Other Funding Sources

OTHER STATE AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS (OHA): OHA financial assistance program serves primarily the native Hawaiian community. Ag-related-community-based projects targeting the native Hawaiian community may qualify for funding. For eligibility inquiries, contact:

Office of Hawaii Affairs
CBED Specialist
711 Kapiolani Boulevard, Suite 500
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Tel: (808) 594-1752, Fax: (808) 594-1865

SELECTED COUNTY AGENCIES:

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban development (HUD) provides Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to cities including the City and County of Honolulu. CDBG funds are divided in loans, grants, and technical assistance to economic development projects that benefit low- and moderate-income people. Funded projects have included rural economic, and agricultural development projects. Contact:

Chief, CBDG Unit
Department of Budget & Fiscal Services
City and County of Honolulu
530 South King Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Tel: (808) 527-5067
Fax: (808) 527-6968

COUNTY OF HAWAII (BIG ISLAND): The County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development provides grant awards to non-profit organizations for initiatives that improve the quality of life for the people of Hawaii County through responsible and sustainable economic, societal and environmental practices in agricultural research that is innovative or urgent in nature, marketing and promotion of products and the collections and dissemination of information.

SELECTED FEDERAL AGENCIES FUNDING SOURCES

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)-FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA): The farm Service Agency runs a multi-facet program that comprises farm credit programs and natural disaster related programs, the later subject to the US President or the Secretary of Agriculture designations as such.

Agricultural Credit Programs: Available to ag-enterprises including nursery, orchard, vegetable, agro-forestry, aquaculture, and livestock. Direct Loans are limited to $200,000, and guaranteed loans through private institutions, $899,000.

Commodity Loan programs: For wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, rye, oilseeds, rice, tobacco, peanuts, milk, cotton, sugar, and honey.
Disaster and Emergency Payment Assistance: For rehabilitation of farms on a cost sharing basis for emergency conservation practices.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Helps farmers to substitute crops grown on erosion prone farmland for permanent vegetative covers. In return the farmer receives an annual payment through a multi-year contract.
Emergency Conservation Program (ECP): Assists farmers and ranchers to return back to operation including clean up and restoration caused by a natural disaster.
Environment Quality Incentive program (EQIP): Addresses locally identified natural resource concerns including soil erosion, water quality and quantity, and grazing land. Cost Sharing may reach 75% of certain conservation practices. Contractual agreement last 5 to 10 years. Contact:

Tel: Oahu—Honolulu, (808) 861-8583
Maui—Kahului, (808) 871-5500 x 2
Hawaii—Hilo, (808) 933-8380 x 2
Kauai—Lihue, (808) 245-9014 x 2
Guaranteed loans information – (808) 600-2964

Additional information about the services provided by FSA may be found at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=fsahome&subject=landing&topic=landing

NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION (NFF): The NFF has recently established the Community Assistance Program (CAP) to promote the creation of locally based forest partnerships. Visit https://www.natlforests.org and search on “grants” to read about successful partnerships. Funds may be used for a variety of needs including: basic start-up and operating costs, materials and equipment, technical assistance.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)-RURAL DEVELOPMENT: USDA Rural Development agency comprises three services: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS) and Rural Utilities Services (RUS). The field offices at the state and local levels administer the programs. Most relevant to rural agribusiness, is RBS which mission is to build competitive rural businesses and cooperatives. There is also (a) The USDA Rural Development’s Business & Industry (B&I) Loan program that had, so far, served aquaculture, nurseries, and forestry businesses, meat processing and distribution projects. (b) The Rural Development’s rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) funding had included agribusinesses project. (c) The Rural Development’s Intermediary Re-lending Program (subject to RD Instruction 4274-D) provides funding support also. Contact:

USDA, Rural Development
ATTN: RBS
Hawaii State Office Room 311, Federal Building
154 Waianuenue Avenue
Hilo, HI 96720
Tel: (808) 933-8302, Fax: (808) 933-8327

USDA COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE (CSREES) GRANT-Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE): The goal of this subtitle is to encourage the research and education designed to increase our knowledge concerning integrated systems of plant and animal production practices having both a site specific and regional application that will over the long-term improve food sources, the environment, efficient use of renewable resources, enhance economic and social wellness. Contact:

Western SARE Program
Agricultural Science Building, Room 305
Utah State University
4865 Old Main Hill
Logan, Utah 84322-4865
Tel:(435) 797-3537, Fax:(435) 797-3376
Email: [email protected]

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM (SBIR) GRANT: This program invites science-based small business firms to submit research proposal for funding. Topic areas include Forests and Related Resources, Plant Production and Protection, Animal Production and Protection, Air, Water and Soils, Food science and Nutrition, Rural and Community Development, Rural and Community Development, Aquaculture, Industrial Applications, and Marketing and Trade.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)’s HAWAII DISTRICT OFFICE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REFERRAL (FAR) PROGRAM: The Financial Assistance Referral Program allows participating banks’ officials to refer credit worthy entrepreneurs to SBA for assistance. An SBA Economic Development Specialist of the Business Information and Counseling Center (BICC) will help the business owner to prepare a viable and complete loan package. Still, the participating bank has to approve the SBA guaranteed loan. Contact:

SBA Economic Development Specialist
Hawaii District Office
300 Ala Moana, Room 2-235
Box 50207
Honolulu, HI 96850
Tel: (808) 541-2990

U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS FOR EXPORTS FUNDING

The federal government tries to encourage small businesses to export by offering financing programs through the Export-Import Bank, the Small Business Administration, and the Overseas Private Investment Corp and other relevant agencies listed below.

SBA’s Office of International Trade: Coordinates Small Business Administration’s exports finance and export assistance programs.
Export-Import Bank: Provides a variety of loans, guarantees, and insurance programs to exporters
Overseas Private Investment Corp: – Provides loans and political risk insurance to business expanding in developing nations and emerging markets
Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA): WUSATA combines federal, state, and industry resource for export market development. The association has a Company Matching Fund program that reimburses 50% of the costs of promoting branded products in foreign markets. Pre-qualified then approved companies can claim eligible expenses reimbursement such as international trade show, travel to international trade shows, in-store demonstrations, point-of-sale materials, print and broadcast advertising, and more. Contact:

Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Market Development
Tel: (808) 973-9465, Fax: (808) 973-9590
Email: [email protected]

WUSATA Region
Tel: (360) 693-3373, Fax: (360) 693-3464
Website: https://www.wusata.org

PRIVATE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS