Director’s Desk: Capacity
Director’s Desk:
Building the Capacity to Serve
Last spring, ChangeMakers had a much needed moment of reflection and aspiration during our first ever strategic planning retreat. We took this rare opportunity to bring our staff and board together to ask ourselves a hard but necessary question: What must we get right in order to serve our community well for the long term?
Out of that reflection came three clear strategic priorities. Each a grounded commitment shaped by lived experience, community need, and the realities of running a mission-driven organization in Hawaiʻi. Since then, our focus has been on turning those priorities into action, with real effort, real investment, and real results.
DEVELOPING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
The work we do does not and cannot happen in isolation. One first strategic priority is to Develop Strategic Partnerships. This year, we are invested heavily in building and strengthening partnerships across sectors. These partnerships are about alignment, not duplication. They are about bringing the right people to the table and ensuring that resources, knowledge, and capacity flow where they are needed most.
By deepening relationships with community organizations, educational institutions, employers, funders, and public partners, we are creating a more connected ecosystem. One where individuals can access services without unnecessary barriers and where organizations can collaborate instead of competing. These partnerships expand our reach, sharpen our impact, and ensure that ChangeMakers remains responsive to the real needs of our communities.
DEVELOPING ONGOING REVENUE STREAMS
For mission-driven organizations, financial sustainability is not a luxury; it’s a responsibility. Over-reliance on government grants can limit flexibility, slow innovation, and create instability. Which is why our second priority is to Develop Ongoing Revenue Streams. Since arriving at this priority, we have made significant progress toward developing ongoing revenue streams rooted in community-focused products and services.
This work is about building earned revenue that aligns with our mission. Training programs, technical assistance, fiscal services, and other offerings that provide real value while generating income that can be reinvested locally. These revenue streams give us breathing room. They allow us to plan further ahead, respond more quickly, and stay grounded in service rather than survival.
The goal is not to move away from grants entirely, but to ensure that they complement our work rather than control it. Financial independence strengthens our ability to advocate, innovate, and lead.
INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL BANDWIDTH AND CAPACITY
Perhaps the most internal, yet most impactful priority is to Increase our Organizational Bandwidth and Capacity. Time, staffing, and talent are finite resources, and without intentional investment, even the best ideas stall.
This year, we are focused on strengthening our team, improving systems, and expanding internal knowledge. By bringing in new talent, clarifying roles, upgrading technology, and refining operations, we are creating space for our staff to do their best work. This investment directly benefits the community because strong organizations are better able to show up consistently, follow through, and adapt.
Increasing capacity is not about growth for growth’s sake. It is about sustainability, accountability, and care for the people doing the work.
LOOKING AHEAD
These three priorities are deeply connected. Strategic partnerships expand opportunity. Ongoing revenue streams provide stability. Increased bandwidth and capability make it all possible. Together, they form the backbone of a stronger, more resilient ChangeMakers.
The work has been heavy this year, and it has been meaningful. We are building something designed to last, not just respond. Something rooted in community, guided by values, and strengthened by shared responsibility.
As we continue forward, we remain committed to transparency, collaboration, and impact.
The strategy is clear, the effort is underway, and the future we are working toward is one where our communities have the tools, resources, and support they deserve.