Native Hawaiian Community Guest Stewardship

Objective

The Office of Native Hawaiian Relations’ (ONHR) Heritage (Tourism) Opportunities in Hawaiʻi (HŌʻIHI) Grant Program serves to implement the provisions of the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act (NATIVE Act), 25 U.S.C. 4351 et seq. The purpose of the NATIVE Act is to establish a more inclusive national travel and tourism strategy that has the potential to deliver significant benefits for Native Hawaiian organizations (NHO) as distinctly defined in the NATIVE Act, including job creation, elevated living standards, and expanded economic opportunities. The HŌʻIHI Grant Program is an innovative effort to promote heritage tourism opportunities that utilize Native Hawaiian traditional knowledge to bolster economic development in the Native Hawaiian Community, to advance economic growth in the State of Hawaiʻi, and to equip Native Hawaiian organizations (NHO) with the needed resources to transform tourism involving historical and sacred sites to be regenerative and collaborative.

Who Can Apply

• Nonprofit Organization

Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education. Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments). Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education. Additionally, applicants must meet the definition of and criteria for a “Native Hawaiian Organization” as defined in the NATIVE Act, 130 STAT. 847, Section 3(3), codified at 25 U.S.C. §4352(3). Criteria include: A nonprofit organization; that serves the interests of Native Hawaiians; in which Native Hawaiians serve in substantive and policymaking positions; and that is recognized for having expertise in Native Hawaiian culture and heritage, including tourism.

Assistance Types

• Grant

Program Contact

bradley_wong@ios.doi.gov
8085189844