Kūlana ʻĀina

Programs, Connections & Ongoing Business Support

Availability: For registered Kūlana ʻĀina participants

Cost: Varies; OHA-funded and supported.

Description: Kūlana ʻĀina is built as an active network of beneficiaries working across Hawaiʻi’s food systems and culinary workforce — from farmers and value-added producers to chefs, processors, and food entrepreneurs advancing Hawaiʻi-grown canoe crops and locally rooted food enterprises. It is not a one-time program, but a coordinated pathway designed to strengthen long-term participation in Hawaiʻi’s food economy.

Registered participants who complete HRP verification become part of the Kūlana ʻĀina Network, gaining access to coordinated programming, market pathways, and ongoing business support aligned with food production, product innovation, and enterprise growth.

Membership in the network connects participants to OHA-sponsored programs delivered in collaboration with GoFarm Hawaiʻi; Kapiʻolani Community College’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific (in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America); the Office of Indigenous Knowledge & Innovation; and the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center and other aligned institutions advancing farming, culinary workforce development, and value-added product innovation.

As part of the network, participants may access:

• Early access and priority updates on Kūlana ʻĀina programs and events
• Strategic introductions to institutional, hospitality, retail, and commercial buyers
• Market insights to sharpen pricing, positioning, and expansion strategy
• Branding, packaging, and distribution guidance
• Coordinated Hōʻike and buyer-facing opportunities
• Ongoing business guidance and mentorship
• Limited funding support (including scholarships and business stipends) tied to approved programming and market-facing activities

To support participation across islands, limited interisland travel stipends may be available for registered Kūlana ʻĀina participants who have completed HRP verification and are participating in approved programs and events.

Funding support — including scholarships and business stipends — is offered on a limited basis, subject to program capacity and funding availability, and is reserved for active, HRP-verified participants within the Kūlana ʻĀina Network.

Kūlana ʻĀina programming continues to evolve based on participant engagement and feedback to ensure support remains responsive to the needs of Native Hawaiian farmers, producers, and food entrepreneurs.

Access to the Kūlana ʻĀina Network is reserved for active, HRP-verified participants.

Culinary Workforce Program

Dates and times of courses: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Daily for one week

• February 2–6: Culinary Workforce Program
• Feb 9-13: Culinary Applications in Global Cuisine; Train-the-Trainer (educators)
• April 6-10: The Fundamentals of Baking & Pastry Arts
• April 13-17: Dessert Design in the Hot Kitchen
• June 15-19: Global Explorations of Tastes and Techniques

Register Online: culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu 

Location: 4303 Diamond Head Rd, Honolulu, HI 96816

Cost: Eligible Kūlana ‘Aina applicants with an OHA Hawaiian Registry Program (HRP) card may receive a full scholarship provided by OHA – limited scholarships available.

Description of the program: The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is offering full tuition scholarships for Native Hawaiian culinary professionals to attend the Kūlana ʻĀina Culinary Workforce program, a partnership between Kapiʻolani Community College’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific and the Culinary Institute of America.

The Kūlana ʻĀina Culinary Workforce program is an immersive, in-person culinary workforce experience designed to help participants strengthen their skills, grow as leaders, and advance their careers in Hawaiʻi’s food and hospitality industry.

Courses range from foundational culinary techniques to specialty training in baking, pastry arts, global cuisine, and institutional cooking. Select offerings integrate Hawaiʻi-grown ingredients and local food knowledge into contemporary culinary practice, reflecting the growing importance of island-based ingredients in modern kitchens.

Participants build confidence in precision, efficiency, creativity, and kitchen operations while earning credentials that support wage growth, promotion, and expanded professional opportunities.

At least one course in the series highlights Hawaiʻi-grown canoe crops and other locally cultivated ingredients, demonstrating their versatility in contemporary and global cuisine. Through OHA’s partnership, participants gain hands-on exposure to advanced culinary techniques that elevate the use of traditional island ingredients in professional kitchen environments—strengthening both cultural connection and career pathways.

Participants Will Receive:

• Certificate of Completion from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP)
• Continuing education hours
• A shareable digital badge for social media and professional platforms
• Advanced culinary training in a high-level, immersive environment
• Professional networking opportunities with industry peers and instructors

Requirements:

Applicants must be Hawai’i residents age 18+ and have at least 1-2 years of culinary experience or post-secondary education.

Eligible participants may qualify for an OHA-funded scholarship through the Kūlana ‘Āina program.  To be considered for scholarship support, applicants must be verified Native Hawaiian ancestry through OHAʻs Hawaiian Registry Program.

Kūlana ʻĀina Business Development Program

Dates of course:

• Saturday, May 16, 9am – 1pm
• Thursday, May 21, 4pm – 7pm
• Thursday, May 28, 4pm – 7pm
• Thursday, June 4, 4pm – 7pm
• Thursday, June 11, 4pm – 7pm

Note: Optional office hours will be available for signup between June 16th and June 19th to support hōʻike preparation.

Location:

All sessions will take place at the Pukui Conference Room located at OHA’s headquarters, Nā Lama Kukui, 560 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96817.

Cost:

Sponsored by OHA through the Kūlana ‘Āina program.

Description of the course:

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi System Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation (OIKI) and Systems Change Hawai’i, is launching the Kūlana ʻĀina Business Development Program, a free, five-week, in-person workshop series designed to help Native Hawaiian food product and service entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses while staying grounded in ʻāina-based values.

Over five weeks, you will learn and apply business development practices rooted in ‘Ōiwi values that will help you increase your sales – while also serving your communities and growing your network of aligned business leaders.

• Align your cultural values with your business foundations
• Develop your story and brand identity
• Refine your marketing and sales strategies
• Make invaluable connections with mentors, peers, and experts
• Set growth goals and plan for the future

Requirements:

• Be a permanent resident of the state of Hawaiʻi
• Own or operate a small food product or service business*
• Business must be past the ideation/startup phase
• Owners should demonstrate interest in- and readiness for- selling via institutional food service markets
• Demonstrate an interest and commitment to aligning their business with ʻāina-based values and Native Hawaiian cultural frameworks
• Be able to commit to participating in the entire program

*Examples of Food Product and Service Businesses

• Packaged food product makers
• Catering businesses
• Restaurants
• Commercial farmers
• Farm tours and experiences

To Apply, Complete the Application Form:

• Kūlana ‘Āina: Business Development (APPLICATION FORM) – Fill out form
• Applications will OPEN on March 25, 2026 @ 8am
• Applications will CLOSE on April 26, 2026 @ 11:59pm

GoFarm Hawaiʻi Cultivating Canoe Crops Course

Date and times:

April 9-May 30, 2026

• 5 online Thursday evening classes from 5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
• 5 in-person Saturday farm sessions or field trips from 8:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

Location:

• Online sessions
• In person sessions at the GoFarm Hawaiʻi ʻAlae Site, East Hawaiʻi Island

Cost:

This course is sponsored by OHA through the Kūlana ‘Āina program to strengthen Hawai’iʻs regional food production and canoe crop development.

Description of the course: OHA is proud to collaborate with GoFarm Hawaiʻi to offer this six-week agricultural development program as part of Kūlana ʻĀina’s commitment to strengthening Hawaiʻi’s regional food systems and elevating canoe crop production.

Designed to build production capacity and long-term viability, the course combines online instruction with hands-on, in-field training at the GoFarm Hawaiʻi ʻAlae site on Hawaiʻi Island. Participants receive focused training in cultivating traditional canoe crops — including kalo, ʻōlena, kō, maiʻa, laʻi, and ʻulu — while developing practical skills applicable across diversified agricultural operations.

Through applied instruction and field-based learning, participants gain experience in planting, harvesting, soil health, processing, and food safety practices. The program also introduces value-added pathways and market considerations that help growers increase productivity, strengthen revenue potential, and prepare for commercial opportunities.

By pairing cultural knowledge with commercial readiness, this pathway supports growers in deepening their connection to ʻāina while expanding their role within Hawaiʻi’s food economy.

Requirements:

Open to State of Hawaiʻi residents age 18+.

Current application period is closed.

Click the link to apply: GoFarm Hawai’i – Kūlana ʻĀina: Cultivating Canoe Crops Course Application

In partnership with the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center

Date of course: Dates TBD

Location: Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC)

Cost: Sponsored by OHA in collaboration with the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center

Description of the course: The Kūlana ʻĀina Canoe Crop to Market Innovation Lab supports food and product development innovators and entrepreneurs in transforming Hawaiʻi-grown canoe crops — including kalo, ʻulu, ʻuala, and other traditional food crops — into finished, market-ready food products.

Working directly in the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center, participants move from concept to tested prototype through hands-on formulation, product refinement, food safety and regulatory preparation, shelf-life analysis, and production planning. The program builds the technical and operational foundation required to bring a product to market responsibly and at scale.

Participants refine packaging, labeling, and production systems to prepare for expanded distribution across institutional, hospitality, retail, and wholesale markets.

The program concludes with a public Hōʻike where participants present finished prototypes, demonstrate readiness, and engage potential buyers and partners.

Requirements:

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be Hawaiʻi residents, and own or operate a food or packaged goods business that is actively developing or producing products for market sale and integrating Hawaiʻi-grown canoe crops into product development and growth strategy.