Kua'aina Ulu 'Auamo

What Kua'aina Ulu 'Auamo does

Kua'āina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit backbone organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi, that supports grassroots community-based biocultural resource management across the Hawaiian Islands. The organization facilitates three formal networks: E Alu Pū (linking more than 32 communities managing local biocultural heritage), Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa (a network of fishpond practitioners with 100+ kiaʻi loko convening annually), and Limu Hui (a network of elders, educators, and community members restoring native Hawaiian limu/seaweed). KUA also supports the Lawaiʻa Pono program for place-based fishing practices, advocates for Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Areas (CBSFAs), and operates a community lending library and research repository. It is not a technology company: its core infrastructure is community organizing, advocacy, and knowledge-sharing, with a WordPress-based website and standard social media channels as the only technical footprint.

KUA generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit funding mix including individual donations, foundation grants (notably Harold K.L. Castle Foundation and Office of Hawaiian Affairs), and facilitation of government conservation funding. Its go-to-market is community-led: Kuaʻāina Advocates and network coordinators engage directly with communities across islands, with no pricing model since services are provided at no cost to participants. Customer segments are primarily rural fishing communities, traditional Hawaiian practitioners, and community-based organizations, with secondary engagement of Pacific Indigenous communities and state/federal agencies.

In 2025, KUA supported passage of 11 legislative measures (50% success rate across 22 backed bills), including Act 203 (HB2218) creating a formal pathway for community co-management of public lands, Act 71 designating ʻōpaeʻula as state shrimp, and Act 96 (SB1396) establishing the Green Fee projected to generate approximately $100 million per year for conservation. The organization holds membership in the ICCA Consortium, has received the 2019 UNDP Equator Prize and 2015 National Wetlands Award, and participates in international forums including the UN Ocean Conference and Pacific Community dialogues in Fiji.

Name

Kua'aina Ulu 'Auamo

Legal name

Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo

Website

https://kuahawaii.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kua'āina Ulu ʻAuamo is a Hawaiian nonprofit backbone organization that facilitates three community networks — E Alu Pū (32+ communities), Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa, and Limu Hui — supporting Native Hawaiian biocultural resource management, traditional fishpond and limu restoration, and legislative advocacy for community co-management of public lands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biocultural Resource Management

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Biocultural resource management
• Community network facilitation
• Traditional fisheries restoration
• Environmental policy advocacy
• Community land co-management

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaneohe, Hawaii

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: KUA operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through individual donations and contributions from supporters. The website includes a donate button for public contributions.
2. Foundation Grants: KUA receives funding support from foundations including the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. These grants support network operations, advocacy efforts, and community programs.
3. Government Funding: KUA advocates for and facilitates government funding for community-based resource management programs, including green fee (environmental stewardship fee) generating approximately $100 million per year for conservation initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kua'āina Ulu ʻAuamo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit backbone organization that facilitates community networks, advocacy, knowledge sharing, and resource coordination for biocultural stewardship in Hawai'i. Its core work centers on E Alu Pū, Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa, and Limu Hui, with related support for community-based subsistence fishing, fishpond and limu restoration, research resources, and community co-management agreements.

Product overview

Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA) is a backbone organization that supports grassroots growing through shared responsibility. KUA does not offer a unified software product but rather facilitates and coordinates multiple community networks and programs focused on biocultural resource management: the E Alu Pū Network (32+ communities), Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa (fishpond practitioners), Limu Hui (seaweed practitioners), Lawaiʻa Pono (fishing practices), Community Co-management Agreements advocacy, Research resources, and a Lending Library. These programs work together to achieve the shared vision of ʻāina momona — abundant and healthy ecological systems that sustain community resilience and well-being.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 CBSFAs designated after 30+ years of advocacy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered significant, minor and core.

• Yale School of the EnvironmentsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Collaboration with Yale School of the Environment class on 'Public Lands and Tribal Natural Resource Management' under Professor Pat Gonzales-Rogers. Students supported research preparations for Community Co-management Agreements legislation. Deliverables included a Co-management Laws & Agreements Report.
• Hosea Lovell FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Host of the Ko'olau Limu Festival in Anahola, Kaua'i. KUA supports the festival through the Limu Hui network, with KUA helping bring network members to participate.
• Oregon State University (OSU)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025OSU sponsored KUA's participation in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France. Collaboration on Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) effectiveness tool development with Dr. Kirsten Grorud-Colvert and team.
• Pacific CommunitysignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Regional intergovernmental organization supporting community-based fisheries management across Pacific Island nations. KUA participated as convenor in community-based fisheries dialogues in Fiji.
• Hui Makaʻāinana o MakanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Presented on their work as a potential OECM case study at meetings in Santiago, Chile. Their work in Hā'ena State Park includes teaching Nā Inoa Kahakai, managing the CBSFA, and utilizing Native Hawaiian practices in ʻāina stewardship.
• Trust for Public LandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2015National nonprofit land conservation organization. KUA partnered with TPL Hawaiian Islands Program for PARK(ing) Day events in Honolulu. TPL has protected significant lands across Hawaii.
• E Alu Pū NetworkcoreOthersA statewide network linking more than 32 communities from around Hawai'i to increase their effectiveness in managing local biocultural heritage. KUA serves as the backbone organization supporting this network.
• Hui Mālama Loko IʻacoreOthersA growing network of fishpond practitioners and organizations from across Hawai'i. The Hui was formed as an opportunity for practitioners to empower each other and leverage their skills, knowledge and resources related to restoration and management of loko iʻa (traditional Hawaiian fishponds).
• Limu HuicoreOthersA network of elders, educators, and community members from across Hawai'i who gather, care for and work to restore native Hawaiian limu (seaweed) around the islands. KUA partnered with the ʻEwa Limu Project in 2014 to initiate the network.
• ICCA ConsortiumsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerKUA holds membership and actively participates in the ICCA Consortium, a global consortium connecting and supporting territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. This accreditation enabled full participation in UNOC3.
• Hui Makaʻāinana o MakanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Hā'ena that KUA works closely with on CBSFA implementation, fishpond restoration, and cultural preservation. HuiMaka'ainana o Makana presented on their work at international OECM meetings in Chile.
• Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState agency responsible for natural resource management. KUA works with DLNR divisions including DOFAW, State Parks, DAR, and DOCARE on community co-management agreements, CBSFAs, Makai Watch Program, and other initiatives.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization that conducted a 6-year study showing fish population increase in Ka'ūpūlehu rest area. Works with Hui Aloha Kīholo on fishpond work. Partnership noted in various community restoration efforts.
• Hui Kū Maoli OlaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNative plant nursery that provided flora for KUA's PARK(ing) Day event. Community partner for environmental restoration activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ICCA Consortium: Global consortium supporting territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities; KUA is a member and co-participant in OECM dialogues. Closely comparable as a peer network organization in indigenous-led conservation.
• 'Ahahui Mālama I Ka Lokahi: Hawaii-based nonprofit focused on native Hawaiian ecosystem restoration, cultural preservation, and environmental education. Most directly comparable to KUA as a community-rooted cultural-ecological nonprofit operating in the same Hawaiian geography.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit working through its Hawaiian Islands Program on land conservation and community-based outdoor space. Listed in KUA's data as a PARK(ing) Day partner, and comparable as a Hawaii-based conservation funder/operator.
• Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA): Semi-autonomous state agency mandated to improve the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians; a major financial partner of KUA. Comparable as a Hawaiian-focused institution channeling government funding toward Native Hawaiian cultural and resource stewardship.
• The Nature Conservancy (Hawaii Program): Major international environmental nonprofit with an active Hawaii program that works on marine and freshwater conservation, co-management with Hawaiian communities, and fishpond restoration. Directly comparable as a conservation operator with overlapping partner communities, including Hui Aloha Kīholo cited in KUA's data.
• Ka Honua Momona: Moloka'i-based community organization advancing biocultural restoration and community resilience. Highly comparable as a small, place-based Hawaiian nonprofit operating at the intersection of cultural and ecological stewardship.
• Hawai'i Wildlife Fund: Hawaii-based nonprofit focused on marine wildlife conservation, coastal ecosystem restoration, and community-based conservation programs. Closely comparable as a small Hawaii-focused conservation nonprofit in the same island ecosystem.
• Hawai'i Conservation Alliance: Coalition of conservation organizations, agencies, and cultural institutions working on Hawaiian conservation. Comparable as a coordinating body in Hawaii's conservation ecosystem with overlapping partners and government liaisons.

Emerging players

• Bishop Museum: Largest natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, focused on Hawaiian and Pacific culture. Comparable as a Hawaiian cultural heritage organization with overlapping subject-matter focus on traditional practices and knowledge.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat: Regional intergovernmental organization coordinating policy across Pacific Island nations, including on ocean and fisheries management. Comparable as a broader regional actor that convenes Pacific indigenous communities on resource management, similar to KUA's ICCA/Pacific Community work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/kuahawaii
• Facebookfacebook.com/kuahawaii
• Instagraminstagram.com/kuaainauluauamo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kua-aina-ulu-auamo

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kua'aina Ulu 'Auamo