Event Sponsorship Program

Event Sponsorship Program is sponsored by County of Hawaiʻi, Department of Research and Development. This program offers funding for events that advance economic development, perpetuate culture, encourage community engagement, promote health and wellness, attract visitors, or otherwise benefit Hawaiʻi Island residents.

Apply now for the Ho'ākoakoa Lāhui Event Sponsorship Program! - The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Office of Hawaiian Affairs Apply now for the Ho’ākoakoa Lāhui Event Sponsorship Program! Deadlines for Application Submissions Fiscal Year 2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) Quarter 1 ( July 2026 – September 2026 ): This application cycle is closed.

All awards have been made. Quarter 2 ( October 2026 – December 2026 ): This application cycle is closed. Evaluations will be done during June and July, and organizations will be contacted in August if their application is recommended to the Board of Trustees.

Quarter 3 ( January 2027 – March 2027 ): applications will be submitted through OHA’s Grants Portal . The Grants Portal for Quarter 3 will open on July 1, 2026 and close on August 31, 2026. Quarter 4 ( April 2027 – June 2027 ): applications will be submitted through OHA’s Grants Portal .

The Grants Portal for Quarter 4 will open on October 1, 2026 and close on November 30, 2026. For any questions or to receive future updates, please email [email protected] with your organization name and contact email address. Mahalo for your continued commitment to uplifting our lāhui.

All events must occur within the State of Hawaiʻi.

Eligible events include the following: Building dedications or groundbreaking ceremonies Community events that are free to the public and increase access to public and private resources, programs, and information Community events that are free to the public and celebrate or highlight our aliʻi or significant historical events Community gatherings of Native Hawaiian practitioners for the purpose of education and/or to perpetuate cultural practices Community events that provide services that benefit our ʻāina and culture (mālama ʻāina, mālama iwi kūpuna, ʻōiwi wellbeing, etc.) Native Hawaiian conventions Fundraisers or charity events that benefit the Native Hawaiian community Note: Multi-day events are allowed, however, event dates must occur within a 30-day (one month) period.

Events that extend beyond 30 days are ineligible. OHA funds shall not be used for entertainment or perquisites (perks) pursuant to HRS § 10-17(b)(3). Some examples of disallowed costs include live music, bands, performance groups, musicians, DJs, and emcees.

Ho‘ākoakoa funds may not be used to cover staff salaries and administration fees. Must be a nonprofit, community-based organization in the State of Hawaiʻi verifiable by a required IRS letter of determination. Must complete the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Hoʻākoakoa Lāhui event application.

Must submit a certificate of vendor compliance. (must be within the last 3 months) Must submit a W-9. (must be within the last 3 months) Must submit a DCCA.

(must be within the last 3 months) Must comply with all HRS 10-17 requirements. Maximum budget request is $15,000. 00, no minimum requirement.

Requests for exceptions to the maximum budget request require justification in the comments/questions section of the application. All forms and uploaded documents must be complete and current at the time of submission. Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria in the table below.

The information is requested as part of the Hoʻākokakoa Lāhui application. Applications will be evaluated by assigned OHA staff. If recommended for approval, request will be taken before OHA’s Board of Trustees (BOT) for approval.

Event representatives will be asked to attend the BOT meeting in person or virtually to represent the event and organization and be available to provide additional information and answer any questions. Note: Organizations shall be awarded no more than one (1) OHA grant to support an event within any given fiscal year (i.e., July 1 – June 30) and only one (1) OHA grant shall be awarded per event.

Organizations may be awarded an OHA sponsorship to support an event in the same fiscal year as an award to support a project through a community grant. OHA’s 10-17 granting authority is the ONLY authority through which OHA will fund nonprofit events or act as an event sponsor. In order to submit your application online, please set up an account on our OHA Grants portal via the application link below.

For step by step guide please see the tutorials below. The OHA Grants Portal is an online application, monitoring, and reporting system for nonprofit organizations who are an applicant or grantee. Tutorials to Navigate the OHA Grants Portal (Foundant): Step-by-Step Guide: Accessing the Application Applicant-Covering Registration, Applying, Dashboard Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.

For a full list of questions and requirements, please click here . Please note that applications will only be accepted through our official application portal, unless otherwise permitted by the admitting entity. Mahalo!

Incomplete Applications: Please note that an application will not be considered complete until all required documents have been submitted. Any missing documentation will result in an incomplete application, which may lead to delays in processing or disqualification from consideration. Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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