in grant money to fund any one of six specific priorities meant to help enhance OHA’s efforts.

The deadline to apply for an OHA grant is Dec. 17, 2014; the grants would fund a two-year period between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017. For those on Molokai interested in applying, there will be an orientation meeting held on-island on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 9 a.m.

At the top of OHA’s priority list are grant proposals aimed at reducing obesity and improving the overall health of Native Hawaiians. Other priorities include increasing family income, homeownership, and housing stability for renters. Rounding out the six priorities are: improving test scores in middle school and high school; valuing history and culture; and achieving pae `aina sustainability as responsible stewards of land and water.

“Our priorities have been carefully considered,” said Kamana`opono Crabbe, the Ka Pouhana (Chief Executive Officer) at OHA. “We are extremely encouraged about the potential for our efforts to get a boost from collaboration with community partners.”

Here are the specific grant categories and available funds:

• Obesity and Physical Health Improvement Services – $1.84 million
• Housing Services – $1.82 million
• Employment Core and Career Support Services – $1.82 million
• Improving Middle and High School Testing Services – $1.4 million
• Perpetuating Hawaiian Culture – $1 million
• Pae `Aina Sustainability – $1 million

Details about the application process is available at oha.org/grants.