Organizations Building Hawaiʻi Island's Future

Equips students with knowledge of Hawaiʻi’s expanding green economy and the wide range of ʻāina-based careers available to them. They provide intensive professional development designed to equip kumu (teachers) with culturally rooted, place-based curricula.

The Ambassadors Program supports high school students on Hawaiʻi Island as they develop leadership skills, identify real-world challenges, and build community-based solutions with lasting impact.

ClimbHI connects students with future career paths through in-person events, an online portal, and a Service Excellence Certificate program through the Hawaiʻi DOE. The organization reaches thousands of students and teachers statewide each year.

ʻEwalu Industries trains and retains Hawaiʻi's next generation of leaders to work on the island's most critical challenges. They co-create programs with local organizations, businesses, and government to diversify the economy and build resilience.

A federally qualified community health center providing comprehensive primary care, dental, and behavioral health services to over 10,000 patients across North Hawaiʻi — regardless of ability to pay.

Practices and teaches regenerative agriculture through farm-to-school education, farmer training, and ecosystem restoration. They serve Kohala High School students and the local community through internships, mentorship, and work-based learning opportunities.

A children's science discovery center showing island keiki that STEM careers exist right here on Hawaiʻi Island. The museum is a grassroots, community-started effort to increase STEM opportunities and enthusiasm for science-based careers locally.

Mentorship, hands-on agriculture training, and entrepreneurship coaching for young adults. The cooperative builds economic opportunity through intergenerational learning and supports rural resilience across Hawaiʻi Island.

Hawaiiverse Foundation revitalizes Hawaiʻi's local economy by providing business and workforce development opportunities to small businesses and underserved, rural communities across the islands.

The Hemp Hale Initiative builds affordable, durable homes using industrial hemp construction — training a new generation of builders through paid apprenticeships in partnership with Hoʻākeolapono Trades Academy, starting with families on DHHL parcels.

A 12-week, hands-on workforce development program for young adults pursuing careers in the building trades. Graduates earn OSHA certification and training in blueprint reading, computer literacy, financial literacy, and job placement.

A comprehensive Career and Technical Education (CTE) program preparing Kailua-Kona students for high-wage careers through hands-on learning and industry certifications. The academy model offers specialized, multi-year pathways in STEM, creative arts, leadership, and sustainable communities.

Culinary, food systems, and entrepreneurship training for youth and young adults. Kohala Food Hub strengthens the local food economy while building practical skills and career pathways in agriculture and food service.

Cultivates deep connections between people, land, culture, and food through school gardens and ʻāina-based education. The program addresses urgent gaps in access to career-connected learning, especially among students in rural and underserved charter schools.

A tuition-free, 10-day summer startup camp for Hawaiʻi high school students. Nalukai covers leadership, design thinking, digital storytelling, and pitch communications, all grounded in cultural values and social impact.

NexTech Hawaiʻi inspires and builds STEM career readiness in Hawaiʻi Island's K-12 youth through project- and place-based learning, 3D printing, drone programs, and paired career mentoring.

STEMworks Hawaiʻi (a program of Maui Economic Development Board) inspires K-12 STEM career readiness through internships, tech workshops, and industry-connected learning — including a paid summer Innovation Internship open to Hawaiʻi Island students.

Teach For America Hawaiʻi recruits and places dedicated educators in under-resourced Hawaiʻi Island classrooms, working toward educational equity for local keiki.

A four-year leadership development program for UH Hilo students with financial need. Bonner scholars get paid, community-based learning experiences that build leadership, civic engagement, and career-ready skills while they earn their degree.

Vibrant Hawaiʻi removes the barriers that keep neighbors disconnected from solving the problems that matter most — building resilience hubs, civic leadership programs, and community-led solutions across Hawaiʻi Island.

Since its launch in 2023, the Work-4-Water program has built a growing workforce pipeline on Hawaiʻi Island, preparing local residents for careers in wastewater management and related fields. To date, 72 Hawaiʻi Island participants have graduated, including 15 from the Summer 2025 cohort, while another 15 Island residents are among the 48 students currently enrolled in the Spring 2026 cohort. With two additional cohorts planned through Fall 2027, the program expects to produce more than 30 additional Hawaiʻi Island graduates. Importantly, the training is beginning to translate into employment: six recent graduates have entered on-the-job training programs, including three Hawaiʻi Island residents, demonstrating Work-4-Water’s potential to connect workforce development directly to local employment opportunities and critical infrastructure needs.