TOPX Collaboration

Building Stronger Indigenous Communities

        Through Data Empowerment and Collaboration 

Indigenous communities across the U.S., including Native Hawaiian populations, face unique challenges in securing funding and resources for essential programs. From healthcare and education to housing and environmental conservation, these communities have long navigated a complex landscape of federal grants and philanthropic support.

However, limited access to data and technical expertise has left many indigenous efforts underfunded. The U.S. Census Bureauʻs Opportunity Project (TOPx) is supporting the Enhanced Access to Grant and Funding Opportunities for Indigenous Communities Sprint. The Native Counts Coalition, National Urban Indian Family Coalition, Changemakers Community Economic Development Corporation and others are working together to empower Indigenous leaders with better tools, data, and strategies for success.

THE FUNDING CHALLENGE

Historically, Indigenous communities—such as American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian groups—have encountered numerous barriers in accessing federal programs. Critical to community health and well-being, these programs provide billions of dollars in support for education, food assistance, elder care, housing, and healthcare​​. However, navigating the complex web of grant opportunities often requires comprehensive data. Unfortunately, many communities lack the resources and technical expertise to compile competitive applications.

Data collection and alignment gaps are particularly severe for Indigenous communities living outside tribal statistical areas. For example, the U.S. Census reveals that more Native Hawaiians now reside on the mainland, but federal data sources often overlook their specific needs.

THE OPPORTUNITY: DATA-DRIVEN INNOVATION

The TopX Sprint is designed to meet these challenges head-on. Through a 12-week "sprint" facilitated by the U.S. Census Bureau TOPx staff, Indigenous collaborators, data experts, and technologists work together to create user-friendly tools to improve the grant application process​.

This initiative increases access to funding and empowers Indigenous leaders and stakeholders to manage their data, ensuring that community needs are properly reflected in applications for federal programs. The sprint builds on previous collaborations to identify which data products are most helpful and how to make them more accessible—the result: better-equipped Indigenous communities to compete in securing the necessary resources to thrive​​.

CHANGEMAKERS HAWAIʻI: BRINGING NATIVE HAWAIIAN PERSPECTIVES TO THE TABLE

Changemakers Hawaiʻi is vital in this initiative by ensuring that Native Hawaiian voices and perspectives are front and center. By actively participating in the sprint, Changemakers Hawaiʻi is reaching out to Native Hawaiian organizations to understand their unique fundraising needs and identify tailored solutions. This collaborative effort ensures that solutions developed through the sprint include challenges Native Hawaiian communities face in securing grant funding. Through this outreach, Changemakers Hawaiʻi is helping to shape the sprint’s outcomes by ensuring that data and solutions meet the actual needs of Native Hawaiian organizations. This approach improves grant success rates and strengthens community resilience and economic empowerment​.

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH COLLABORATION

A crucial component of the sprint is its focus on collaboration. The process involves diverse stakeholders—from tribal leaders and researchers to federal agencies and nonprofits—working together to create solutions. Through user research, data exploration, and product demos, the sprint encourages a deep understanding of Indigenous communities' challenges, fostering the development of tailored solutions​.

For Native Hawaiians, this initiative offers a unique opportunity to ensure that their data needs are met in ways that reflect their cultural, geographical, and historical contexts. By engaging with organizations like Changemakers Hawaiʻi, the sprint ensures that Native Hawaiian communities are not left behind in the broader movement to increase Indigenous access to resources​.

LOOKING AHEAD: A FUTURE OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

The work of the TOPx is just the beginning of what is possible when Indigenous communities are empowered with the right data and tools. As solutions and digital products are implemented, grant applications will become more successful, funding streams will strengthen, and Indigenous communities will become more resilient.

In Hawaiʻi, Changemakers Hawaiʻi plays a pivotal role in this process by advocating for economic equity and ensuring that Native Hawaiian organizations are well-positioned to benefit from new tools and resources. This collaboration will support passion professions, youth programs, and environmental conservation efforts, all of which are key to the future well-being of Native Hawaiians​.

This initiative represents a new era of empowerment for Indigenous communities. Bridging gaps in data accessibility and supporting collaborative innovation is paving the way for a more equitable future.

Native Hawaiian and American Indian communities, with the support of organizations like Changemakers Hawaiʻi, are becoming better equipped to access federal programs and ensure their cultures, economies, and ecosystems thrive for generations to come.

Through such initiatives, Changemakers Hawaiʻi and other community-focused organizations have the potential to play a transformative role in creating a more just and prosperous future for all Indigenous peoples.