Four nonprofits that work to preserve Native Hawaiian culture will receive more than $500,000 in grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Sen. Mazie K. Hirono announced on Friday.

The four grants, which come from Native Hawaiian Library Services, were awarded to:

>> Bishop Museum: $140,104 to digitize and index a rare collection of mele dating from pre-Western contact to the early 1900s for its “Welo Hou: Building Connections to the Helen Roberts Mele Collection” project.

>> Hawaii Maoli: $128,569 to implement the Nana I Ke Kumu project, providing library research skills training for 40 Native Hawaiian students and Hawaiian resource database workshops for at least 125 educators.

>> Hula Preservation Society: $143,517 for its Kauhola Hou project which will help to digitally preserve an additional 700 treasured historical items dating back to 1890 as well well provide internship opportunities for Native Hawaiian youth entering the Library Information Science and Hawaiian Studies fields.

>> Papahana Kuaola: $146,177 to implement its Makaikai Mele a Moolelo project, which increases interest in reading through understanding and appreciation of traditional Hawaiian literature and the places to which they are connected. The program will serve over 300 students and teachers, 320 community members from kupuna service agencies and programs and 50 families from Oahu, Molokai, and Lanai