Laserfiche WebLink
Geography. The grant review committee sought to strike a balance between agencies and services in both <br /> East and West Hawaii. The committee also addressed azeas categorized as historically underserved, in <br /> particular, Ka'u, Puna, and North Kohala. The committee attempted to steer funding to support much-needed <br /> services in these districts. Examples include Family Support Service of West Hawaii's presence in Ka'u and <br /> North Kohala, and Rose House, a newly incorporated agency for which modest funding to assist in boazd <br /> development and grant writing was deemed appropriate to support substance-abuse treatment services for <br /> women where such services aze sorely needed. <br /> Site Visitation. The committee would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the many providers <br /> islandwide for their improvements in service delivery, as well as facility upgrades, witnessed during our site <br /> visits. Having done this work for four years, I am impressed by the growth and improvements I have observed <br /> year after year. The enhanced environments in which these services are delivered serve to strengthen the <br /> provision of quality care. <br /> The committee also noted how many agencies have successfully secured Community Development Block <br /> Grant (CDBG) federal funding through the aegis of the County Office of Housing and Community <br /> Development. I applaud the initiative taken by those agencies to avail themselves of these funds to capitalize <br /> their operations. CDBG monies have been used to improve and build a number offacilities--Brantley Center <br /> in Honokaa and the recent construction of the remarkable new hospice facility in Hilo. CDBG funds have also <br /> been applied to the purchase of vehicles for the Catholic Social Ministry's Mobile Caze Unit, Hamakua Health <br /> Center, and the Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council. <br /> <br /> New Applicants and Funding Sources. While the committee received many applications from traditional <br /> <br /> recipients of county funding, a number of funding requests were submitted for programs not previously <br /> funded. A cazeful effort has been made to recognize the critical needs of Hawaii residents and the county's <br /> contribution to the overall safety net. It is important to fairly consider the merits and needs of new applicants. <br /> <br /> Accordingly, all new funding recommendations reflect our considered response to perceived needs in the <br /> community. <br /> While managing to sustain funding for longtime recipients, we also have been able to fund six (6) new <br /> <br /> programs. While we have not been able to fund these worthwhile initiatives at the level requested by these <br /> agencies, we trust that their demonstrated strength in the community, coupled with their proven ability to raise <br /> funds, will assist them in rounding out their overall funding goals. <br /> Similarly, during our site visits we were impressed by the quality of services, deep sense of mission, and <br /> <br /> programmatic improvements made by many agencies. We have sought to support these agencies with modest <br /> increases in funding because they have demonstrated strong performance and ongoing improvement in the <br /> delivery of critical services. <br /> Unfunded Programs and Reduced Funding. The majority of requests that went unfunded came from <br /> agencies that already receive substantial county support for other programs. The Keheipua transitional <br /> program of the East Hawaii Coalition for the Homeless, the senior helpers program of Hawaii Island Adult <br /> Caze, and the YWCA's adolescent wellness program are all worthwhile projects, but are beyond the county's <br /> capacity to fund this year. <br /> 3 <br /> <br />