The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant), through the Pili Nā Moku project, is launching a $7 million funding initiative to support ʻāina-based conservation and restoration, network building, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and community-centered governance. This initiative is focused on five moku or hui moku: 1) West Kauaʻi; 2) Waiʻanae, Oʻahu; 3) Molokaʻi 4) Central Maui; and 5) Kohala, Hawaiʻi. Each of these five moku or hui moku will receive up to $1.4 million to fund community‑identified priorities in alignment with the six Pili Nā Moku focus areas.
The overall goal of this funding opportunity is to provide support to community-based organizations in caring for ʻāina so communities can thrive across generations.
This opportunity is aimed at addressing unmet needs and implementing projects identified as priorities in previous community discussions or planning in the moku. Collaborative proposals that demonstrate connections within the moku and address multiple focus areas (below) are of particular interest.
This funding opportunity seeks projects that align with three primary objectives:
(1) Build on established relationships of trust in the moku
(2) Invest in long-term community capacity
(3) Embrace multi-generational knowledge
Statements of Interest are due Friday, August 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM HST via this
Google Form and Full Proposals are due via
eSeaGrant Friday, November 6, 2026 at 5:00 pm HST. Please view the attached RFP or visit
webpage for complete details.
ABOUT PILI NĀ MOKU
Pili Nā Moku is a five-year project dedicated to reinvigorating the moku system (a framework for traditional Hawaiian land tenure and biocultural stewardship) through investment in large-scale ʻāina restoration efforts and governance practices that balance local knowledge and stewardship with centralized decision-making. Pili Nā Moku is funded through a 2024 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management.
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The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant), through the Pili Nā Moku project, is launching a $7 million funding initiative to support ʻāina-based conservation and restoration, network building, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and community-centered governance. This initiative is focused on five moku or hui moku: 1) West Kauaʻi; 2) Waiʻanae, Oʻahu; 3) Molokaʻi 4) Central Maui; and 5) Kohala, Hawaiʻi. Each of these five moku or hui moku will receive up to $1.4 million to fund community‑identified priorities in alignment with the six Pili Nā Moku focus areas.