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| Students of Hālau Lōkahi charter school and others rally in support of a bill that would put a moratorium on genetic modification of kalo. - Photo: Lisa Asato |
OHA grants staff offers workshop help
Anyone wishing to submit an application for an OHA community grant before this year's June 30 deadline must attend an OHA grant application workshop. Sessions are scheduled for each island-county now through April 30.
Workshops are very helpful, judging from the significant number of first-time grant applicants who have received awards this past grant cycle, said OHA grant specialist Karyle Saiki. "It may take an applicant a few tries to ultimately be successful, because new applicants often need time to develop their ideas into a thoughtful project and put it in writing," she explained, adding that OHA has an interest in helping first-timers: "Often, (first-time applicants) aren't confident in their writing abilities or think grant writing is too hard. We're here to show them that although it is a time-consuming process, they can do it."
OHA community grants are available to nonprofit organizations that are able to propose community projects that address OHA Strategic Plan goals in the areas of education, health, human services, native rights, land, culture, housing, economic development and governance. The OHA community grants program provides awards up to $100,000.
"Over the past few years, our OHA grant application process has been streamlined and is rather easy to follow, but applicants must be very specific in answering the question of how their project or organization will benefit Native Hawaiians," said OHA grants specialist Ke'ala Hook. "There has to be some proof of direct impact."
OHA program directors review grant applications and assess which proposals will best help to better the conditions of the Native Hawaiian community. For more information on the OHA grants workshop schedule, visit www.oha.org/grants.
Meanwhile, on Feb. 5, OHA announced the awarding of $1,183,116 in community grant funds to the following 16 Hawai'i nonprofit organizations:
A'oa'o O Nā Loko I'a O Maui, $81,965
To support the ongoing restoration efforts of Ko'ie'ie fishpond in Kīhei, Maui, and to implement a formal education/outreach program to increase educational opportunities.
Catholic Charities Hawai'i, $50,000
To support the Mā'ili (O'ahu) Land Transitional Housing program, which helps homeless families gain the knowledge and tools needed to obtain and retain a permanent housing situation.
Community Links Hawai'i (aka Community Conservation Network), $80,000
To support cultivation of resource managers in various Hawaiian communities through networking and providing tools and training for future self-sustainment.
Domestic Violence Action Center, $61,078
To support legal services such as temporary restraining orders, divorces and various other post-decree matters for Native Hawaiian victims of domestic violence.
Hawai'i First Federal Credit Union, $99,993
To support education and vocational training for micro-enterprise Individual Development Accounts and financial education for Native Hawaiians.
Hoakalei Cultural Foundation, $49,000
To support oral history documentation of Kupuna Arline Eaton about the history and culture of 'Ewa, O'ahu.
Honolulu Symphony Society, $47,883
To support a pilot music program to be offered to students at Nānākuli Elementary incorporating the talents of symphony instructors, which will teach the students to read music and play various instruments.
Hope, Help and Healing Kaua'i, $99,292
To support the internal Empowerment Program, which will train and hire staff from within the program to provide case management, substance abuse treatment, life skills and recovery training, integration services, and more housing options to struggling families.
Hui Mālama I Ke Kai Foundation, $98,488
To support their after-school youth mentoring program that includes a healthy snack program and family strengthening activities.
I Ola Lāhui, $99,962
To support its rural Hawai'i training program for students who will provide behavioral health services in community health center and Native Hawaiian health care system clinic settings on three islands.
Kai Makana, $83,125
To support restoration of the fishing village on Mokauea island to be used as an educational and cultural resource.
Maui Economic Opportunity, $50,000
To support the Ke Kahua agricultural project and cultural education center, a family and community-based training school and learning center helping incarcerated members transition back into society (part of the BEST Reintegration Program).
Neighborhood Place of Wailuku, $49,990
To support the construction of a ROPES challenge course for family strengthening and development targeting at-risk youth.
'Ohana Makamae, $82,390
To support expansion of their substance abuse treatment/ intensive outpatient continuum, specifically Hāna's sole sober living home for men returning to Hāna from inpatient treatment.
Queen's Medical Center, $100,000
To offer underinsured Native Hawaiians with morbid and significant obesity-related health problems the option of bariatric surgery, which is currently not an option for Medicare or Medicaid patients in the state.
Waikīkī Health Center, $50,000
To support expansion of services to the North Shore, focusing on kūpuna, providing Hawaiian healing, primary care services and outreach to Hale'iwa Senior Housing, and Care-A-Van homeless outreach.
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