HONOLULU, HI – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is making its preliminary budget for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 available to the public for comment.

“Gathering community feedback is important as we chart the path forward and plan how we can best fulfill our mission of the betterment of conditions for Native Hawaiians,” said OHA Chief Executive Officer/Ka Pouhana Dr. Sylvia Hussey. “The preliminary biennium budget is aligned to our new 15-year Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan and provides an overview of how OHAʻs financial resources will be directed over the next two fiscal years.”

OHA’s biennium budget covers the periods from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, (the fiscal year 2022) and July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023 (the fiscal year 2023).

The fiscal years 2022-2023 biennium core budget is the financial expression of OHA’s intention to implement its strategic plan and includes aligned spending priorities and contributing funding sources. Spending priorities for the biennium are to increase beneficiary and community investments to support Native Hawaiian ʻohana and communities and to streamline and refocus personnel and contracts to provide beneficiary services in communities and affect systemic policy change.

Therefore, the annual Beneficiary and Community Investments budget – previously referred to as OHA’s “Grants” budget – is increased to $15.1 million, which now represents the largest share of OHA’s core operating budget and is equal to OHA’s current funding from the Public Land Trust Revenues.

OHA has created a webpage (www.oha.org/budget) that includes key information about OHA and its preliminary biennium budget, including the agency’s organizational structure, funding sources, and the process for budget development. OHA beneficiaries and the general public are encouraged to review the budget and share their manaʻo on OHA’s budget by emailing ohabudget@oha.org. The comment period will close Wednesday, June 16, 2021. Comments from the public will be shared with the OHA Board of Trustees prior to the boardʻs decision-making vote on the budget.

OHA is hosting three public Zoom meetings to provide the public with an overview of the proposed biennium budget on Thursday, June 10 at 6 p.m., Saturday, June 12 at 9 a.m., and Monday, June 14 at 4 p.m. The public is encouraged to register in advance and tune in to the live meetings via www.oha.org/meeting.