Hawai‘i Agri-Tourism Support Mini-Grants
This mini-grant program aims to expand or enhance new and existing agri-tourism projects. Proposed projects are expected to capture growth throughout the granting period. Proposals may be collaborative with public and private partners. For questions, see the FAQ below.
F.A.Q.
1. Go to: https://oahurcd.org/2020/07/20/hta-mini-grants/
2. Application form will be live on August 1, 2020.
Who can I send questions to?
Email questions to Frankie Koethe at frankie.koethe@oahurcd.org, no later than 11:59 PM HST on Friday, September 4th, 2020.
When are applications due?
Completed applications must be submitted via email to frankie.koethe@oahurcd.org no later than 11:59pm HST on Wednesday, September 9th, 2020.
What is the timeline for completing an awarded activity?
All activities supported by the mini-grant must be completed between October 1, 2020 and March 31st, 2021.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants must meet all of these eligibility items:
1. Attend 3 sessions of the Hawaiʻi Agri-Tourism Webinars 2020 – (1 county market opportunity, 1 compliance & planning, 1 grant application session). This includes participants who attended live webinars AND participants who watched the 3 listed sessions as recordings.
2. Your operation is registered with the State of Hawaiʻi.
3. You can commit to a 20% matching contribution in cash.
4. You are an agricultural operator or a tourism operator with an agricultural partner.
I am a non-profit, can I apply?
Both non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses are eligible to apply (NOTE: non-profit organizations will only be eligible for one HTA award in a fiscal year)
What can I spend the Mini-Grant on?
1. All project funds must be used to expand or enhance agri-tourism operations.
2. Examples of items/activities eligible for mini-grant award:
a. Farm tours for agriculture education
b. Online store/booking development
c. Marketing collateral development for collaborations
d. Marketing plan development to increase revenue
e. Transportation or operation support to host a farm tour
3. Examples of items/activities NOT eligible for mini-grant award:
a. Purchase of equipment or organic materials (ie. livestock, plants, soil)
b. Marketing surveys
c. Permitting/licensing support
How much funding can I request?
Applicants can request up to $3,000 and must commit a 20% matching contribution to the project in cash.
What will make my application rank higher for a better chance to receive awarding?
Projects proposed will be scored based on:
1. 30% Likelihood of successful implementation: applicant presents a concise, well-defined plan, and all proposed activities are feasible with realistic costs and implementation timeline.)
2. 25% Return on investment: the proposed activities will have a positive, financial impact on the applicant’s operation.
3. 10% Collaboration with partner company, farm or organization to enhance the quality of the offering (all partners should be identified in the Project Outcomes and provide a Letter of Support to be included with the application).
4. 25% Clear outcomes and measurable results: the proposed activities have specific outcomes and a plan to measure results in terms of the number of residents and non-residents served (Residents and non-residents must be counted separately, but will be scored equally) and also other measures of success defined by the applicant.
5. 10% Long-term impact: the proposed activities are of strategic importance for the long-term success of the applicant in agri-tourism.
