County Of Kauai

County Of Kauai is a U.S. local government entity and county in Lihue, Hawaii that acts as a recipient of federal grants across social services, public safety, infrastructure, and emergency management, competing neither for federal contracts nor as a subcontractor. The county holds no federal contract prime positions or IDVs; its federal footprint consists entirely of grant awards split evenly between prime recipient status (51% of 190 awards) and sub-recipient awards (49%) passed through state intermediaries and other grantor bodies. County Of Kauai does not compete under SBA set-asides or any procurement vehicle; it operates as a grant recipient under direct federal appropriations, formula allocations, and congressionally directed spending.

The county's grant portfolio spans six major funding streams. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Public and Indian Housing Office funds Family Self-Sufficiency Program coordinator positions through annual project grants ($250,616 for 2026, $2.98 million in cumulative Housing Trust Fund and HOME subawards for rental and single-family development as of June 2026). The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded three named initiatives: a $550,000 Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program grant (October 2024–September 2027) to operate a mental health diversion program through the Prosecuting Attorney's Office; a $1 million Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative grant (October 2023–March 2028) to expand the "E Hoi I Ka Piko" reentry program; and recurring Justice Assistance Grants supporting the Kauai Police Department and Prosecuting Attorney training, equipment, and vertical prosecution operations (drug-focused, domestic violence, and victim witness programs). FEMA has provided two Assistance to Firefighters Grants ($388,000 awarded August 2024, $248 thousand awarded August 2022) for equipment, training, and safety initiatives. HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development has awarded multiple Community Development Block Grants on formula and congressionally directed bases, with cumulative ultimate completion extending to 2034. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funded two project grants—Hanapepe Salt Pond dune restoration ($458,821, August 2024–July 2028) for coastal climate resilience and habitat protection; and Waimea 400 wetland restoration engineering studies ($1.3 million, October 2023–March 2027). The Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration awarded a $200,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant (May 2024–May 2026) for comprehensive transportation safety planning. The Environmental Protection Agency funded $300,000 in Brownfields Assessment and Remediation support (October 2021–October 2026) and a $1.2 million Congressionally Mandated Projects cooperative agreement (October 2024–December 2027) for Wailua-Kapaa sewer collection system inspections and engineering studies.

Sub-recipient awards reflect county departments and agencies acting as pass-through beneficiaries under state and federal funding. County of Kauai Transit Agency has received over $8.8 million in FTA Section 5339 bus and facility funding (March 2026) for battery electric bus acquisition and Lihue Base Yard expansion. The Kauai Fire Department receives subawards from Hawaii Department of Defense disaster relief and emergency management appropriations. The Prosecuting Attorney and Kauai Police Department receive subawards from Hawaii Attorney General (STOP Violence Against Women, victim witness programs, drug task force coordination) and Hawaii Department of Transportation (impaired driving, seat belt enforcement, traffic records eCitation systems). The Department of Health passes through Nutrition Services Incentive Program funds and Title III aging services (congregate meals, home-delivered meals, supportive services, family caregiver support).

Customer concentration is broad and heavily weighted toward disaster relief and emergency services. FEMA Headquarters Financial Assistance Awards account for 51 of 190 awards (27% of total); HUD's Community Planning and Development account for 22 awards; DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance for 16 awards; HHS Administration for Community Living for 13 awards; and DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 12 awards. These five customers comprise 60% of award count. The source reports combined potential value as $7 thousand—a data artifact reflecting the difference between grant award ceiling values and actual documented obligation amounts ($121 million obligated). Five awards reach ultimate completion inside the next twenty-four months and face recompete or renewal cycle risk.

County Of Kauai's activity accelerated in 2024, with 43 awards recorded that year compared to 7 in 2022 and 13 in 2023. Recent 2025 and 2026 activity remains elevated at 13 and 14 awards respectively, driven by recurring formula grants, disaster recovery subawards following weather events, and grant renewals tied to multi-year programs. The county's operations span public housing, criminal justice, emergency management, aging services, transit, and coastal restoration—placing it squarely in the local government grant ecosystem rather than the federal contracting market.