Up to $2,000 available for Maui County student projects in water, food innovation

Hawaiʻi students have the opportunity to shape Maui County’s future by designing and building local solutions for water harvesting and sustainable food production through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, “Empowering Youth through Innovation for Maui Nui’s Future” grant program.

Supported by a grant from the Maui County Department of Agriculture, the challenge asks middle school, high school and undergraduate students to develop small-scale projects that can be expanded in two categories:

• Engineering systems to capture, store, or reuse water, particularly from the air.
• Reimagining food production through vertical or container-based agricultural systems.

“This is an opportunity for the next generation of problem solvers to take the lead in Maui Nui’s resilience,” said Surendra Dara, CTAHR Maui County administrator. “The challenge gives students the resources to turn their vision for a sustainable Hawaiʻi into a working reality.”

Project details

• Eligibility: The challenge is open to individual students (middle school to undergraduate) or teams based in Maui County. Find more information here.
• Mentoring: All participants must be guided by a mentor, such as a teacher, parent, or professional with engineering or agriculture experience.
• Application: Apply online by March 31, 2026.

Selected teams may receive up to $2,000 in reimbursable funds for materials and other project-related expenses.