Pulama Lānaʻi Doubles County Small Business Grants for Lānaʻi

Lana’i. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

Executives with Pulama Lānaʻi, formerly Lānaʻi Resorts, have offered to match the county’s Small Business Revitalization grants to businesses on Lānaʻi, officials announced.

With a $20,000 allocation provided by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, and a matching $20,000 from Pulama Lānaʻi, total grant funding for Lānaʻi businesses now stands at $40,000.

The support from Pulama Lānaʻi was provided in an announcement from Chief Operating Officer Kurt Matsumoto.

The Small Business Revitalization grant awards range from $500 to $5,000 and are for businesses with fewer than 10 employees, doing business in the rural communities of Lānaʻi, Hāna, and Molokaʻi. The program provides 40/60 match grand funding for selected businesses.

County officials say funds can be used for new equipment, renovation, websites, marketing, or other purposes to help a business grow, prosper and create jobs. Non-profit groups are not eligible for the program.

“We are very appreciative of Mayor Arakawa’s Office of Economic Development giving us the opportunity to partner together in support of small business on Lānaʻi,” said Lynn McCrory, senior vice president of government affairs for Pulama Lānaʻi in a government-issued press release.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa also commented saying, “This is an excellent opportunity for Lānaʻi businesses to grow, and a shining example of the importance Pulama Lānaʻi is placing on small businesses as partners in the island’s future.

Applications are available through at mauicounty.gov/OED. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected], or can be called in to 242-5761.

The deadline for grant applications is Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013.