THE KOHALA CENTER: Employment/Opportunities/Events

Employment

North Shore EVP is hiring a food safety specialist on Hawaiʻi Island
North Shore EVP is seeking a food safety specialist based on Hawaiʻi Island to support local farms in the Hawaiʻi GroupGAP program. The role includes on-farm support, internal audits, and technical assistance related to USDA harmonized GAP standards. View the job description here.

HIP Ag is hiring a soil health technician on Hawaiʻi Island
HIP Ag is looking for a soil health technician to support Hawaiʻi Island farmers through soil health trials, compost systems, and conservation practices. View the job description here.

Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative is hiring a temporary event coordinator on Hawaiʻi Island
Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative is looking for a 9-month event coordinator to plan events for the weeklong Breadfruit Celebration 2026. This position will play a central role in planning, fundraising, and executing this event. Read the description here and apply by January 31.

Hāmākua Harvest is hiring a market manager and ag booth associate
The Hāmākua Harvest farmer’s market in Honokaʻa, Hawaiʻi Island is looking for a market manager and ag booth associate to help run the market and ag booth on Sundays. Read more here and apply by emailing jenna@hamakuaharvest.org.

Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance is hiring a communications coordinator on Oʻahu
Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance is looking for a full-time communications coordinator to design and execute a communications strategy. This is a hybrid position based in Kailua, Oʻahu. View the job description here.

Opportunities

Ethical beekeeping course
Virtual Beelieve University is offering a 16-week “Intro to Ethical Beekeeping” course running February–June in a hybrid format, including 8 virtual sessions and 9 in-person meets on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. The subject matter focuses on holistic beekeeping in harmony with treatment-free feral genetics, environmental stewardship, and each student’s intuitive attunement to the honeybee. Apply before January 26.

Grants for Hawaiʻi Island nonprofits
The County of Hawaiʻi is accepting applications for their Waiwai Grants-in-Aid program. Nonprofits may be awarded up to $50,000 to carry out programs or services that yield direct benefits to the public on Hawaiʻi Island. Apply before January 31.

RE-OPENED: Micro-grants for food security
The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB)’s Micro-Grants for Food Security Program competitively awards micro-grants to individuals and organizations working to increase food security. Individuals may be awarded $5,000 and organizations may be awarded $10,000. Applications open January 19.

Community kitchen from Touching the Earth Farm available in Hāwī
Touching the Earth Farm has a shared certified cold kitchen in Hāwī, Hawaiʻi Island that is accepting new users. Grant funding from the County of Hawaiʻi is available to significantly offset rental costs for eligible entrepreneurs, farmers, and food producers. Apply online.

Poultry course from Simple Roots on Maui
Receive hands-on instruction from Simple Roots on Maui on running your own poultry production, including designing your coop, daily operations, harvest and processing, marketing, and more. The course will run February 5–March 26 and consist of 8 Zoom sessions and 4 in-person days. Apply by January 19.

Events

Workshop: Value-added product development
Saturday, January 17 • 1–3 p.m.
Kohala Food Hub, 55-230 Hō‘ea Rd, Hāwī, Hawaiʻi Island (map)
Join Kohala Food Hub for a workshop on opportunities for value-added food and beverage products. Explore packaging solutions, optimize process flow, and learn from successful local producers.
»Register online

‘Ōhiʻa Love Fest and plant sale
Sunday, January 25 • 10 a.m–2 p.m.
Komohana Research and Extension Center, 875 Komohana St, Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island (map)
ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest is teaming up with the Master Gardener’s plant sale. Celebrate ʻōhiʻa’s vital role in Hawaiʻi ecosystems and buy from a wide selection of native plants and food crops to take home (cash only).

Webinar: How to incorporate SNAP
Monday, January 26 • 5:30–7 p.m. (via Zoom)
Join Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance and GoFarm to learn how farmers can accept SNAP through farmer’s markets, farm stands, or CSA shares. The webinar will cover the benefits of accepting SNAP, different models, equipment needed, the application process, and more.
»Register online

Webinar: FSA farm loans
Wednesday, January 28 • 5:00 p.m. (via Zoom)
Join Hawaiʻi Farmers Union for a webinar about farm loans offered through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Learn what’s available, what’s required, and how to prepare for a successful loan meeting.
»Register online