How the County awards grants to nonprofits

(a) All grants awarded pursuant to this article shall be made in accordance with one of the following procedures: (1) Waiwai grants-in-aid: (A) Annually, before November 30, the finance director shall, for the purpose of soliciting applications, establish a sum of at least $2,500,000 for the ensuing fiscal year for Waiwai grant-in-aid awards. The finance director shall also publish a notice soliciting applications in two newspapers of general circulation within the County by November 30. (B) Applications for Waiwai grants-in-aid shall be made on forms prescribed by the finance director and shall be submitted to the finance director on or before the last day of January following publication of the notice as provided in subparagraph (A). No application shall be considered for any Waiwai grant-in-aid award unless the application: (i) Conforms with the requirements of this Code; (ii) Includes detailed information on specific, measurable outcomes and public benefits to be derived from the expenditure of County funds; and (iii) Complies with all other requirements and instructions for submission as the finance director may direct. (C) The finance director shall submit all applications which meet the eligibility requirements established in section 2-137 to the council for its review and appropriation of funds. (D) The council shall review all eligible applications and assess whether the conditions for a grant have been met, and upon favorable action by the council to award grants and appropriate funds for Waiwai grants-in-aid to the nonprofit organizations, the finance department shall prepare a written contract with the nonprofit organization which shall meet all 2-65 SUPP. 17 (1-2025) legal requirements of the Federal, State, and County governments, and shall include program, fiscal, and audit reporting requirements sufficient to allow the finance director, the County auditor, or council to effectively monitor and evaluate the use of the grant funds. (E) The finance director shall notify each nonprofit organization by August 31 if the council has approved or denied its application for a Waiwai grant-in-aid. (2) Grants from council district contingency relief funds: (A) Requests for district contingency relief grants shall be made directly to council members on a form prescribed by the council. The council shall determine whether requests meet the eligibility and award conditions of this article. (B) Prior to introducing a resolution for a contingency relief grant, a council member shall identify a department to administer the contingency grant. (C) Appropriations from the district contingency relief account shall be approved by resolution and transferred to the identified department for administration. The resolution shall identify the nonprofit organization and the specific program, project, event, activity, service, equipment, materials, or supplies for which the grant shall be used. (D) Any equipment purchased by a nonprofit organization shall be domiciled with that nonprofit organization in the County. The nonprofit organization shall assume any and all responsibility and liability for such equipment. (E) A contract shall be prepared by the identified department and executed with the nonprofit organization which shall: (i) Comply with all legal requirements of the County; and (ii) Include program, fiscal, and audit reporting requirements sufficient to allow the County auditor or council to effectively monitor and evaluate the use of the grant funds. (3) Other grants: (A) Grant awards in excess of $25,000 to nonprofit organizations shall specifically identify the organization receiving the grant funds and the purpose for which the grant funds shall be used in a resolution. (B) Grant awards in excess of $25,000 to organizations that do not qualify as nonprofit organizations shall specifically identify the purpose for which the funds shall be used in a resolution and be subject to competition in compliance with chapter 103D of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes. (C) Grant awards of $25,000 or less may be authorized by the finance director for projects or programs that accomplish public purposes upon written request of a department. Such grant awards shall not be limited to nonprofit organizations but shall specifically identify the organization and program, project or event for which the grant funds shall be used and comply with the rules and regulations of the finance director. SUPP. 17 (1-2025) 2-66 ADMINISTRATION § 2-139 (b) In the event that a grantee organization is unable or unwilling to provide the public service(s) or purchase(s) for which grant funds were appropriated, the following procedures shall apply: (1) For grant awards authorized as prescribed in 2-139(a)(1), the mayor may direct the finance director to solicit applications from eligible nonprofit organizations to fulfill the specific public purpose(s) for which the funds were originally appropriated for the remainder of the fiscal year. The director shall forward recommended application(s) and appropriation measure(s) to the council for its approval. Funds appropriated to a successor nonprofit organization shall not exceed the balance of unexpended County funds awarded to the original nonprofit organization. (2) For grant awards from district contingency relief funds, the council may direct the return of the full appropriation or the balance of unexpended funds. (3) For other grant awards authorized as prescribed in 2-139(a)(3), the director may direct the return of the full grant amount or balance of the unexpended funds.