Two in-person workshops to provide information on the upcoming Agricultural
Micro Grant Program 6.0, which offers up to $25,000 to small farms and
ranches in Maui County, will be held in early January 2026.
The grants are administered by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business
Development Center and funded by the County of Maui.
The first session is set for Monday, Jan. 5, at the MEO Family Center in
Wailuku and the second on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Mayor Hannibal Tavares
Community Center in Pukalani. Both sessions begin at 5 p.m.
The Jan. 5 workshop will be streamed live via Webex for viewing on Moloka`i
and Lana`i.
Lapaau Farms in Wailuku was one of the small farms receiving a 2025 Agricultural Micro Grant, through a program funded by Maui County and administered by MEO. In-person informational sessions for the 2026 grant are set for early January 2026.
Grant application and award information will be presented to help
applicants understand the process and note the required documents that need
to be submitted.
The grants have the following stipulations and requirements:
● Grants will be dispersed with efforts to ensure equitable distribution
among applicants on Maui, Moloka`i, and Lana`i.
● Grant preference is given to socially disadvantaged farming applicants,
such as women and Native Hawaiians, and to farmers who did not receive
funding in prior fiscal years from the micro-grant program.
● Except for up to $250,000 for flowers and plants used to make lei, the
micro grants will be exclusively to food-producing farm businesses that
operate on less than an aggregate of 12 acres or up to an aggregate of 40
usable acres for livestock producers within Maui County.
● Applicants must possess a county business or state general excise
license for the farming or ranching business as of July 1, 2025.
● Low revenue from sales will not disqualify applicants.
● Farm business owners and any partners must be Maui County residents for
a minimum of one year before the date of the applicant’s grant request.
Further details and information will be provided at the informational
sessions.
The grant application period for the $3 million Agricultural Micro Grant
Program 6.0 opens Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, with applications becoming
available.
Farmers and ranchers may apply on the MEO website at
Agricultural Micro Grant or in-person at MEO’s Wailuku
office, 99 Mahalani St., weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the MEO Business Development Center by phone
at (808) 249-2990 or by email at *[email protected] <[email protected]>*.
MEO Ag Grant 2026 Meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan 5, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Click here for the Meeting link
Meeting number (access code): 2311 293 6769
Meeting password: AGgrant