Public invited to review proposals for County of Kauaʻi grant program

The public can review proposals submitted for the Innovation Grants Program and provide feedback as part of the selection process.

The Office of Economic Development’s Innovation Grants Program is designed to support projects that bring innovative solutions to Kauaʻi in the areas of small business, technology, transportation, agriculture, local manufacturing, creative industries, workforce development, circular economies, tourism destination management, and product development.

Proposals must identify a local challenge or need and present a proven innovative solution. Each grant may award up to $50,000 to projects that contribute to both short-term and long-term economic growth and diversification for Kauaʻi.

“The public is encouraged to submit substantive and constructive comments on these projects to show their support for a specific organization or organizations,” said Office of Economic Development Director Nalani Brun. “This public feedback will be factored into the scoring of proposals and will be vital in the selection of awards.”

Eligible proposals can be viewed and public review submitted online on the 2027 Innovation Grants page. The public review period is open until 4 p.m. on Aug. 21.

All public comments and scores will be shared with the selection committee for consideration during final scoring. The committee will review both the quality and quantity of comments, as well as the reasons community members believe a project merits support.

Applications for the fiscal year 2026-27 Innovation Grants Program opened in July and closed on Aug. 6. For more details, visit the Office of Economic Development website.