HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0359.001 2024-2026HEATHER L. KIMBALL
Council District 1 (North Hilo,
Hdmakua, and portion of Waimea)
Phone: (808) 961-8828
Fax: (808) 961-8912
Email: Heather.Kimball@hawaiicountugov
HAWAPI COUNTY COUNCIL
25 Aupuni Street, Ste. 1402.
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
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DATE: September 19, 2025
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TO: Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Council Chair and
Members of the Hawaii County Council
FROM: Heather L. Kimball, Council Member
Council District 1
SUBJECT: Report of Permitted Interaction Group for County Waiwai Grants
On July 8, 2025, at a meeting of the Legislative Approvals and Acquisitions Committee, an Ad
Hoc Committee, or "permitted interaction group", was formed under the following scope:
1. To evaluate and review the 2025-2026 application process; and
2. To discuss and provide recommendations for improvements to the 2025-2026 application
process; and
3. To make recommendations on the six-month progress report and review process.
The Ad Hoc Committee was composed of Council Members Jennifer Kagiwada, Michelle
Galimba, Council Chair Holeka Goro Inaba, and me, serving as Committee Chair.
In compliance with Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 92-2.5, the group met on August 7 and
September 8, 2025. The recommendations below are submitted for consideration and discussion.
1. Evaluation and Review of the 2025 2026 Application Process
Maintain the Overall Application Process
The group agreed that the overall application process should remain broadly consistent
with the previous year, with targeted adjustments to improve clarity and functionality.
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Retain Critical -Need Scoring Metric
The bonus/penalty metric introduced in the previous cycle was recognized as a
particularly valuable feature and is recommended for retention. Under this metric,
applications proposing programs that reviewers determine address a critical or
underserved need in the County receive a 5% increase in their average total score.
Conversely, proposals not deemed critical would have 5% deducted from their average
total score.
2. Recommendations for Improvements to the 2025-2026 Application Process
Limit Funding to One Program per Organization
Funding should be limited to one program per organization, except in cases where a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization serves as a fiscal sponsor for another organization. This
ensures equitable distribution of resources while supporting collaborative initiatives.
Establish Character Limits and Enable List -Based Responses
Character limits shall be established for all narrative fields. Application sections, such as
the logic model, shall allow applicants to provide information in list format rather than
complete prose, where listing is more effective and facilitates reviewer evaluation.
Enhance Budget Controls and Guidance
The budget section shall be revised to ensure alignment between the requested amount
and the detailed budget. Controls such as macros and stop measures shall verify that total
expenses match the requested funds and that administrative/overhead costs do not exceed
10% of the request. Applicants shall also receive clear guidance on completing the
budget, including definitions of budget categories and practical examples.
Revise the Scoring Scale
The scoring scale should be revised to a 0-4 scale: 0 = Strongly Disagree, 1 = Disagree, 2
= Neutral, 3 = Agree, and 4 = Strongly Agree.
Improve the Reviewing Experience for Scorers
The scoring rubric shall be better aligned with application prompts to enable scorers to
evaluate responses efficiently and consistently. Scorers shall receive only the portions of
the application they are required to assess, minimizing confusion and maintaining focus.
Dropdown menus on scoresheets shall allow scorers to select the application they are
scoring, further enhancing accuracy and efficiency.
Prioritize Community Needs in Future Cycles
The group recommended that future cycles consider prioritizing awards based on the
most pressing community needs, using recent and relevant data. This approach would
allow the Council additional time to assess and identify priority areas for funding,
ensuring that awards address current and critical needs.
3. Recommendations on the Six -Month Progress Report and Review Process
Retain Key Elements of Six -Month and Final Reports
Most aspects of the six-month and final reports shall be retained, including contact
information, total grant award, percent of award claimed, budget upload, narrative
updates on program progress and next steps, upload of photos or documents
demonstrating progress and public benefit, and short descriptions of submitted files.
Remove Difficult -to -Report Fields from Six -Month Report
To reduce reporting burdens on grantees, two fields shall be removed from the six-month
report —though retained in the final report —as they are difficult to assess over a short
period. These fields include requests to list program activity outputs and short-term
outcome measures from the logic model, along with quantitative measurements of
progress.
Ensure Accessibility of Reports for Grantees
Links to both the six-month and final report should be made available at the beginning of
the grant period to ensure accessibility and preparedness.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our committee members, their staff, and Council
Services for their dedication to supporting an efficient process. It has been both an honor and a
privilege to serve as Chair of this committee.
I respectfully request that this communication be agendized for the LAAC Committee meeting
scheduled for October 7, 2025.
Mahalo.
HK/scm