$627,420 in Grants awarded to Maui non-profits

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares announced the award of $627,420 in county grants to aid a range of community initiatives, including those benefiting agriculture and the environment.  The largest $370,000 appropriation goes to the Maui County Farm Bureau and will be used for marketing and promotion, educational programs, and professional development.

“I’m pleased that we are able to continue supporting these important initiatives,” said Mayor Charmaine Tavares. “The work that these non-profit organizations do has far-reaching impact to our county’s future,” said Tavares.

Other grant awards include the following:

• $100,000 will be allocated for East Maui Watershed Protection. Funds will aid the continuation of the watershed threat abatement programs in the Ko’olau and Hana Forest Reserves, as well as the continuation of both public outreach and environmental education programs, while continuing to support the conservation efforts of partners and other agencies.
• $31,500 will be help fund the Festivals of Aloha, Maui Nui Style to aid development, operations and implementation of events for the Hana community, as well as on Lanai and Molokai.
• Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, Inc. received $100,000 to support its conservation, education and outreach programs as well as on-going operational costs. The gardens provide Maui Nui residents and visitors an opportunity to see rare native coastal and lowland plants as well as culturally important Polynesian introductions like taro, sugar cane and sweet potato. The gardens are considered to be a significant link in the conservation of Maui Nui’s most endangered plant species, protecting and propagating plants like the Kauila (Colubrina oppositifolia), which has only three known individuals on Maui. A collection of every currently known variety of Hawaiian taro is also protected at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens for the long-term survival of these varieties.
• The Maui Flower Growers Association received $25,920 to assist with the association’s efforts within the island’s flower growing industry as well as to help with branding efforts with the goal of marketing Maui flowers both nationally and internationally.

For more information, call the County of Maui’s Office of Economic Development at (808) 270-7710 or visit www.mauicounty.gov/oed.

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