What's Being Discussed

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Budget and Finance Committee is meeting on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The committee will review minutes from its last meeting and then take up three main topics:

• Event sponsorship awards: Approving funding for 11 community events and organizations through OHA's Hoʻākoakoa Lāhui sponsorship program, including cultural celebrations, youth STEAM activities, outrigger canoe recognition, and peace marches.
• Agricultural disaster relief: Expanding an existing farming support program (Mahiʻai Micro Fund) by reallocating up to $225,000 to help farmers recover from damage caused by the March 2026 Kona Low storm.
• Disaster relief fund flexibility: Allowing unused Home Depot gift cards from the Kōkua Kaʻū relief effort to be redirected to help Native Hawaiian households on Kauaʻi affected by Hurricane Lowell, while moving equivalent cash funds back to support Kaʻū community recovery. The total amount of disaster relief money stays the same — it is simply being redistributed where it is needed most.

Decisions Expected

• A vote to approve event sponsorship grants for 11 organizations and adjust the related budget.
• A vote to expand agricultural recovery funding by $225,000.
• A vote to amend previous disaster relief actions to allow a dollar-for-dollar exchange of gift cards and grant funds between the Kōkua Kaʻū and Hurricane Lowell relief programs.

Who Should Pay Attention

• Native Hawaiian community members and families affected by the Kona Low storms or Hurricane Lowell.
• Farmers and agricultural workers seeking recovery assistance.
• Community organizations that applied for event sponsorship funding.
• Anyone interested in how OHA manages its budget and disaster relief resources.