Department of ʻŌiwi Resources to invest approximately $450K in 9 local projects

The County of Maui Department of ʻŌiwi Resources is investing approximately $450,000 into nine projects under its core divisions, Kīpuka, Kumuwaiola and Pai Ka Leo.

The community grant awards coincide with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May.

Grants divisions and May 2025 awards include the following:

The Kīpuka Division (Ōiwi Strongholds) focuses on safeguarding and stewarding lands of concentrated natural and cultural importance to ensure enduring access to healthy natural resources and spaces where our community may thrive.

• The Kīpuka Kamalō Restoration Project ($49,999.99) of the Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Heritage Center aims to restore the ecological and cultural health of the Kamalō Ahupuaʻa on the island of Molokaʻi.
• The Ka Wai Ola: Indigenous Community Water Hydrology Project ($50,000) of Kaʻehu aims to lead a community-based, cross organizational study of our watershed with the intention of collecting stories, gathering data, and using this information to better the lands, waters and people of Kaʻehu Bay.
• Ola Hāloa, Ola Ka ʻOhana ($50,000) of Kīpahulu ʻOhana aims to maintain and expand their Living Farm, a regenerative farming and cultural education program located in East Maui.

The Kumuwaiola Division (ʻŌiwi Resources) will provide programs that champion and preserve life-giving, life-sustaining elements of the natural world by defending and amplifying the conditions essential to thriving eco-cultural landscapes and vital cultural resources.

• The Hawaiian Crops Cultivars Program ($50,000) of Maui Nui Botanical Gardens will focus on growing, displaying, propagating, distributing, and hosting education and interpretation for the remaining historic heritage Hawaiian varieties of kalo, kō, maiʻa, ʻawa and ʻuala.
• MālamaʻI O Mūʻolea ($50,000) of Nā Mamo O Mūʻolea will restore native and culturally important plants, to plant food-producing crops, remove invasive species, expand water infrastructure and enhance our community’s usage of the Mūʻolea shoreline.
• The Waiehu Chinese Cemetery Restoration Project ($50,000) of the Waiehu Chinese Cemetery Association aims to restore the historic Kwong Fook Tong Chinese Cemetery.

The goal of the Pai Ka Leo Division (ʻŌiwi Voices) is to empower and uplift native Hawaiian voices and reinvigorate the use of Hawaiian language in government and in our larger community in sincerity and fidelity to both official languages of Hawaiʻi – English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.

• Roots of Resilience: Keiki, Kumu, and Community in The Maile Grove ($49,000) of the Archive for Health, Arts and Spirit will provide a three-part initiative offering arts and ʻāina-based field trips, in-school residencies with community showcases and a teacher wellness institute.
• Hana Noʻeau: ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Support Through Creative Afterschool and Summer Program ($50,000) of Hāna Arts aims to strengthen ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi proficiency among East Maui’s Kula Kaiapuni haumāna by providing engaging, culturally rooted learning opportunities beyond the school day.
• I Ka ʻŌlelo Nō Ke Ola ($50,000) of Ke Kula ʻo Piʻilani aims to hire and train members of our lāhui who have the language skills to work in a language immersion program yet need mentorship and skill development to instruct an elementary school class.

Department of ʻŌiwi Resources Director Kaponoʻai Molitau said awarding the community grants is one of the major achievements of the department during its inaugural year.

“We, at the Department of ʻŌiwi, are truly honored to help facilitate the effort for and with our community,” Molitau said. “The amazing work that our nonprofit communities provide enhances our commitment to our ʻŌiwi strongholds, resources and our ʻŌiwi voices, our mother tongue. May we continue to uplift our community, nurture the traditional and fundamental values that make Maui Nui truly special and indeed the best, and continue to pave the way forward for all to see the excellence of our people.”

Molitau also offered mahalo to Maui Nui community organizations that submitted grant applications. He encouraged organizations to apply for future grants, adding that announcements will be issued when applications are being accepted.

“He leo mahalo kēia i nā hui kūloko o Maui Nui i waiho aku i ka palapala noi haʻawina kālā i kēia makahiki. Eia mākou ke paipai hou aku nei iā ʻoukou e waiho hou mai i ka palapala no kēia wā haʻawina kālā hou i loko o kekahi mau mahina e hiki mai nei,” Molitau said.

In 1992, the month of May was officially designated as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month by Congress, and Hawaiʻi Sens. Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga played key roles in establishing the month, which raises awareness of the contributions and histories of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

For more information about the County of Maui Department of ʻŌiwi Resources, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/2810/Department-of-Oiwi-Resources. For information about department grants, call 808-270-1719 or email oiwigrants@co.maui.hi.us.