Council awards more than $2M in grant funds to 58 Big Island nonprofit programs

Nearly 60 public programs around the Big Island are receiving a financial boost from Hawai‘i County.

The Hawai‘i County Council during its regular session June 19 voted 8-0, with Kona Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas absent at the time of the vote, to adopt Resolution 532, which awards $2,027,500 through the county’s “Waiwai” grants-in-aid program to 58 projects and programs by island nonprofit organizations.

The grant program sets aside at least $2.5 million for funding requests each year.

The funding is meant to directly benefit the public through programs addressing issues such as educational concerns, culture and arts, needs of the poor, youth, kūpuna, those with physical or emotional disabilities, crime victims, those affected by health or social crises or public health and welfare of people and the environment.

The county received a total of 196 applications this year, 60 of which were determined ineligible because of returning incomplete packet information. The remaining 136 eligible applications had funding requests totaling $4,792,500.

In comparison, there were 155 eligible applications in 2023 totaling $5,007,500, of which the council fully funded 75 requests for $2,497,500.

An ad hoc committee formed by the council’s Committee on Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions reviewed the applications and recommended the programs to be awarded. The review panel included council members Jenn Kagiwada and Sue Lee Loy of Hilo, council member Michelle Galimba of Kaʻū and Council Vice Chairman Holeka Inaba of Kona.

All organizations that applied this year, awarded or not, will be notified by Aug. 31.

Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz applauded Inaba and the other council members on the ad hoc committee, along with their offices, for their efforts in reviewing and selecting this year’s awardees.

She said there’s been a lot of refinement of the grant program in the nearly 6 years she’s sat on the council, which she appreciates, and this year’s awards represent an excellent mix of programs and nonprofits.

“I think it really speaks to the needs of our community, but also shows how government can’t do it all but we can certainly empower folks in our community to help fill in that gap and truly contribute to the community,” said Kierkiewicz. “So, well done.”

Inaba also thanked the Hawai‘i County Finance Department, the council’s partner in the grant program, especially since this year’s process was a little different with the awards being made via resolution instead of as line items in the county budget.

He told council members a separate ad hoc committee was established to offer feedback about the reporting and application review process. Work is underway to see if and how it can be further improved before the next grant application cycle begins in a few months.

This year’s “Waiwai” grants-in-aid funding awardees, their programs and amount granted are:

• Aloha ʻĪlio Rescue, spay/neuter program, $50,000.
• Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council, Hawai‘i ʻUlu Cooperative (youth and continuing education to increase local staple crop production and consumption), $50,000.
• Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council, Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance, $15,000.
• Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council, use of composts and vermicompost as substitutes in the nutrient requirements of hydroponics and nursery plants, $25,000.
• Big Island Substance Abuse Council, Hawai‘i Island Health and Wellness Center, $50,000.
• Boys to Men Mentoring Network of Hawai‘i Inc., reaching more boys through Boys to Men group mentoring program, $50,000.
• Bridge Homes Inc., Clean and Sober Living transitional program, $50,000.
• East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, gallery programs, $25,000.
• Educators of America Inc., advanced project-based learning support-Hawai‘i County, $45,000.
• Family Support Services of West Hawai‘i, fatherhood initiative, $5,000.
• Family Support Services of West Hawai‘i, Healthy Keiki, $20,000.
• Friends of the Palace Theater, cultural film series, $35,000.
• Full Life, ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima, $50,000.
• Goodwill Industries of Hawai‘i Inc., Ho‘olana Education and Arts Program, $50,000.
• Hawaiian Volcano Education and Resilience Institute, community resilience through volcano education, $50,000.
• Hawai‘i’s Volcano Circus, after-school program, $20,000.
• Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai‘i, Mana Mama, $50,000.
• Hilo Community Players, annual musical theatre program, $35,000.
• Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre, HEART Youth Theatre program “I HEART Theatre,” $15,000.
• Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre Company, Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre 3-show season, $35,000.
• Hōlualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture dba Donkey Mill Art Center, youth education program, $40,000.
• Hui Ho‘olemaluō, 14th annual Waiuli Ocean Fest, $45,000.
• Hui Pono Holoholona, low-cost spay/neuter clinics, $35,000.
• Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, Early Literacy Institute, $50,000.
• Island of Hawai‘i YMCA, Family Visitation Center program, $50,000.
• Ka Ahahui O Ka Nahelehele, Hawai‘i Island Seed Bank, $35,000.
• Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society, free community concerts, $35,000.
• Kekelaokalani, resilience hub, $50,000.
• Keli‘i William Ioane Legacy Foundation, Kuu Home Data Collection, $50,000.
• Kohala Anilam Relocation and Education Services (KARES), veterinary care and spay/neuter for family companion pets, $50,000.
• Kona Historical Society, preserving and sharing Kona history, $15,000.
• Kuikahi Mediation Center Inc., community mediation and facilitation services, $15,000.
• Kuikahi Mediation Center Inc., conflict prevention and resolution education, $15,000.
• La‘i‘opua 2020, Culinary Huaka‘i-Discovering and Appreciating Local Businesses and Their Products, $35,000.
• Laupāhoehoe Train Museum, ‘āina beekeeping in schools, $25,000.
• Lōkahi Treatment Centers, anger management treatment program, $30,000.
• Lōkahi Treatment Centers, domestic violence offender treatment intervention programs, $30,000.
• Mala‘ai, The Culinary Garden at Waimea Middle School, $25,000.
• North Hawai‘i Heritage Foundation, 2024 Hāmākua Sugar Days Festival, $25,000.
• North Kohala Community Resource Center, North Kohala Resource Center, $7,500.
• PETFIX Spay and Neuter, spay and neuter clinics, $50,000.
• Pulama ia Kona Heritage Preservation Council, Saving Culture-North Kona Mauka Stories and Place Names, $20,000.
• Root & Rise Hawai‘i, Nature & Art as Therapy, $30,000.
• Special Olympics East Hawai‘i, Special Olympics East Hawai‘i, $35,000.
• Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Special Olympics Hawai‘i-West Hawai‘i, $15,000.
• The Arc of Hilo, The Arc of Hilo School-to-Work Program, $50,000.
• The Children’s Law Project of Hawai‘i, multidisciplinary team support for children and families involved with child welfare services, $25,000.
• The Exploration Foundation, anchialine pond project, $50,000.
• The Food Basket Inc., DA BOX Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), $50,000.
• Vibrant Hawai‘i, ‘Ōpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement, $50,000.
• Vibrant Hawai‘i, Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub, $50,000.
• Vibrant Hawai‘i, resilience training center, $50,000.
• Volunteer Legal Services Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i County pop-up legal clinics, $2,500.
• West Hawai‘i Community Health Center, school-based health center (Puna), $50,000.
• West Hawai‘i Community Health Center, school-based health center (Waikōloa), $50,000.
• West Hawai‘i Dance Theatre, West Hawai‘i Dance Theatre outreach performance project, $5,000.
• West Hawai‘i Dance Theatre, West Hawai‘i Dance Theatre Big Island East-West Choreography Concert, $7,500.
• YWCA of Hawai‘i Island, preschool meal program, $50,000.

South Hilo programs were awarded the most of the $2,027,500 at $363,681, or 18%. Projects in North Hilo got the second-most with $318,681, or 16%, followed by North Kona programs receiving the third-most at $271,681, or 13%, and Puna projects getting the fourth-most with $243,264, or 12% of the total.

Between 6% and 9% of the total grant amount went to programs in South Kohala, Ka’u, Hamakua, South Kona and North Kohala, with less than $200,000 going to each district. The lowest amount was $118,764 for programs in North Kohala.

Nearly $417,000, or 21%, of the $2 million in grants will go to programs for young adults ages 18 to 39 years old. Projects supporting adolescents ages 12 to 17 were awarded a total of $388,357, or 19% of the total, and programs for adults ages 40 to 59 years old received nearly $362,000, or 18% of the total award amount.

Projects for kūpuna, adults ages 60 years and older, were given 16% of the total grant awards, or $333,774, and the remainder went to programs supporting keiki ages 0 to 11 years old.

A quarter of the total funds awarded, $509,587, will be used for public health and welfare of people and the environment. Another $335,254 is going to educational concerns and $316,837 will be used by organizations for youth programs. Culture and arts programs get $275,349 of the total and $225,004 will go to needs of the poor.

The remainder of the total will go to programs for crime victims, people with physical/emotional disabilities, the aged and victims of health of social crises.

“I’ll just conclude by, again, thanking the members of the grants-in-aid committee for all of their work and service to supporting our nonprofits and continuing to improve this process of supporting our community partners,” said Council Chairwoman Heather Kimball.

Among other business during their regular meeting, council members:

• Adopted Resolution 530, allowing the Hawai‘i County Office of Housing and Community Development to collaborate on a statewide analysis of impediments to fair housing.
• Adopted Resolution 542, which provides for the development of a water improvement district for Iki Place in Kohanaiki Homesteads.
• Passed the first reading of Bill 140, which would require all of the county’s solid waste facilities used for disposal, collection and transfer of household waste be operated and open at least two days a week.
• Passed the second and final reading of Resolution 517 to acquire 2.282 acres of land to continue to operate the Waiea Recycling and Transfer Station.
• Passed the second and final reading of Resolution 518, which authorizes the county’s corporation counsel to initiate eminent domain proceedings to acquire property for the purpose of widening Pohoiki Road to comply with current roadway standards.
• Passed the second and final reading of Bill 125, which establishes annual registration requirements for any person or business operating a commercial bicycle tour and that the county council can prohibit the operation of commercial bicycle tours on designated portions of public highways if transportation and public safety officials determine operating the tour poses a threat to public safety.
• Passed the second and final reading of Bill 153, increasing the fine for a noisy dog violation from $25 to $50 for the first violation, $75 to $100 for the second violation, $100 to $200 for the third violation and $200 to $400 for any subsequent violation.
• Passed the second and final reading of Bill 162, which funds $200,000 the county received from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture to implement a Hawai‘i County Department of Environmental Management initiative aimed at minimizing the beetle’s breeding grounds on the Big Island.