ʻUmeke Portal Closed!

For the Community Enrichment program, you must be a non-profit 501(c)(3) or government agency. For-profit entities, such as an LLC social enterprise, may apply for Signature Events.

Yes, you are eligible to apply for HTA programs, as long as your projects take place within the State of Hawai‘i.

If the objective of your program is to share hula with residents and visitors and is a performance for a set amount of time (series), then apply to the Community Enrichment program.

Yes, since this is a stand-alone event you should apply to the Community Enrichment program.

• Agricultural tours
• Weekly educational programs
• Voluntourism activities
• Theatre & musical productions
• Audio/App Tours
• Community sports events
• Arts & Culture festivals & exhibits
• Culinary events
• Walking tours
• Signage to provide cultural/historical significance
• Ethnic festivals
• Film festivals
• Rodeo celebrations
• Sports events

No, applications must be submitted online. Only under certain circumstances of technology, language, or disability barriers, we will consider alternatives to the online application portal. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be requested by contacting us at umeke@kilohana.com or at (808) 596-8155.

If the events are different, you should submit two (2) separate proposals – one for O‘ahu and one for Hawai‘i Island. However, if these two (2) events are part of an overall event, then you should submit one proposal and check off each island in the “Project Location” in the ʻUmeke Application.

Yes, you will receive an email confirmation that your proposal was submitted and received.

No, although we recognize the significance and importance of diacritical markings in written Hawaiian as pronunciation guides; the ʻUmeke Portal cannot accept diacritical marks and therefore have been omitted throughout the online application portal.

This depends. We recommend you thoroughly review the RFP you are interested in and locating the required documents prior to starting the application process in the `Umeke portal. All questions from the application can be found on the coinciding RFP. All RFPs can be downloaded at www.kilohana.com. Once an application is started, you will be able to track your progress in the `Umeke portal.

Applicants who are awarded will receive funding for projects/programs within the 2024 calendar year (January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024). You may start your program/project according to the approved workplan you submitted to Kilohana.

For the Community Enrichment, Signature Events, and Resort Area Hawaiian Culture Initiative, there are no award limit imposed. For both the Kūkulu Ola and Kahu ʻĀina program, applicants can apply for amounts up to $100,000, with projects generally awarded within the $25,000 to $75,000 range.

The award letter will include a list of what we need from you. If you are awarded less than the amount requested, we will ask you for an updated budget, an updated budget narrative, and an updated proposal/workplan if the reduced award amount affects what you are able to achieve.

Yes, if you are awarded, you will be required to submit a mid-year progress report and a final report along with a final expenditure report, to Kilohana. If you do not submit these reports, you may not be able to receive future funding from the HTA programs.

Communicate with your designated Kilohana contact as soon as you experience an obstacle in meeting deliverables. Anytime you experience a crisis near your event date, contact Kilohana with a courtesy call. Your consideration goes a long way.

Signature Events match requirement – a minimum of one-to-one (1:1) in matching funds to the amount of funds awarded by the HTA is required. At least 50% (.5:1) of the match must be in the form of cash. An additional 50% (.5:1) match is required but may be in the form of cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination of cash and in-kind contributions.

Matching funds shall not come from other state government sources including other HTA programs or the HTA’s major contractors such as, but not limited to, the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau or its Island Chapters. The project may be supported by other state government funds, but these funds may not be used as part of the required match to the HTA funds.

Yes, submit revisions and explanations to your designated Kilohana contact for review and approval.

Funding amounts are determined by the evaluation committee. Some projects are funded for the full amount while others are partially funded. The committee considers the needs of the community and the reasonableness of the request when determining the award amount. They also look very closely at the budget spreadsheets and budget narratives and will sometimes adjust award amounts by subtracting from the HTA funding column line-item costs that are not aligned with the goals, objectives, and requirements of the RFP.

Key Performance Indicators should capture the deliverables and outcomes you expect over the course of your one-year program. Where appropriate, it would be helpful to identify any indicators listed on your KPI form that align to the action items within the respective Destination Management Action Plans, ʻĀina Aloha Economic Futures, Aloha+ Challenge, and UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is not required for funding but rather serves to help track activities in alignment to HTA.

While it is not required, you may submit up to three recommendation and/or support letters as part of your application.

Final decisions are made by HTA and Kilohana staff.