Keiki O Ka 'Aina

What Keiki O Ka 'Aina does

Keiki O Ka 'Aina (KOKA) is a Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a statewide network of more than 60 family learning centers across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island, with headquarters in Kailua-Kona. Founded in 1996 and led by founder Momi Akana, the organization delivers culturally grounded early childhood education and family support programs serving approximately 4,500 children and caregivers annually. Its core curriculum integrates Montessori methodology with Hawaiian language, values, and cultural principles, aligned with NAEYC guidelines and Hawaii State Early Learning and Developmental Standards (HELDS).

The organization's product portfolio spans preschool and infant/toddler centers (Pālolo, Mā'ili, Kailua, and Wai'anae campuses) charging tuition of $600–$1,560 per month; free home visiting programs (HIPPY, Parents as Teachers, MIECHV, and the combined He Lei Piko program); culturally specific family programs (Healthy Marriages, SFAI for families affected by incarceration, Ho'omakua for incarcerated fathers); the HELP for Childcare financial assistance subsidy; Kulia I Ka Nu'u Montessori-based parent-child sessions; and cultural perpetuation programming (Nohona) covering hula, 'ōlelo Hawai'i, lomilomi, lā'au lapa'au, ukulele, and kulolo. The Laulima giving program operates as a separate donation channel.

The business model is a hybrid of fee-for-service tuition (preschools and infant/toddler centers), federal grant funding (HRSA, HHS/ACF including MIECHV Grant X10MC29466 and Healthy Marriages Grant 90FM0012-01-00), Hawaii State Department of Health pass-through funding, private foundation grants (including a $500,000 Stupski Foundation grant in August 2025), and tax-deductible community donations. The organization holds a Blue Ribbon Parents as Teachers National Center Affiliate accreditation and is a member of the Your 'Ohana Network. The board includes senior leaders from First Hawaiian Bank, Kaiser Hospital, HMSA, Hawaiian Airlines, and Brookfield Homes Hawaii, reflecting deep institutional ties to Hawaii's corporate and civic establishment.

Name

Keiki O Ka 'Aina

Legal name

Keiki O Ka 'Aina

Website

https://koka.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Keiki O Ka 'Aina is a Hawaii-based nonprofit operating 60+ family learning centers statewide, delivering culturally grounded early childhood education, home visiting, and family support programs to approximately 4,500 Native Hawaiian children and caregivers annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education and Family Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Child Care Services (62441), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Engagement & Home–School Partnership Programs (EDACALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural, Multilingual & Immigrant Family Engagement Programs (EDACALAL), Family Literacy & Early Language Development Programs (EDACALAE), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Family support services
• Home visiting programs
• Hawaiian cultural curriculum
• Childcare financial assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Kailua Kona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: As a non-profit, Keiki O Ka Aina relies heavily on grants to fund its programs and services, including federal funding from the Native Hawaiian Education Program, Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grants, and Hawaii State Department of Health funding.
2. Donations and Contributions: Relies on community support through contributions, volunteers and donations. All contributions and donations are tax deductible.
3. Tuition and Fees: Preschool and infant/toddler center programs charge monthly tuition ranging from $600 to $1,560 depending on program and age group, plus application fees ($20) and comprehensive fees ($180).
4. Federal Grants - Healthy Marriages: Healthy Marriages program funded by US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant: 90FM0012-01-00
5. State and Federal Home Visiting Funding: He Lei Piko program supported by Hawaii State Department of Health and HRSA under grant totaling $1,369,665.00 with 100% funded by HRSA/HHS
6. MIECHV Grant: Home visiting program supported by Hawaii State Department of Health and HRSA under Grant No. X10MC29466 Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Homevisiting Grant Program, $572,991.00

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Keiki O Ka ʻĀina delivers early childhood education and family support services to Hawaii families through family learning centers, home visiting programs, and cultural enrichment offerings. Programs include preschools and infant/toddler centers implementing a Hawaiian culturally-based creative curriculum integrated with Montessori methodology, parent participation programs, evidence-based home visiting (HIPPY, Parents as Teachers, MIECHV, He Lei Piko), marriage and family relationship education, and culturally grounded Hawaiian language and cultural workshops. Tuition-based programs (preschools and infant/toddler centers) operate alongside grant-funded free programs for eligible families.

Product overview

Keiki O Ka 'Aina is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of early childhood education and family support programs across Hawaii. The core offerings include Preschools & Infant/Toddler Centers (birth to 5 years) with Hawaiian-cultural curriculum; Parent Participation Programs (PPP) providing twice-weekly family learning center sessions; home visiting programs including HIPPY, Parents as Teachers (PAT), and the combined He Lei Piko program; Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu Montessori-based parent-child program; and family support services including Healthy Marriages, SFAI (Supporting Families Affected by Incarceration), Ho'omakua (incarcerated fathers), HELP for Childcare financial assistance, and cultural enrichment (Nohona). Programs serve families across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island through multiple learning center locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschools and Infant/Toddler Centers Hawaiian culturally-based early childhood education programs for children from birth to 5 years, implementing creative curriculum with Montessori activities and aligned with NAEYC guidelines and Hawaii State Early Learning and Developmental Standards (HELDS). Campuses located in Pālolo, Māʻili, and Kailua. Tuition ranges from $600 to $1,560 per month depending on age, location, and full-time/part-time status, plus a $20 application fee and $180 comprehensive fee.
• Parent Participation Programs (PPP) Twice-weekly family learning center sessions supporting parents as their child's first teacher, incorporating Hawaiian values (Aloha, Mālama, Kuleana, Laulima) with hands-on learning, S.T.E.A.M. activities, and socialization opportunities. Locations across Oʻahu including Ewa, Honolulu, Kailua, Kaneʻohe, Kapolei, Nanakuli, Punaluʻu, and Waimanalo. Free for eligible families.
• HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) Home-based early childhood education program for 3-5 year olds working with parents as first teachers, providing curriculum materials, books, and weekly sessions with trained parent educators covering literacy, language, science, motor skills, and math domains. Free for eligible families.
• Parents as Teachers (PAT) Nationally accredited home-based parenting program for prenatal mothers, infants, and toddlers providing supportive home visits, research-based strategies, developmental screenings, and literacy-focused activities from prenatal until child turns three. Delivered as a Blue Ribbon Parents as Teachers Affiliate program site. Free for eligible families.
• Kulia I Ka Nuʻu Hawaiian-based Montessori preschool curriculum for parents with children 2.5-5 years, promoting school readiness and parent-child engagement through weekly hour-long sessions at six locations with free childcare provided. Free for eligible families.
• MIECHV (Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting) State and federally funded home visiting program providing weekly home visits to ʻohana from pregnancy through kindergarten, offering PAT and HIPPY programs as part of Hawaii's Your ʻOhana Network. Serves ʻEwa/Kalaeloa, Maui (Wailuku, Kihei, Kahului), and Hawaiʻi Island (Captain Cook to Kiholo Bay). Free for eligible families.
• Healthy Marriages Program Marriage and family relationship support using Loving Couples Loving Children and Six Building Blocks of a Healthy Marriage curricula, featuring date nights, weekend retreats, on-site childcare, and topics including trust, communication, intimacy, and conflict resolution. Funded by US DHHS/ACF Grant 90FM0012-01-00. Free for eligible couples.
• SFAI (Supporting Families Affected by Incarceration) Program supporting children and youth with incarcerated parents through mentoring, parenting education, and parent-child engagement activities including school readiness, Hawaiian culture/language, dramatic play, and Montessori materials. Free for eligible families.
• Hoʻomakua Program empowering incarcerated fathers through Inside/Out Dad and Botvin Life Skills Transitions curricula, case management, mentor matching, and family engagement with services including transitional homes, job readiness, GED support, and career advising. Free for eligible participants.
• He Lei Piko Home Visiting Program State and federally funded home visiting program combining PAT and HIPPY for eligible ʻohana receiving weekly home visits, providing developmental screenings, monthly gatherings, community resource connections, and kindergarten transition support. Serves Kauaʻi, Kona, Maui, and Oʻahu-Wahiawa. Supported by HRSA/HHS grant totaling $1,369,665. Free for eligible families.
• HELP for Childcare Childcare financial assistance program for Native Hawaiian, American Indian, and Alaska Native families with children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, providing up to 12 months of assistance plus 3 months job-search support for families who are working, in school, or in job training.
• Nohona Perpetuating Culture Cultural enrichment programs and events including Simple Hula, Kulolo Workshop, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi language classes, Lomilomi massage, Lāʻau Lapaʻau herbal medicine, beginner's ʻUkulele, and Ka Mahina classes. Delivered in-person and on Zoom.
• Laulima Giving Program Giving program assisting struggling families, elderly, and individuals through donations of goods, cash equivalents, and enriching experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs serve approximately 4,500 children and caregivers across Hawaii

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered notable, minor and core.

• Brookfield Homes HawaiinotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition to construct housing for Keiki O Ka Aina and the Akana family. Brookfield Homes Hawaii, a local venture with one of the largest US home building companies, constructed a large plantation style home and a two-story building to house the organization.
• National Healthy Marriage Resource CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUses research-proven curriculum from the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center for Healthy Marriages program, including Loving Couples Loving Children and Six Building Blocks curricula.
• Your 'Ohana NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Your 'Ohana Network, a statewide network of family support organizations in Hawaii.
• Parents as Teachers National CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFully accredited PAT Program Site and proud Blue Ribbon Parents as Teachers Affiliate, using the 'Parents as Teachers' Foundational Curriculum.
• ABC's Extreme Makeover | Home EditionnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured on ABC's Emmy Award winning reality show Extreme Makeover | Home Edition during its 50-state tour, which built facilities for the organization and the Akana family.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kamehameha Schools: Hawaii's largest private charitable trust educating Native Hawaiian students across K-12, with extensive early childhood and cultural programming. Highly comparable to KOKA on target population and cultural mission, though Kamehameha operates at vastly larger scale and as a K-12 institution.
• Goodwill Industries of Hawaii: Hawaii nonprofit providing workforce development, family services, and community programs across the islands. Comparable to KOKA on multi-program nonprofit service delivery model and statewide Hawaii footprint.

Direct peers

• Parents as Teachers National Center: National purveyor of the evidence-based Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visiting model of which KOKA is a Blue Ribbon Affiliate. Directly comparable on home visiting curriculum, parent educator training, and federal MIECHV grant administration.
• HIPPY USA: National office supporting the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) home visiting model that KOKA delivers. Direct peer on early childhood home instruction methodology, parent educator workforce, and public funding streams.
• Child & Family Service: Hawaii-based nonprofit providing family strengthening, Healthy Marriages, and social services across the islands. Highly comparable to KOKA on family support services portfolio and statewide Hawaii delivery model.
• Honolulu Community Action Program (HCAP): Hawaii's largest Community Action Agency delivering Head Start, early childhood education, and family self-sufficiency programs across Oahu. Directly comparable on federal early childhood funding models and low-income family service delivery in Hawaii.
• ALU LIKE, Inc. Native Hawaiian-serving nonprofit providing economic development, education, and social services statewide. Comparable to KOKA on Native Hawaiian target population and cultural-grounded service design, though with broader economic development scope.
• Hawaii Head Start / Kamehameha Schools 'Aha Pūna Alo Program: Federally-funded Head Start and Native Hawaiian early childhood programs operating across Hawaii. Directly comparable to KOKA on early childhood education delivery, federal funding streams, and Hawaii-focused culturally grounded curricula.
• Papa Ola Lōhkahi: Hawaiian Native Hawaiian Health Care System coordinating health and human services for Native Hawaiians. Comparable to KOKA on Native Hawaiian target population and federal/state funding alignment for indigenous-serving programs.

Regional players

• Hale Kipa: Hawaii nonprofit providing youth and family services including housing, counseling, and independent living. Comparable to KOKA on Hawaii-based family services delivery and youth/family support programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Keiki_O_Ka_Aina
• Facebookfacebook.com/keiki.o.ka.aina.flc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keiki O Ka 'Aina