Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 11, 1 November 1986 — Wakinekona Staff Members Visit OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Wakinekona Staff Members Visit OHA

Carol R.H. Ford, federal grants officer, and Larry Kamakawiwo'ole, federal liaison officer, were summertime visitors to the Oahu headquarters of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The two faraway OHA staff members are based in Washington, D.C., where they keep watch over Hawaiian issues, legislation, grants and all other matters relating to Hawaii and especially Hawaiians. Ford was the first to meet and rap with fellow staff officers during the last week of July and early August and Kamakawiwo'ole followed two weeks later. Ford shared information she has accumulated during her years in Washington, including first hand experience working for federal granting agencies.

She noted that getting funds from Washington today is not like it was 10 or even five years ago. Spending months writing a proposal is also not enough. Mueh leg work needs to be done in soliciting and selecting the appropriate agencies. Pre-proposal contact must then be initiated and maintained.

Ford and Kamakawiwo'ole paee the distance between Senator's offices and federal funding agencies on OHA's behalf. Kamakawiwo'le's meetings with staff officers also gave further insight on the workings in Washington and what the two distant staff members go through during their daily working schedule. Both extended their mahalo for the hospitality and courtesy extended them during their respective working visits.

Carol Ford