Economic Revitalization Program

Ka 'Imi 'Ike is the County of Maui Office of Recovery's Economic Revitalization Program workforce development initiative funded through Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery resources associated with the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The County Office of Recovery is issuing this Notice of Funding Availability to qualified and experienced workforce development organizations and eligible County entities to address disaster-related workforce disruptions and labor shortages. The program supports healthcare, construction, trade-based training, and workforce services that prepare eligible Maui County residents for recovery-critical occupations connected with housing and commercial reconstruction, infrastructure repair, hazard mitigation, healthcare services, and long-term economic revitalization. The program particularly emphasizes low- and moderate-income and disaster-impacted individuals and seeks programs that can launch promptly and respond to documented recovery workforce needs. A total of $12,750,000 is allocated to this funding opportunity. Individual awards must be at least $2,000,000 and may not exceed $7,500,000. Awards will be provided to eligible subrecipients on a cost-reimbursement basis, and awarded projects may be funded for up to 24 months, subject to agreement terms, performance requirements, and funding availability. Proposed budgets must document eligible costs, leveraged or non-CDBG-DR funding sources, anticipated participants, and cost assumptions and must demonstrate that requested funding is reasonable in relation to program design and expected outcomes. Eligible activities may include curriculum development, recruitment and intake, skills assessment, training materials, testing and industry-recognized certifications, participant instructional costs, job readiness and placement, case management, supportive services such as transportation and childcare, program staff, outreach, necessary facility costs, training equipment and supplies, approved indirect costs, and other eligible implementation, compliance, and reporting expenses. The NOFA does not state a mandatory applicant matching or cost-share requirement. Applicants must propose a new public service or a quantifiable increase in an existing service beyond the applicable baseline. Activities may not improperly supplant existing funding. Other prohibited or restricted costs include unauthorized construction or facility work, general government activities, political and religious activities, unauthorized direct financial assistance, unauthorized participant income replacement or stipends, entertainment, fundraising, fines and penalties, duplication of benefits, and pre-award costs incurred without County authorization. All funded activities must satisfy a HUD national objective, with the program designed around the Low- and Moderate-Income Limited Clientele national objective. Funded services must primarily benefit individuals whose household income does not exceed 80 percent of Area Median Income. Activities must also demonstrate a disaster tie-back to the August 2023 wildfires. All of Maui County is designated as a HUD Most Impacted and Distressed area, with prioritization of disaster-impacted populations and communities with the greatest documented workforce and economic recovery needs. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities; County of Maui departments; and economic development corporations or other public entities carrying out workforce development activities. Applicants must demonstrate relevant workforce development capacity, financial and administrative capacity to manage reimbursement-based federal funding, compliance capability, and readiness to launch services. For-profit entities are generally ineligible to serve as subrecipients unless explicitly authorized under an approved eligible activity. Suspended, debarred, or otherwise federally excluded entities and entities with unresolved audit findings, material compliance deficiencies, or significant prior nonperformance are ineligible. Subrecipients must maintain active SAM.gov registration and Hawaii Compliance Express good standing throughout the period of performance and remain responsible for the performance and compliance of partners and contractors. Applications must be submitted through the County Office of Recovery's Canopy online application portal; submissions by email, mail, hand delivery, or other methods will not be accepted. Applicants must complete the application questions and upload applicable supporting documents. Requested information covers entity and contact information, program design, recovery-critical occupations, disaster tie-back, labor demand, Action Plan alignment, LMI targeting, populations and geographic areas served, equitable access, supportive services, training outcomes and credentials, employment pathways, follow-up services, budget and financial management, leveraged resources, organizational experience, federal compliance capacity, implementation readiness, staffing, and partners. Required supporting documentation can include SAM.gov and Hawaii Compliance Express documentation, organizational records, W-9, non-debarment certification, project description, outreach and accessibility plans, curriculum and credential information, eligibility procedures, employer or industry support, management plans, budget and duplication-of-benefits documentation, fiscal and personnel policies, audits where applicable, resumes, implementation schedules, and conflict-of-interest documentation. Applications first undergo a threshold review for completeness, internal consistency, eligibility, and compliance. Applications passing that stage are competitively evaluated by a County Office of Recovery evaluation committee. Scoring consists of Alignment with Identified Disaster Recovery Needs at 25 percent, Population Served at 25 percent, Impact on Economic Revitalization at 20 percent, Financial Considerations at 15 percent, and Applicant Attributes and Readiness to Launch at 15 percent. An average score of at least 70 out of 100 is required for award consideration. Eligible applications are ranked by average score, and funding recommendations proceed according to rank until available funding is allocated, although the County may fund all, part, or none of an application. Selected applicants receive conditional award letters and subsequently execute a written agreement or, for applicable County departments, a Project Implementation Agreement. Program activities and eligible costs begin following execution and issuance of a Notice to Proceed. The NOFA was released August 10, 2026, and applications are due September 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM HST. The deadline for applicant questions is August 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM HST, with publication of questions and answers scheduled for September 9, 2026. No recurring annual or other future application cycle is stated. General NOFA questions, technical assistance, and clarification may be directed to the County of Maui Office of Recovery CDBG-DR Program at Cdbg-DR@Mauicounty.gov or (808) 270-6267. Applicants needing additional guidance completing the application may also contact Chandee Kauhaahaa at Chandee.D.Kauhaahaa@co.maui.hi.us. Applicants should review the current Economic Revitalization Program Policy and ensure compliance with CDBG-DR, HUD, County, and other applicable federal, state, and local requirements before submission.

Demonstrate a clear August 2023 wildfire disaster tie-back and alignment with recovery-critical occupations and documented labor demand. Show how the program will meet the LMI Limited Clientele national objective and serve eligible Maui County residents. Clearly establish that services are new or represent a quantifiable increase over existing service. Make the requested budget proportional to participants, training intensity, and expected outcomes and thoroughly justify atypical costs. Demonstrate reimbursement cash-flow capacity, federal compliance systems, relevant workforce experience, and readiness to launch. Ensure narratives, budgets, supporting documents, and participant projections are internally consistent because applications undergo threshold review before scoring.