Preservation and Access Grant

Geographic Scope: Hawaiʻi

These grants support projects that preserve cultural material important to Hawaiʻi communities and make these resources readily accessible to the larger community, including researchers, students, and the general public.

Focus Areas

• Preservation of existing state and community resources
• Making cultural resources publicly accessible
• Projects that tell stories of Hawaiʻi to the community
• Mālama (care) of Hawaiʻi's history

Types of Eligible Projects

• Preservation of historical documents
• Preservation of photos and film
• Transcribing existing oral histories
• Translating important documents
• Creating accessible archives and libraries
• Digitization and database projects

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must demonstrate how cultural resources will be made accessible to the public via a library, archive, or similar institution
• Projects must support the council's mission: "To broaden perspectives, enrich lives and strengthen communities through the public humanities"

Funding Source

• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding for state humanities councils

Current Status

• PAUSED: Due to changes in federal funding following unprecedented cancellation of grants in 2025, the community grants program has been paused. The organization is cautiously awaiting actual receipt of mandated federal funds before reopening the program.
• Congress passed the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act 2026 in January, which includes level funding for NEH ($207 million for NEH, with $65 million allocated to the 56 state and territorial humanities councils)

Contact Information

• Director of Community Grants: Stacy Hoshino
• Email: shoshino@hihumanities.org
• Phone: (808) 469-4551
• General Email: hello@hihumanities.org
• Phone: (808) 732-5402
• Address: 3599 Wai'alae Avenue, Room 26, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96816

Past Examples

• The Hoʻomaka Hou Research Initiative Online Fishhook Database (2014): Supported development of an online open-access database of 2,769 Hawaiian fishhooks from archaeological sites ($5,000 awarded to Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum)

Application Process

Current Status: Applications are NOT being accepted at this time (program paused as of February 2026)

When Program Resumes

1. Consultation (Recommended)
   • Contact Stacy Hoshino at least three weeks prior to the submission deadline
   • Email: shoshino@hihumanities.org
   • Phone: (808) 469-4551
   • One-on-one consultations available about project ideas and questions
2. Application Materials Needed (when program reopens)
   • Grant application form
   • Project narrative describing the cultural resources to be preserved
   • Detailed plan for making resources publicly accessible
   • Budget information using HIHumanities Grant Budget Template
   • Information about partnering library, archive, or institution
   • Supporting documentation as required
3. Submission Process
   • Submit through online portal (specific URL not provided in available materials)
   • Follow all HIHumanities guidelines
   • Demonstrate public accessibility plan
4. Post-Award Requirements (for successful applicants)
   • Complete grant budget template
   • Submit Request for Grant Funds Form for fund advances (limited to 3-month periods)
   • Submit Final Financial Report Form upon project completion
   • Verify that cultural resources are accessible via partnering institution
   • Provide event promotional materials if applicable
   • Submit photographs and promotional materials (landscape orientation, 1080px x 1080px, 300 ppi resolution, .jpg or .png format)
   • Include HIHumanities and NEH logos in all publicity
   • Use required grant acknowledgement language crediting HIHumanities and NEH
5. Fund Disbursement
   • 90% of grant amount available during project duration
   • 10% withheld until all required project reports submitted

Resources Available

• Grants FAQs webpage
• Grant Resources and Forms page
• Examples of past grantees (2021-2024)
• HIHumanities Publicity Guidelines for Grantees