Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 1, 1 January 2017 — Hawaiʻi lsland incubator open for business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiʻi lsland incubator open for business

By Ka Wai Ola Staff The costs of running a business or nonprofit ean be formidable when expenses like furniture, parking, cleaning services and Internet access eat into the operating budget. Hawaiian Community Assets is trying to make it easier for Hawai'i Island entrepreneurs, business owners and nonprofits to rent lowcost work spaces - with rates as low as $15 a day. Up to 10 ineuhator office spaces will be available at HCA's Financial Opportunity Center in Keaukaha - all furnished and offering access to parking, printers, free wifi, meeting and conference rooms, shared kitchen facilities and restrooms. "HCA's goal with the Financial Opportunity Center was to not only provide opportunities for workers and working families to increase ineome, but to also create low-cost,

high-value working spaces for innovative job creators that will help them build our 21 st century eeonomy," said Kelly Lineoln, HCA's Hawai'i Island Program Coordinator. "We are open for business!" In addition to office space, the HCA facility provides access to Ananeial education and coaching, as well as information about grants and loans that ean help businesses

find Ananeial footing. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has partnered with HCA to offer support for startups in 2017, including small business training, technical assistance and loans up to $50,000. An Office of Hawaiian Affairs grantee, Hawaiian Community Assets launched the Financial Opportunity Center in 2015 to help

Hawai'i Island residents increase their incomes. In addition to the new incubator space and technical support, the center also offers match savings accounts, consumer loans,

free tax preparation and employment services. Contact Kelly Lineoln at (808) 934-0801 or kelly@hawaiiancommunity.net to learn more. ■

HCAs goal with the Financial Opportunity Center was to not only provide opportunities for worhers and worhing families to increase ineome, but to also create low-cost, high-value worhing spaces for innovative job creators that will help them build our 2ist century economy." — Kelly Lineoln, HCAs Hawai'i Island Program Coordinator

Offices in the Financial Opportunity Center offer low-cost office space to Hawai'i lsland businesses and nonprofits who need to rent workspace by the day or month. - Photo: Courtesy ofHawaiian Community Assets