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Community engagement reports HRP automation, stronger grant oversight and asks for targeted staffing
Summary
Community Engagement updated the committee on automation of the Hawaiian Registry application, expanded outreach and higher‑than‑expected registry participation, proposed HRP card design work and requested a grants officer and genealogy support in FY27; some unspent contract funds were made available to support temporary staff reallocation.
Lisa von Sakona, director of Community Engagement, told trustees the Hawaiian Registry application is now automated and that increased outreach has driven registration numbers above projections. The office is requesting a realignment to support design and deployment of a new HRP card to grow the registry database and to improve beneficiary services.
Von Sakona outlined grants‑program oversight enhancements, including on‑site monitoring of grant recipients and plans to deploy grants‑management software; she also requested an additional grants officer for FY27 to support the anticipated growth in grants (CIP and other allocations). The office asked to carry over funds for outreach equipment and to deploy HR printing machines statewide so each OHA field office can print HRP cards locally.
Trustees pressed for details on HRP card supply and printing spend (staff said a large order has been placed and that remaining HRP card funds will be encumbered as needed) and confirmed that some beneficiary‑services contract funds (community facilitators and trauma‑informed specialists) were released by program directors and reallocated as part of BF2606 to sustain temporary Remedy staffing.
Next steps: staff will present timeline for HRP card deployment and the hiring timeline for the brand engagement manager and the grants officer; they will monitor grant CIP carryovers and report back as encumbrances proceed.
