Nearly $6 Million in Grant Funds Released in First Half of Fiscal Year 2018

Festivals of Aloha, Maui. Photo Credit: ​Wayne Shinbara.

During the first half of fiscal year 2018, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development issued nearly $6 million dollars in grant monies to various local organizations.

The office says grantees were selected based on their economic impact within Maui County through business and/or jobs created or sustained.

Improvements to Maui County in the areas of environment, agriculture, business, sports, arts and culture were also considered.

“These economic development grants are a vital way that our tax dollars help create jobs and sustain our local economy,” said Mayor Arakawa. “Funds have helped preserve our environment and open space, support our small businesses, and share our host culture with residents and visitors. I’m pleased to see how far these funds go toward strengthening our community on many levels.”

The list of grantees includes the following:

West Maui Soil & Water – $175,000
Clerical & Tech Support
Clerical and technical support for education, planning and reviewing the County’s grading and grubbing permit plans.

Tri-Isle RC&D – $30,000
Axis Deer Management Kula Ag Park
Project manages the Axis Deer population in the Kula Ag Park through harvesting.

Tri-Isle RC&D – $20,000
Maui Costal Dune Restoration
Dune restoration and erosion control efforts at primarily South Maui beaches and County Parks.

Lokahi Pacific – $80,000
Festivals of Aloha
Fund honors the Native Hawaiian heritage by sharing it with visitors and residents.

Maui County Visitor Association – $4,000,000
Maui Nui Tourism Improvement Initiative
To market and promote travel to the islands of Maui, Lanaʻi and Molokaʻi and to maintain a continuing interest in the well-being of visitors.

Tri-Isle RC&D – $10,000
Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival
Supports a Hula Festival in the name of Maui’s Kumu Emma Farden Sharpe.

Makawao Merchant’s Association – $42,000
Makawao Town Party
Funds the Makawao Friday Town Party event.

Project S.E.A.-LINK* – $10,000
Ridge to Reef
Annual event to educate and engage residents and visitors on Maui’s environment.

Valley Isle Road Runners – $4,200
Maui Marathon
Supports the Maui Marathon.

Kahana Canoe Club – $10,000
Maui Nui Canoe Race
A canoe race that shares Hawaiian culture to visitors and residents.

The Friends of DT Fleming – $32,500
Seeds of Hope
Funds projects to preserve Maui’s dry land native plants, forests, wildlife and valuable conservation resources while educating and actively engaging youth, community and visitors.

Maui Huliau Foundation – $20,000
Huliau Environmental Filmmaking
Assists Maui youth in producing two environmental films.

Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber – $10,000
Annual Biz Fest
Explores issues of importance to business leaders who strive to incorporate Hawaiian values into their businesses.

Ma Ka Hana Ka Ike – $20,000
Mahele Farm
Mahele Farm is Hāna’s organic community farm, offering paid apprenticeships, semi-weekly community workdays, and educational programs for grades preK–12.

Ma Ka Hana Ka Ike – $90,000
Building Program
Ma Ka Hāna Ka ʻIke is a vocational education program for at-risk youth in Hāna, providing hands-on construction skills training to improve economic sustainability.

Maui Economic Opportunity – $265,000
Microenterprise Program
Microenterprise program to assist small business entrepreneurs with business plan training, credit assessment, technical assistance and microloans for business startup and expansion in Maui County.

Lahaina Town Action – $40,000
Annual Town Events
Lahaina’s annual events include Hawaiian music and hula along with various holiday celebrations.

Lahaina Town Action – $25,000
Lahaina Boat Days
Hawaiian music and hula dancing to greet 50 cruise ships at Lahaina harbor.

Theatre Theatre Maui – $24,000
West Maui Theatre Project
Provides a full spectrum of performing arts experience for children and adults of the West Maui Community.

Kula Elementary School – $10,750
Ag Science Program
The Kula Elementary Agricultural Science Program will help establish a five-acre diversified farm at the former Keokea School site, providing extended learning opportunities for students to complement the STEM curriculum standards that are taught in the classroom.

Molokaʻi Community Service Council, Inc. – $15,000
Joy to the World
Funds supports the Annual Molokaʻi Christmas Light Parade and Hoʻolaulea.

Maui Economic Development Board, Inc. – $800,000
Economic Diversification
Providing leadership and vision in our community for the responsible design and development of a strong, sustainable and diversified economy for Maui.

Tri-Isle RC&D – $22,000
Molokaʻi-Lanaʻi Soil & Water Conservation District
To provide administrative services with a part-time administrative assistant/conservation specialist position to the Molokaʻi-Lanaʻi Soil & Water Conservation District.

Maui Economic Development Board, Inc. – $25,000
Ka Ipu Kulkui Fellows Program
10 month program to train emerging leaders on the complex issues facing Maui Nui.

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. – $150,000
Native Hawaiian Plants
MNBG is a public native plant garden that fosters appreciation of Maui County’s native and canoe plants and their role in Hawaiian cultural expression.

For more information about the grants or the grant process, call OED Director Teena Rasmussen at (808) 270-7710. For general information, click here.