Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund — EY26-27
The Ke Alahele Education Fund supports educators, organizations, schools, and students seeking to strengthen STEM learning and professional development. MEDB’s current EY26-27 program page lists January 12, 2027 as the deadline for non-robotics applications. MEDB does not publish a closing clock time or time zone for that deadline on the current program page. Robotics applications are described only as due in September 2026, without a specific date or time, so Atlas is not treating the robotics track as outreach-ready.
Funding: MEDB states that awards average approximately $3,000 per qualified applicant. The current program materials do not publish a maximum request amount.
Eligible applicants: educators, organizations, schools, and students. Prior grantees must have submitted required final reports to remain eligible for subsequent funding.
Supported activities: K-12 activities and secondary/post-secondary internships; culture-science integration; project-based and service-based learning; sustainability and renewable energy; health care and agriculture; apprenticeships and entrepreneurship; innovative curriculum; educator professional development and training; and purchase of supplies or equipment that enhance STEM activity.
Program requirements: proposals are for a one-year period, must include an evaluation or measurable way to assess results, and should supplement rather than supplant school academic programs. MEDB encourages community partnerships and real-world, project-based learning. Applicants should allow up to 60 days for review and approval.
Application package: MEDB’s currently linked application asks for applicant and project information, an abstract of no more than 200 words, organizational or individual background as applicable, a project narrative of no more than two pages, partners, participant demographics, project dates, STEM career-awareness impact, sustainability, culture/science/technology integration, measurable outcomes, and a detailed project budget. The budget form asks applicants to identify the requested Ke Alahele funding plus other pending, secured, and in-kind support. The current materials do not state a mandatory match or cost-share requirement.
Source-control note: MEDB’s current EY26-27 webpage supersedes the older deadline printed in the linked legacy guideline/application files. For the current cycle, Atlas is using the January 12, 2027 non-robotics deadline published on MEDB’s live program page.
Atlas Opportunity Score: 85/100. N9+ Fit Score: 20/100 conditional. The fund expressly includes health care among supported STEM topics and permits STEM supplies/equipment, but this is primarily a small education grant with an average award near $3,000. N9+ should not be represented as eligible or appropriate unless a specific education project requires it and MEDB confirms the proposed cost and use.
Outreach status: publication is appropriate, but new applicant outreach is not authorized from the current public materials because MEDB has not published an exact closing time and time zone for the January 12, 2027 deadline.
Official sources:
MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund — current program page
MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund — awardees