Hawaiʻi at Risk:
Hawaiʻi at Risk:
How Indigenous Nonprofits Can Lead Through Federal Cuts
The recent wave of federal budget cuts, initiated under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, is sending ripples across the nation. For Hawaiʻi, those ripples are more like shockwaves. With over $900 million in federal funds expected to be slashed over the next decade, critical services in education, health, housing, disaster recovery, and research are being destabilized—directly impacting Native Hawaiian and Indigenous communities.
But in the face of these challenges lies an urgent call to action—and an opportunity for Indigenous-led nonprofits to lead, innovate, and thrive.
WHAT’S BEING CUT—AND WHO’S BEING HURT?
1. Education and Childcare
Programs like Head Start and Title I are on the chopping block. For low-income Native Hawaiian families, this could mean losing access to early childhood education, literacy support, and nutritional programs.
2. Disaster Recovery
Federal funds that once powered Maui wildfire recovery have dried up. Over 130 survivors—many Native Hawaiian—have been laid off. Without adequate funding, future disaster responses hang in the balance.
3. Research and Higher Education
The University of Hawaiʻi has already lost $30 million, halting 36 vital research initiatives—many of which are lifelines for environmental science, Indigenous knowledge, and workforce pathways for local youth.
4. Health and Safety Nets
Cuts to Medicaid, rural health clinics, and community centers threaten already underserved populations, widening the gap in healthcare access for Indigenous communities.
FIVE WAYS INDIGENOUS NONPROFITS CAN RISE TO THE MOMENT
Given these sweeping cuts, Indigenous-led organizations must act with urgency and strategy. Taking action starts with the courage to move forward.
1. Diversify Funding Now
Tap into private foundations like the Kresge Foundation and First Nations Development Institute. Consider revenue-generating models rooted in your mission. A targeted funder landscape analysis can help you align with funders focused on climate justice and Indigenous sovereignty.
Action Step: Conduct a funder landscape analysis focused on climate, workforce, and Indigenous rights intersections.
2. Get Grant-Ready
In this new funding climate, polished proposals are non-negotiable. Build out a compelling theory of change, embed Indigenous value systems into your outcomes, and embrace the power of data + storytelling.
Opportunity Alert: Enroll your team in the Philanthropono Course (January 2026)—an advanced training program tailored for Hawaiʻi nonprofits. You’ll learn grant writing, community storytelling, and decolonized development strategies. This program is a promising capacity-building opportunity for Indigenous and local nonprofits in Hawaiʻi. Visit www.changemakershawaii.org/philanthropono for more information.
Action Step: Enroll a program or development staff member in the July cohort to strengthen in-house grant capacity.
3. Collaborate to Scale
Partner with universities, workforce boards, and policy coalitions. Shared resources and aligned missions can unlock new funding and program opportunities.
Need Support? CoMission LLC offers strategic guidance tailored to Indigenous-serving organizations—from strategic planning and visioning to community-centered engagement and program design aligned with Indigenous empowerment.
Explore more services at http://www.mission.consulting.
4. Speak Up Through Advocacy
Cuts are political—and so must be our response. Join coalitions, testify at hearings, and nominate a policy liaison in your org to track legislative impacts on education, climate, and Indigenous rights.
Action Step: Nominate a policy liaison within your organization and host quarterly legislative briefings for your board and stakeholders.
5. Harness Storytelling as Power
Your stories are more than anecdotes—they are catalysts for change. Launch digital campaigns grounded in ʻike kūpuna (ancestral knowledge) to inspire, educate, and mobilize.
Action Step: Launch a digital campaign that uplifts stories of adaptation and Indigenous innovation in the face of federal austerity.
LET’S LEAD THIS CHANGE—TOGETHER
This moment demands more than survival — it calls for sovereignty, strategy, and solidarity. Hawaiʻi’s Indigenous nonprofits are poised not just to endure but to lead. With innovation, collaboration, and advocacy, we can transform disruption into regeneration.
Take Action Today:
Register for the Philanthropono Course
Connect and partner with CoMission LLC for tailored consulting
Launch a storytelling campaign rooted in your community's kuleana.