There is still time to apply for grants for Native Hawaiian farmers, ranchers and producers

Mālama Kauaʻi’s 9-month cohort program, Hui Hānai ʻAi, will provide 14 $12,858 awards to scale-up commercial local farms and food businesses in 2025.

Kanaka Maoli farmers, ranchers and value-added product producers are eligible for the program, which is funded by the Native American Agriculture Foundation and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

According to the Mālama Kauaʻi, applications will be open until Tuesday, Dec. 31. Interviews and site visits are conducted as applications come in and grants will be awarded by Saturday, Feb. 1.

Projects should be fully completed with final site visits and completed by Sept. 2025.

Those wanting to apply are encouraged to watch a webinar, which begins at minute 53 of this video. Guest speakers from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service spoke about cost-share programs such as the Feed the Hunger Fund, which provides loan capital to farmers to work toward a more equitable, secure and sustainable food system.

For more info or to apply for the grant, visit malamakauai.org/hui-hanai-ai-cohort-grant-program