Four Maui Nui groups receive funding from HTA’s Kūkulu Ola program

Four Maui Nui organizations are among 30 statewide recipients of nearly $900,000 in cultural funding awarded by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through its Kūkulu Ola program, the agency announced Thursday.

The grants, which run through the end of the year, support community organizations that perpetuate Hawaiian cultural practices, offer educational programming, preserve cultural sites and build community pride, according to HTA. The program is administered in partnership with Kilohana, a division of the Hawaiian Council, formerly known as the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

On Maui, Hāna Arts received funding for “Mele at the Market: Nā Poʻalima ma Hāna.” Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Heritage Center was awarded funding for its Molokaʻi Timeline Project, and Kīpahulu ʻOhana Inc. received support for its Kīpahulu ʻĀina Momona Cultural Education Program. Pūlama Ka Heke was funded for the Molokaʻi Farmers Market Cultural Workshop Expansion.

Statewide, HTA distributed the funding among 30 organizations across Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui Nui and Oʻahu, along with three statewide projects.

“These organizations are advancing Native Hawaiian culture through education, stewardship and cultural practice,” Caroline Anderson, HTA’s interim president and chief executive officer, said. The program supports work that strengthens connections to place and helps residents and visitors better understand the culture and values that define Hawaiʻi.

Many of the funded projects include intergenerational learning opportunities, mentor emerging cultural leaders and offer experiences accessible to both residents and visitors, the authority said.

Elsewhere in the state, recipients included the Bishop Museum, Moanalua Gardens Foundation, the Friends of ʻIolani Palace and Volcano Art Center, among others. A full list of the 30 organizations and their projects is available through HTA.

For more information about the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, visit hawaiitourismauthority.org, or follow @HawaiiHTA on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X.