Excerpt and Photo from bigislandnow.com
The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has issued the next round of requests for proposals for projects that preserve Hawai‘i’s natural resources, perpetuate the state’s Hawaiian and multicultural heritage, or enrich the community through festivals and signature events statewide.
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s community partnership programs support projects that protect and restore the environment, empower local economies, preserve cultural heritage and give back to island communities.
“Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is proud to support programs that exemplify regenerative tourism by directing tourism’s benefits back into our island communities,” said Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority Board Chair Mufi Hannemann. “These efforts protect Hawai‘i’s natural and cultural treasures while uplifting the people and organizations working tirelessly to sustain them.”
Online applications are available and need to be submitted through ‘Umeke, Powered by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority by April 1. Projects must be scheduled from July 2025 to June 2026.
The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is accepting applications for the following programs:
- Signature Events: Projects that protect and enhance Hawaiʻi’s globally competitive brand while also enriching our communities, supporting better relations between communities and the tourism industry, and creating positive resident-visitor interaction.
- Community Enrichment Programs: Unique, authentic and highly-valued visitor-related experiences, and represents activities that are developed by the community, for the community and are things the community is willing to and wants to share with visitors.
- Kahu ʻĀina: Community initiatives that contribute to the responsible management, improvement, and protection of Hawai‘i’s natural resources in areas frequented by residents and visitors.
- Kūkulu Ola: Community initiatives that contribute to protecting and enhancing the Hawaiian culture within the tourism industry.
- Hoʻokipa Malihini Initiative: Hawaiian programs and cultural practitioners, craftsmen, musicians, linguists or other artists in resort areas and harbors statewide to help preserve and perpetuate Native Hawaiian culture in a way that is respectful and accurate, inviting, and educational to visitors.
