What's Being Discussed

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Budget and Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The meeting can be attended in person in Honolulu, watched online via livestream, or joined by phone.

The main topics include:

• Community event sponsorships: The committee will consider funding for 22 organizations through OHA's Hoʻākoakoa Lāhui program for the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2027. Events range from hula competitions and canoe racing to cultural festivals, a keiki surf contest, a farmers union convention, and a music mentorship program.
• International conference travel: A proposal to fund a ten-person Hawaiʻi delegation to attend a global Indigenous health conference in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, in November 2026, at a cost of up to $75,300.
• Program update: OHA staff will present an end-of-year report on the Kūlana ʻĀina Food Systems & Workforce Program, covering results, lessons learned, and plans going forward.
• Continued program funding: The committee will consider releasing $442,600 to continue the Kūlana ʻĀina program in Fiscal Year 2027.

Decisions Expected

• A vote on approving community event sponsorship awards for 22 organizations statewide
• A vote on funding a delegation to an international Indigenous health conference
• A vote on releasing over $442,000 for OHA's food systems and workforce program

Who Should Pay Attention

• Native Hawaiian community members and organizations seeking OHA sponsorships
• Anyone interested in how OHA allocates its budget
• Those connected to Hawaiian cultural events, food systems, or workforce programs
• Community members curious about OHA's involvement in international Indigenous affairs