North Kohala Community Resource Center

North Kohala Community Resource Center (Nkcrc) is a non-profit organization and community development corporation located in Hawi, Hawaii, registered in SAM.gov since 2009. The organization focuses on community-based cultural and environmental preservation initiatives, working primarily with local youth to document and sustain traditional knowledge and ecological practices in the Kohala region of Hawaii Island. Nkcrc demonstrates a commitment to place-based learning and community engagement through its programmatic work, leveraging educational approaches that connect younger generations with local heritage, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation.

The organization has received federal grant awards from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities, supporting projects that integrate scientific inquiry, environmental management, and cultural documentation. The NOAA grants, specifically the "Kohala Unupa'a: Watchers and Caretakers" programs (awarded in 2020 and 2023), focus on service learning and environmental stewardship, providing Kohala students opportunities to engage in scientific research and apply place-based environmental management practices from mountain to ocean. The most recent National Endowment for the Humanities grant, "A Taste of Kohala: A Youth Oral History Documentary Film Project" (awarded in March 2025), represents an innovative approach to cultural preservation by training students in oral history documentation and filmmaking, with objectives including creating a digital exhibit, printed cookbook, interactive heritage center exhibit, and capturing up to 20 community oral histories that explore food traditions and cultural experiences in the Kohala community.