Agricultural Micro Grant Program 6.0 workshops set for Jan. 5 and 7

Two in-person workshops to provide information on the upcoming Agricultural Micro Grant Program 6.0, which offers up to $25,000 to small farms and ranches in Maui County, will be held in early January 2026.

The grants are administered by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Center and funded by the County of Maui.

The first session is set for Monday, Jan. 5, at the MEO Family Center in Wailuku and the second on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani. Both sessions begin at 5 p.m.

The Jan. 5 workshop will be streamed live via Webex for viewing on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

Grant application and award information will be presented to help applicants understand the process and note the required documents that need to be submitted.

The grants have the following stipulations and requirements:

• Grants will be dispersed with efforts to ensure equitable distribution among applicants on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.
• Grant preference is given to socially disadvantaged farming applicants, such as women and Native Hawaiians, and to farmers who did not receive funding in prior fiscal years from the micro-grant program.
• Except for up to $250,000 for flowers and plants used to make lei, the micro grants will be exclusively to food-producing farm businesses that operate on less than an aggregate of 12 acres or up to an aggregate of 40 usable acres for livestock producers within Maui County.
• Applicants must possess a county business or state general excise license for the farming or ranching business as of July 1, 2025.
• Low revenue from sales will not disqualify applicants.
• Farm business owners and any partners must be Maui County residents for a minimum of one year before the date of the applicant’s grant request.

Further details and information will be provided at the informational sessions.

The grant application period for the $3 million Agricultural Micro Grant Program 6.0 opens Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, with applications becoming available.

Farmers and ranchers may apply on the MEO website at https://www.meoinc.org/agricultural-micro-grant-program/ or in-person at MEO’s Wailuku office, 99 Mahalani St., weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the MEO Business Development Center by phone at 808-249-2990 or by email at bdcinfo@meoinc.org.