OHA grants support programs on Maui, Molokai

The Maui News
Saturday, March 20, 2004

HONOLULU - Programs dealing with health, education and cultural resources in Hana, on Molokai and across Maui County have been funded as part of a $700,000 community grants program approved by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees.

In announcing the grants approved Thursday, Trustee Oswald Stender said the board also has approved an expansion of the department's staff that reviews applications for grants to assist in processing the backlog of pending requests.

"With the improvement in the performance of OHA's investment portfolio, the trustees will now be able to substantially increase spending on programs sorely needed to benefit our people," said Stender, chairman of the Asset and Resource Management Committee.

In Maui County, funds were received to help expand community media services on Molokai, provide support for the Kapahu Living Farm at Kipahulu and assist the Native Hawaiian Health Subsidy Project through the Community Clinic of Maui.

Kaunakakai School, the Halawa Valley Land Trust, Halau o Kawananakoa, the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Maui Economic Opportunity, 'Ohana Makamae and 'Ao 'ao o na Loko I 'a Maui also were beneficiaries.

OHA noted that the grants program was suspended in 2001 because of questions relating to state procurements.

Following legislative action the following year, then-Gov. Ben Cayetano signed the OHA grants program into law.

The grants approved Thursday are the first round of semi-annual grant reviews and recommendations since the program was reinstated.

When applications are received by OHA, they are reviewed by the Grants Program staff and, depending on the subject matter, are rated and recommended for full, partial or no funding.

These recommendations are forwarded to the OHA administrator and/or board.

Applicants must be nonprofit organizations with projects that support the goals in OHA's strategic plan.

These missions include advocacy/native rights, culture, economic development, education, environment/natural resources, nationhood, policy, social services, land/housing and health.

The board reviewed and took action on grant requests of $25,000 or more. Grants of less than $25,000 were approved by the administrator.

Maui County recipients are:

• Akaku: Maui Community Television, $49,981 to strengthen Molokai's Native Hawaiian community by expanding media access services through Akaku's Molokai Media Center.
• Community Development Pacific on behalf of Halau o Kawananakoa, Helu Elima, $50,000, to rehabilitate Kalaniana'ole Hall on Molokai.
• Kipahulu Ohana Inc., $45,544, to support the Kapahu Living Farm traditional agricultural restoration project located in the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park.
• 'Ao 'ao o na Loko I 'a Maui, $24,800, for a cultural education program for Ko 'ie 'ie loko i'a (fishpond).
• Community Clinic of Maui Inc., $24,800, to support the Native Hawaiian Health Subsidy Project which subsidizes the cost of health services to low-income uninsured clients.
• Halawa Valley Land Trust, $6,730, to complete, publish and distribute "Guidelines for Grassroots Lo'i Kalo Rehabilitation: Practical Pono Procedures for Lo'i Kalo Restoration."
• Kaunakakai School, $12,400, to support the Aiming High Project, which provides a trip to the Big Island for 6th-grade students to introduce youths to college options in Hilo.
• Maui Arts & Cultural Center, $25,000, to support Liliko Ka Pua, an initiative to maintain and perpetuate traditional cultural practices.
• Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., $25,000, to support the performing arts component of a reintegration program for serious and violent offenders on Maui.
• 'Ohana Makamae Inc., $24,447, to support a culturally relevant approach to substance abuse and family crisis in the Hana community.

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