Hawaii County opens $450,000 grant round for nonprofits
Hawaii County is offering nonprofits up to $25,000 each from a $450,000 pool, with applications due Aug. 10 for projects tied to food, farms, business, tourism and creative work.
Hawaii County has put $450,000 on the table for nonprofits that can deliver measurable results in places the Big Island still feels every day: food security, local agriculture, small business growth, creative work and tourism that keeps more value on island. Individual awards will run from $10,000 to $25,000, and the application deadline is Monday, Aug. 10 at 4:30 p.m.
The county launched the FY 2026-2027 Impact Grant Program on June 12 through the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development, which says it wants “innovative projects” that create “meaningful, measurable impact” and connect clearly to the department’s objectives. That makes this round more than a routine grant notice. It is a policy signal about what county leaders want solved, and where they are willing to spend limited public dollars.
The county’s priority areas are Agriculture and Food Systems, Business and Industry Development, Film and Creative Industries, Food Security and Regenerative Tourism. In practical terms, that points to projects that could help a local food pantry stretch supplies, give a farm group new equipment, expand a workforce effort, support a creative-industry pilot or back a visitor-facing program that keeps more benefits in Hawaii County instead of leaking off island.
Applications are being handled under RFP No. 26AG-01, 26BI-02, 26FM-03, 26FD-04 and 26RT-05. The request for proposals was issued June 10, and the county held an informational webinar on June 16 at 2 p.m. Questions and comments are due Friday, July 10 at 4:30 p.m., with the department’s responses due Friday, July 17 at 4:30 p.m. Selection and award notifications are scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 4:30 p.m., and grant agreement execution is expected Sept. 9-30.
The program is now in its third year, and the county is leaning on a track record that matters. In the FY 2025-2026 cycle, Hawaii County said it awarded $548,095 to 31 projects. That earlier round followed the FY 2024-2025 program, which was first publicly noticed in November 2024 under state procurement law.
The Department of Research and Development says its broader mission is to empower Hawaii County through data-driven decision-making, collaborative action and innovative solutions while honoring Native Hawaiian culture. For island nonprofits that fill gaps in food help, youth programming, cultural preservation, workforce support and tourism alternatives, this grant round could decide which projects get built, which ones expand and which ones never get off the ground.
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