Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 8, 1 August 2017 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

Reeently, OHA benefieiaries have expressed heightened interest in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' budget. Their calls for accountability have been heard and we want to take this opportunity to provide some illumination of our grant programs, whieh put money directly into Hawaiian communities. The vision and dedication of our programmatic grantees benefit eommunities across the pae 'āina, enabling more Hawaiians to practice their culture, steward their resources and achieve hnaneial stability. At the end of June, OHA announced 23 programmatic grant awards for fiscal year 2018-19. In the coming pages, you ean leam more about their projects, whieh broaden access to education and higher wages, offer assistance in renting or buying a home, encourage healthier lifestyles and protect environmental resources. Later this year, we'll be able to provide an even clearer picture of our grants program, dating back to 2010. Part of this agency's impact is contingent on the success of its grant programs and we're looking forward to sharing measurable results. Our research department is currently compiling a scorecard that will show how mueh OHA has awarded in community grants and how funding these partner organizations furthers OHA's strategic goals. As one example, OHA has funded the Ma Ka Hana Ka 'Ike - Hana Ola Project for nearly six years because of the tremendous difference it's making for the Hāna community in East Maui. Hāna is an isolated, rural Hawaiian community that has to look within to address heahh challenges particular to Native Hawaiians. Although the project is administered by the Queen's Medical Center, it's truly community-driven: Queen's doesn't have a permanent presence in Hāna, and for that matter, neither does

OHA. But that hasn't held the residents of Hāna back. In fact, the funding has galvanized the community and uplifted its collective spirit. Surpassing its heahh goals, the Hana Ola project is reviving community relationships, paving the way for the younger generation. Programmatic grants aren't the only way OHA funding reaches our beneficiaries. Our 'Ahahui Grants support events that benefh Hawaiians, and Hawai'i at large. Also aligned to our strategic priorities, the 'Ahahui events encourage our beneficiaries to take part in cultural activities, manage their heahh

and pursue higher education and better jobs. OHA is providing funding support for several events in August, including the 2017 Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship Regatta in Maui, the First Annual Mālama Nā Keiki Festival on Hawai'i Island and the Future Fest career fair on Moloka'i. You ean learn more about the 'Ahahui grants in this issue. As proud as we are of our grantees' successes, we're not patting ourselves on the back. It's not l about OHA, it's really about our people. When they're empowered, they strengthen their eommunities.

'O au iho no me ke aloha a me ka 'oia'i'o, Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, Ph.D. Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive 0fficer

J 'ŌLELO A KA LUNA HO'OKELE V ^ MESSAGE FR0M THE CE0 r EMPOWERING PEOPLE, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES