He Waʻa He Moku: Preparing for a historic launch of 14 programs to uplift Mana i Mauli Ola

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As summer approaches, OHA’s Strategy & Implementation team stands at the edge of an ambitious new chapter – preparing to launch 14 programs and initiatives designed to move the lāhui forward across education, health, housing, and economic stability. Each of these initiatives reflects the continuous work of OHA – in years past and present – of planning, listening, and building with our communities, and together they aim to activate the long-term vision of Mana i Mauli Ola.

Launching 14 programs is like launching 14 waʻa at once. This is no small feat. And these are not single outrigger waʻa – but double-hulled vessels designed for long-distance voyaging for carrying community and impact.

Each program – whether focused on restorative justice, Native Hawaiian business resilience, affordable housing models, or reimagining education pathways – represents a distinct vessel, with its own crew, resources, needs, and expertise. And yet, they are all paddling toward a shared horizon: a thriving lāhui.

To power this journey, OHA has submitted a bold budget request for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027, grounded in both our urgency in ushering progress for Mana i Mauli Ola, as well as agency to effect OHA’s charge under Chapter 10-6(1) and HRS Chapter 10-H.

Our request reflects the scope and scale required to not only support program delivery, but also the training, community partnerships, and data infrastructure essential for long-term impact.

We make this request with eyes wide open to the broader context. Across the nation, we are witnessing federal funding freezes in critical areas that directly affect our people – Native Hawaiian education, housing, health, and workforce development. These shifts pose real threats to programs that our communities rely upon.

OHA is stepping forward not to replace these resources, but to ensure that in times of instability, we remain anchored in our own commitments to our people.

This is more than a launch. It is a test of how we align systems and spirit, and how we honor legacy while innovating boldly. Over the past year, our team has worked tirelessly to prepare each “waʻa,” developing internal capacity, consulting with community, ensuring readiness in grants management, and engaging in early dialogue towards designing evaluation frameworks rooted in Indigenous values.

We are moving with intention – not just to fund projects, but to build movements.

There is an ʻōlelo noʻeau: “He waʻa he moku, he moku he waʻa; the canoe is an island, the island is a canoe.” As we embark on this voyage, we do so knowing we have finite resources, but collective intelligence as a team, as a lāhui.

We invite our lāhui to engage and dialogue with us on this launch. Together, we can transform this moment of potential instability into one of resurgence.

E holomua kākou me ka naʻauao, me ka ikaika, a me ke aloha ʻāina. Let us move forward with wisdom, strength, and love for our land and people.