OHA community engagement team seeks staff, equipment and funds for Hawaiian registry, grants and land-transfer outreach

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Department of Community Engagement presented its FY26–27 budget priorities to the Budget and Finance Committee, asking to fill vacant positions, purchase new Hawaiian Registry Program (HRP) equipment, fund land-transfer community engagement and add trauma‑informed supports for community meetings.

Mahalo. As I have mentioned, the community engagement program, encompasses 2 separate ... beneficiary services and the grants program, Lisa said during the briefing. “The grants program is subject to HRS ten-seventeen and 10 h. We work very much in alignment with that as our North Star,” she added, describing program goals, staffing gaps and planned solicitations for FY26–27.

Why it matters: The presentation tied staffing and equipment needs directly to service delivery for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries statewide. Trustees pressed staff for more detail on how requested funds would be used, how many people benefit from specific line items and whether requested hires and contracts are sufficient to run on-site monitoring, community events and grant solicitations.

Key budget requests and program details

- Staffing: Lisa said the grants manager position would be filled on June 2 and that the department has extended an offer for a grants officer; a…