Native Hawaiian Education Programs To Receive $28 Million In Federal Dollars

Native Hawaiian education programs in Hawaii will receive a combined $28.1 million in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan to support grants, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s office announced in a press release Tuesday.

The 35 beneficiaries include Hawaiian immersion schools and educational institutions like the University of Hawaii and nonprofits such as Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture and Hula Preservation Society, with the largest grants awarded to UH, Partners in Development Foundation, Keiki O Ka Aina Family Learning Centers, Kanu O Ka Aina Learning Ohana and Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu.

The multi-year grants will be used for early childhood education, family engagement, Hawaiian language education, creation of STEM pathways, curriculum and professional development and other goals, according to the release.

Kamalani Academy, a Na Mea Hawaii Arts Integration public charter school, was awarded a $675,919 grant.

“This new federal funding will ensure that Native Hawaiian educational programs have the resources they need to support students in time for the upcoming school year,” Schatz, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said in a statement.

See below for the list of grant recipients and amounts awarded:

• $9,348,569 for the University of Hawai‘i (includes 13 grants across UH)

• $776,400 for Maui Family Support Services, Inc.

• $949,778 for Friends of the Future

• $740,577 for Papa Ola Lōkahi

• $260,948 for Hula Preservation Society

• $651,424 for Kulaniakea

• $365,593 for Hui Malama O Ke Kai Foundation

• $576,640 for Ho‘okako‘o Corporation

• $742,252 for Hanona

• $733,150 for Malama Loko Ea Foundation

• $350,471 for Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture

• $748,934 for Awaiaulu, Inc.

• $512,494 for KAI LOA, Inc.

• $675,919 for Kamalani Academy

• $431,052 for Ho‘oulu Lahui Inc.

• $946,008 for Friends of the Future

• $2,207,987 for Keiki O Ka Aina Family Learning Centers

• $1,278,423 for Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu

• $1,385,750 for Kanu O Ka Aina Learning Ohana

• $540,000 for Pacific American Foundation

• $2,527,045 for Partners in Development Foundation

• $787,433 for Consortium for Hawai‘i Ecological Engineering Education

• $558,798 for Hui Mauli Ola

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