In 2022, Arbor Day Hawaiʻi will be celebrated on November 5, and Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry is inviting community members to get involved by submitting a proposal to celebrate trees. Kaulunani, a program of the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), is proud to support Arbor Day Hawai’i through its community partnerships grant program.

Across the Hawaiian Islands, communities have honored the holiday with tree planting events, tree care workshops, landscaping and gardening demonstrations, tree adoption events, and much more.

This year, the Kaulunani Advisory Council encourages projects to share how you can go beyond giving away trees.  Proposals that also identify the following objectives will be prioritized:

• Enhance relationships between the trees, forests, and people in your community;
• Nurture the trees already around us; and/or
• Cultivate well-being and resilience in your community

Please note, proposals that are for celebrations other than tree adoptions will also be considered.

Non-profit organizations, private organizations, schools, churches, community groups, state, county, and community agencies from all islands of Hawai’i are encouraged to apply. All grantees must be in compliance with State Government requirements and provide Hawai’i Compliance Express certification.

Projects must be publicly accessible. Trees cannot be planted on inaccessible private land and programs and events must be open to all.

The deadline for submission is Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 11:59 pm (HST). Grants range from $500 to $5,000, with a total pool of $28,000. A 1:1 non-federal match is required.

Kaulunani will host an interactive webinar to share details and answer any queries: Monday, December 13th,12 pm – 1 pm. Please RSVP online.

The Advisory Council recognizes that the program’s mission is best fulfilled through engaging people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and cultures with a focus on our priority populations – Native Hawaiians and low-income individuals.  Equity, diversity, and justice are foundational values for the Kaulunani program.

Kaulunani has awarded grants to hundreds of non-profit groups, schools, community organizations, parks, museums, and arboretums. As of 2021, over $4.1 million dollars has been awarded to more than 400 projects through these cost-share grants, which have been matched by over $8 million dollars in cash and in-kind contributions.

Kaulunani and the Arbor Day Hawai’i Grants Program are proud supporters of the State’s pledge of 100,000,000 trees to be conserved, restored, or grown by 2030, as part of the global One Trillion Trees campaign. All of the trees grown and planted through this program count towards the pledge.

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Kaulunani Grant Program:

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/lap/kaulunani/grants/

RSVP for Kaulunani interactive webinar:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAU6w4hOhe-Gc4G2OMqs3nwEq-BweS4-0M7WaxkLUWj7UZEg/viewform or email info@kaulunani.org