Project mālama (mentoring and advancing local access for meaningful achievement)

Project MALAMA Federal Grant Award Summary

Chaminade University of Honolulu received a $100,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services under the Special Education—Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program (CFDA 84.325). The award, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, supports Project MALAMA (Mentoring and Advancing Local Access for Meaningful Achievement), a special education workforce development initiative serving Hawaii. Under this grant, the university provides research-based training and professional development designed to prepare qualified special education personnel, related services providers, and early intervention specialists to work effectively with children with disabilities across the state.

The CFDA 84.325 program supports competitive grants that help address state-identified workforce gaps by funding personnel preparation activities in special education and related service areas. Project MALAMA aligns with this mandate by building Hawaii's capacity to train and develop the special education workforce, contributing to the availability of fully certified professionals equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to serve children with disabilities. The award represents one of Chaminade's multiple active federal education and workforce development initiatives and reflects the university's established role as a primary recipient of federal special education funding.