OHA consolidates event grants and sponsorships into new Ho‘akuakua Lahui sponsorship program with stricter rules

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs presented new rules for event funding Wednesday, consolidating prior community grants and sponsorships into a single program called the Ho‘akuakua Lahui event sponsorship program.

The presentation outlined eligibility and documentation requirements, a scoring rubric, and a standardized eight‑step process for intake through post‑event reporting. Kapunui Ke Haupu'u, a staff member who led the presentation, said the new program was designed to “create a fair and equitable process and opportunity for all nonprofits” and to bring all event funding under the requirements of Hawaii Revised Statutes chapter 10, section 17.

The change responds to audit findings and to previously inconsistent practices. Ke Haupu'u told trustees that prior practice split event funding between a community‑grant process (with a prior $10,000 maximum) and sponsorships (previously funded up to $25,000). Under the consolidated policy, the program’s maximum request is $15,000; organizations may apply for one event award per fiscal year and must submit proof of nonprofit status, a W‑9, a vendor compliance check and other documents before an application is considered complete.

Why it matters: HRS 10‑17 is the statute that gives OHA…