COM 0528.000 2020-2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Workforce Development,Research, and Innovation 8. Implement critical investment and system improvement strategies within the UH system that address needed infrastructure, equipment, curriculum, research,technology, data, and staff needed to address the challenges and opportunities with the Agriculture Cluster. Preliminary Metrics of Success A stable local economy is a requirement for strategic growth and innovation. This proposal recommends projects that will serve island residents and small business owners who have persevered in the face of repeated economic and geopolitical shocks resulting from natural disasters including hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding, and volcanic eruptions; and pandemics such as SARS and now COVID-19. This series of events has stretched the limits of the region's endurance, making clear that the need to restructure the local economy quickly is critical to building resilience for the future. The most important metrics of success will indicate improvements in labor force participation, income and wages, and poverty rates of the estimated 200,629 residents of Hawaii County (U.S. Census, 2020). While Hawai`i's unemployment rate has recovered significantly from the effects of the pandemic, Hawaii County's employment rate lags behind the State and the United States.Nonfarm unemployment rates for August 21, 2021, for the County, the State, and the United States were 6.9%, 6.6%, and 5.2%, respectively. We will evaluate the proposed projects success in the following ways: Value chain infrastructure: new and improved value chain infrastructure(#and sq ft); amount(#) of waste diverted and Amount(KWH)of energy saved from renewable energy integrated within the facilities; average income of farmers and food producers, by demographics who utilize cluster infrastructure and technical assistance services; #of producers who incorporate new canoe crops within their production; Market Development Services: clients and industry associations engaged; # of new financial structures deployed; # and $ of new capital investments placed by 4 sector investors/grantors (government, philanthropy, and the private sector); demographics of investment and grant recipients; analysis of capital placed. Workforce Development,Research, and Innovation: amount(#)of agriculture and manufacturing technologies that are implemented into systems that increase efficiency; #of university students hired into the local agricultural cluster; and#of trainings and#trained, by demographic groups. Whole system metrics: overall cluster job creation; wage growth; reduced unemployment; and anticipated regional GDP growth. Resiliency metrics: #of green build/energy projects; # and strength of disaster response plans and public-private sector networks; #of businesses implementing resilience strategies and type of strategy; etc. Accessibility of Matching Funds for Phase 2 Coalition members have strong ties to the foundation community and R&D's Food System Specialist participates in the Food and Farmers Working Group, a statewide alliance of foundations, investors, and local government departments dedicated to working together to elevate Hawai`i's community food system through strategic investment. The Coalition has received letters of support from Stupski Foundation, Hawaii Community Foundation, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation expressing their support and interest in investing in the proposed projects. In addition, The Food Basket has a potential match from CDBG funds for the Agriculture Innovation Industrial Park and Community Food Center and can bring additional investment into the local economy through their 6,500 plus individual donors, private, County, State and Federal grants, facilitating and building on their trusted relationships with stakeholders Hawaii County Build Back Better Regional Challenge Phase I Proposal Narrative 4