What Alu Like does

ALU LIKE, Inc. is a Hawaii-based non-profit organization founded in 1975 that delivers a comprehensive suite of social, educational, and cultural services to Native Hawaiians across the state. The organization operates six core service departments: Ho'āla Hou (substance abuse prevention for ages 10-17), Ho'omānea 'Ōiwi (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-funded employment and training), Ka Ipu Kā'eo (career and technical education plus scholarships), Kūlia Like (individual and family financial stability), Kumu Kahi (elderly services), and Ka Waihona Puke 'Ōiwi (Native Hawaiian Library). ALU LIKE's proprietary technology assets include the Ulukau Hawaiian Electronic Library, the Hawaii Digital Library (HDL), and the Hawaiian Language Legacy Program (HLLP), which together preserve and disseminate 19th and 20th century Hawaiian-language cultural materials — assets that constitute a unique cultural-content library rather than a software platform.

The organization is funded almost entirely through federal, state, county, and private grants, with no commercial product sales. Primary federal funding sources include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Administration for Native Americans (ANA, continuous since 1976), the U.S. Department of Education (including Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act), and the U.S. Department of Labor's Division of Indian and Native American Programs (DINAP, since 1978). State purchase-of-service contracts and grants from Kamehameha Schools Kaiāulu supplement federal funding, and individual donations are accepted via an online portal. All services are provided free of charge to eligible Native Hawaiians; voluntary donations are accepted for select programs such as Ke Ola Pono No Nā Kūpuna.

ALU LIKE's go-to-market is community-led and direct: services are delivered through a statewide network of 20 offices spanning Oahu, Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, and Molokai, supplemented by in-person program sites at schools, community centers, and senior centers, and Zoom-based online classes (notably for Money SMARTS financial literacy). Customer acquisition relies on partner referrals from the Native Hawaiian Career & Technical Education Program (NHCTEP) consortium — comprising Castle High School, Marimed Foundation, Kapiolani Community College, Kauai Community College, Leeward Community College, and Windward Community College — as well as word-of-mouth within the Native Hawaiian community. The organization is led by President/CEO Mervina K.M. Cash-Kaeo and has grown from a $125,000 single-office operation in 1976 to an approximately $20 million organization serving more than 100,000 individuals cumulatively over its 50-year history.

Name

Alu Like

Legal name

ALU LIKE, Inc.

Website

https://alulike.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ALU LIKE, Inc. is a Hawaii-based non-profit founded in 1975 that delivers statewide social, educational, employment, and elderly services to Native Hawaiians through 20 offices across Oahu, Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, and Molokai, funded primarily by federal, state, and private grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Grants: Primary funding from federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) since 1976, U.S. Department of Education, and Department of Labor through DINAP. Funding supports various programs including Older Americans Act Title VI programs.
2. State Purchase of Service Contracts: State of Hawaii purchase of service contracts fund various community programs and services.
3. County and Private Foundation Grants: Grants from county governments and private foundations including Kamehameha Schools Kaiaulu for scholarship and education programs.
4. Individual Donations: Donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to assist Native Hawaiians. Online donation portal available on website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ALU LIKE, Inc. is a non-profit social services organization that delivers free programs to Native Hawaiians statewide through six service departments covering youth substance abuse prevention, employment and workforce training, career and technical education with scholarships, individual and family financial stability, elderly nutrition and caregiver support, and a Native Hawaiian library. All programs are provided at no charge to eligible participants and are funded through federal, state, county, and private grants plus individual donations, delivered via approximately 20 office locations across Hawaii.

Product overview

ALU LIKE, Inc. is a non-profit social service organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for Native Hawaiians. The organization operates six core service departments: Ho'āla Hou (substance abuse prevention), Ho'omānea 'Ōiwi (employment and training), Ka Ipu Kā'eo (career/technical education and scholarships), Kūlia Like (individual and family stability), Kumu Kahi (elderly services), and Ka Waihona Puke 'Ōiwi (Native Hawaiian Library). These programs work together to provide wraparound support—from youth prevention services and career development to elder care and cultural preservation—with the Money SMARTS personal finance program, scholarship assistance, and caregiver support as key sub-services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ho'āla Hou – High Risk Reduction Substance abuse prevention services for Native Hawaiian youth ages 10-17, providing education on the dangers of substance abuse through evidence-based curriculums, ongoing substance-free activities at schools statewide, and partnerships with local agencies.
• Ho'omānea 'Ōiwi – Employment & Training Workforce development services funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) providing outreach, intake, assessment, career counseling, work experience, occupational skills training, educational and tuition assistance, tutoring, and internships for Native Hawaiian adults 18+ and youth ages 14-24.
• Native Hawaiian Career & Technical Education Program (NHCTEP) Career and technical education program established in 1986 that prepares Native Hawaiians for the workforce through consortium partnerships with schools, providing tutoring, mentoring, technical assistance, and internship opportunities in health careers, maritime industry, natural resources, and medical assisting.
• Native Hawaiian Financial Aid Assistance Programs Financial assistance programs including the Summer School Assistance Program (SSAP), Hana Lima Scholarship Program (HLSP), and National Board Certification Scholarship for Native Hawaiian students at various educational levels.
• Money SMARTS – Personal Finance Class Free eight-hour personal finance course covering goal setting, banking tools, budgeting, credit management, and investment planning for individuals and families with moderate income, sponsored by the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services.
• Kūlia Like – Individual & Family Stability Economic strengthening services enhancing skills for financial and survival decisions toward self-sufficiency, including the Money SMARTS personal finance classes and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for Native Hawaiian individuals and families.
• Ke Ola Pono No Nā Kūpuna Program Nutrition and supportive services for independent Native Hawaiians 60 years and older, providing congregate and home-delivered meals, transportation, health monitoring, and cultural activities including hula, Hawaiian language, and history. Voluntary donations accepted.
• Native Hawaiian Caregiver Support Program Support services for families caring for older Native Hawaiian relatives with chronic conditions or disabilities, including information, referrals, counseling, support groups, caregiver training, and respite support.
• Kumu Kahi – Elderly Services Department Department dedicated to enriching and enhancing the lives of Native Hawaiian elders by preserving health, dignity, self-respect, cultural identity, and promoting lifelong learning through the Ke Ola Pono No Nā Kūpuna and Native Hawaiian Caregiver Support programs.
• Ka Waihona Puke 'Ōiwi – Native Hawaiian Library Library and information services established in 1985 providing resources for adults and children, including Hawaiian language document preservation through the Hawaiian Language Legacy Program, digital collections (Ulukau Hawaiian Electronic Library and Hawaii Digital Library), and community reading programs.
• Ka Ipu Kā'eo – CTE & Scholarships Education department focused on career and technical education, professional certification classes, and STEM education for Native Hawaiians, encompassing the NHCTEP career and technical education programs, Native Hawaiian Financial Aid Assistance Programs, and community partnerships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 100,000+ individuals since 1975
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Waiwai CollectiveminorOthers · 22 February 2025Venue partner for the 50th Piha Makahiki celebration event. Located at 1110 University Avenue, Honolulu.
• Marimed FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Native Hawaiian Career & Technical Education Program (NHCTEP) consortium. Provides Maritime Careers Exploration program, internships, and maritime industry training opportunities for Native Hawaiian youth.
• Castle High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHCTEP consortium service provider offering medical academy pathway career and technical education programs.
• Kapiolani Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHCTEP consortium partner providing career and technical education pathways (Kulia Ma Kapiolani program).
• Kauai Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHCTEP consortium partner providing career and technical education programs on Kauai.
• Leeward Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHCTEP consortium partner with Kipuka program providing career and technical education for Leeward Oahu.
• Windward Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHCTEP consortium partner with Ao Kahi program providing career and technical education for Windward Oahu.
• The Polynesian Voyaging SocietyminorOthersHonored at ALU LIKE's 50th Piha Makahiki celebration for contributions to the Native Hawaiian community.
• Native Hawaiian Health Care SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for health monitoring, health promotion, education, and physical activities at Ke Ola Pono program sites for Native Hawaiian elders.
• Pacific Shipyards InternationalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partner that hired Kekoa Ochmann as one of the first interns from the Maritime Careers Exploration program. Provides internship and employment opportunities.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hawaiian Community Assets: Native Hawaiian economic empowerment and financial capability nonprofit. Direct peer to ALU LIKE's Kūlia Like / Money SMARTS programming with overlapping personal finance, asset-building, and Native Hawaiian community focus.
• Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement: Statewide Native Hawaiian advocacy and capacity-building organization. Comparable in mission, community-led delivery model, and grant funding profile, with parallel programs in economic empowerment, housing, and education.
• Native Hawaiian Education Council: Federally mandated council coordinating Native Hawaiian education policy and programs. Comparable in education-program focus, federal funding relationships, and Native Hawaiian target population.
• Partners in Development Foundation: Hawaii-based community nonprofit providing programs in education, social enterprises, and community resilience. Comparable in wraparound service model, statewide Hawaii delivery, and grant-funded operating structure.
• Queen Liliuokalani Trust: Trust serving orphaned and destitute Native Hawaiian children through direct services, housing, and education support. Direct peer in mission-aligned Native Hawaiian social services, with overlapping youth/education programs and shared federal/state funding relationships.
• Papa Ola Lōkahi: The Native Hawaiian Health Care System coordinating body. Direct peer in Native Hawaiian health and social services with overlapping federal (DHHS) funding relationships and a shared statewide service-delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Office of Hawaiian Affairs: State agency responsible for improving the welfare of Native Hawaiians. Overlaps with ALU LIKE on education, housing, health, and economic self-sufficiency programs, with a broader (and government-backed) mandate and considerably larger resource base.
• Kamehameha Schools: Hawaii's largest private landowner and a major Native Hawaiian education institution. Highly comparable target population (Native Hawaiians) and overlapping programs in scholarships, CTE, and cultural education, but operates with a vastly larger endowment and broader scope.

Emerging players

• National Urban Indian Family Education Center: Indigenous education and family-services nonprofit focused on urban American Indian/Alaska Native families. Comparable culturally grounded, family-stability service model and federal grant dependence, though smaller in scale and serving a different Indigenous population.

Regional players

• American Indian College Fund: National nonprofit supporting Indigenous higher education and tribal colleges. Comparable in mission (Indigenous education, scholarships, CTE) and revenue model (federal/private grants, donations), but serves mainland American Indian/Alaska Native populations rather than Native Hawaiians.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Alu Like