Kūlaniākea (Kulaniakea)

Kūlaniākea is a native Hawaiian–serving, 501(c)(3) early learning organization based in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu that operates Hawaiian-immersion, nature-based preschool and kindergarten programs. The organization centers Hawaiian language, culture, and values in daily instruction and provides regular access to outdoor classrooms and place-based learning experiences. Kūlaniākea develops culture-based curriculum and digital learning resources for young children and families, and runs named program strands (for example Hiʻilei and Kamaliʻi) that span early education and family learning. The organization has operated as a donor-facing nonprofit since mid-2010s and has received competitive federal Native Hawaiian Education Program funding and other grants to scale its early-childhood services. In recent years Kūlaniākea has increased its programmatic reach and institutional capacity: it was a recipient of multi-year Native Hawaiian Education Program awards, has maintained national early-childhood accreditation, and reported fiscal growth consistent with expanding program operations.