Kupu awarded $1.75M in AmeriCorps funding for Hawai‘i

August 4, 2026, 8:35 AM HST

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Nature Conservancy’s Maui Marine Program / Kupu’s Conservation Leadership Development Program. PC: Kupu

Kupu, Hawai‘i’s leading conservation and youth education organization, announced today that it received a grant of $1.75M from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.

The grant will support Kupu’s Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP), which has 36 host sites throughout Hawaiʻi Island, Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Guam, and Saipan, which has been providing hands-on service training for recent high school graduates, college graduates and early professionals looking to establish a career in conservation since 2012.

“This funding will help more young people across Hawai‘i and the Pacific explore careers in conservation,” said Sen. Brian Schatz. “Kupu’s work to train the next generation of conservation professionals is essential, and we’re going to continue supporting them with federal funding and resources.”

CLDP empowers upward mobility of its members as well as host sites (partner organizations), which include nonprofits, for-profit businesses, and State and County government agencies that are trying to grow and are eager to train emerging professionals. Since CLDP positions are structured as a cost share, host sites pay only a small fraction of the true cost of adding to their workforce and growing their industry this way.

“I’m proud to support federal programs like AmeriCorps that work directly with community organizations to train our next generation of professional leaders,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono. “By investing in both conservation and community development initiatives, Kupu plays a key role in advancing a sustainable future for Hawai‘i. Thanks to this funding, Kupu can expand its conservation leadership programs throughout Hawai‘i and the Pacific Region and continue its critical work.”

CLDP hosts six-month and 11-month terms, offering hands-on experience, professional development, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact in communities across Hawai‘i and the Pacific. CLDP members are selected by a Host Site that aligns with their skills and conservation interests, serving in areas such as ornithology, botany, natural resource management, aquatic resource management, marine biology, Hawaiian cultural studies, agricultural science, and more.

“This support from AmeriCorps to Kupu equips our young people with the knowledge and experience to make communities more resilient through conservation” said US Rep. Ed Case (HI-01). “I join with my colleagues in the Hawai‘i delegation in our commitment to ensure continued federal funding of AmeriCorps so that through great community partners like Kupu we keep building the next generations of conservation professionals.”

AmeriCorps State and National, a federal-state partnership with a central role for governor-appointed State Service Commissions, develops and implements state-specific national service programs. These grants allow organizations to recruit, train, and supervise AmeriCorps Volunteers who are providing services to support education, disaster services, health, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity, and service to veterans and military families.

“Kupu gives our young people a chance to build real skills while protecting our land and water. These federal funds put money directly into local jobs, help our island communities thrive, and make sure the next generation can afford to live, work, and lead right here in Hawaiʻi,” said US Rep. Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02).

AmeriCorps State and National engages more than 50,000 Americans in intensive service each year. Full-time AmeriCorps Volunteers in the AmeriCorps State and National program receive a modest living allowance, health care, and childcare. At the successful completion of each service term, Volunteers earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs.

“With this funding, Kupu will be able to open applications for CLDP and create up to 90 positions, empowering host sites throughout Hawaiʻi and the greater Pacific,” said Kupu CEO and Co-founder, John Leong. “To date, CLDP has trained more than 6,900 young adults, provided 329,624 hours of service to Hawai‘i’s natural resources, and provided $8.5M in education awards.”