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Murashige, Laura
From: Joel Cohen Dcohen8 @hawaii.rr.com]
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2011 1:27 PM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: Angel Pilago; Dominic Yagong; Pete Hoffmann; Mayor Billy Kenoi
Subject: Council Testimony
Attachments: February 25.to County Councildocx.dat
Aloha Councilman Pilago et al,
Attached is my testimony regarding discussion of nonprofit grant awards. I am unable to attend the
committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon due to a prior commitment, so I appreciate your consideration
of my written testimony.
Mahalo,
Joel Cohen
67 -1292 Pua' ena St.
Kamuela HI 96743
769 -4490
Comm N 9 . 1
Ref. To:
Ref. Date
2/28/2011
February 25, 2011
Aloha Chairperson Angel Pilago and Members of the Human Services Social Services and Public
Safety Committee,
Unfortunately, I am not available to participate in your March 1 non - profit funding discussion.
Please consider this testimony in your discussions relating to the FY 2011 -12 budget appropriation
for our island's non - profit organizations. I am hopeful that it is helpful in making the difficult
decisions in creating criteria for the distribution of these funds.
My comments come from the perspective as President of the Hamakua Youth Foundation, a
community based grassroots youth services organization based in Honoka'a. We, as are other
Island non - profit organizations and groups, continue to face financial challenges to sustain
operations in our community, and we have requested funding through the County. I am, however,
writing this message as an individual.
These are extremely difficult times for government whether it be at the national, state, or local level.
Our financial woes are primarily due to a national economy gone astray due to mismanagement
and greed on the part of our financial institutions. This puts elected government officials including
Mayor Kenoi and members of the County Council in an almost impossible position of providing
critical resources to support essential services. Non - profit organizations need to realize that other
sources of income, other than government support are required to carry out their mission.
Government, however, does have responsibility to play a supportive role.
I recommend the following criteria in distributing available County non - profit funding:
Give priority to organizations that are successful in raising funds from the local community through
fundraisers, other special efforts to seek individual donations, and have a plan for long -term
sustainability.
Evaluate local community needs and determine if the organization is providing a special service that
the County is not providing.
Give credit to organizations, which include an established volunteer board of directors that receives
no form of compensation, and in fact, contributes both time and money in support of their mission.
Have assurance that organizations are making a conscientious effort to partner and collaborate with
other community entities that have shared or similar mission.
Identify and give priority to programs, which provide services for high risk and vulnerable
populations such as youth, senior citizens, people with disabilities, etc.
These essential services are "preventive in nature" and may increase government costs in other
ways.
Mahalo for listening,
Joel Cohen
Waimea
Cc: Hamakua Youth Foundation Board of Directors
Cc: Mayor Billy Kenoi
Cc: Councilman Dominic Yagong
Cc: Councilman Pete Hoffman