Office of Hawaiian Affairs budget shows commitment to strengthening Native Hawaiian community

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ biennium budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 — which took effect Tuesday (July 1) — marks a major milestone in the agency’s commitment to strengthening programs and services for Native Hawaiian communities while also investing in its workforce.

A supermajority of Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustees on Monday (June 30) approved the 2-year spending plan — which totals just more than $136 million — following extensive discussions to align spending with the agency’s strategic plan.

“This budget reflects our deep commitment to both our beneficiaries and our employees,” said Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees Chairman Kaialiʻi “Kai” Kahele in an announcement from the agency. “Trustees rolled up their sleeves and engaged the details like never before — offering and approving amendments live at the table, line by line, in full public view.”

He added what emerged wasn’t just a budget, it is a clear, transparent expression of shared priorities for the Hawaiian people.

Trustees and administration agreed on roughly 80% of the budget from the start — excluding increases to travel and personnel costs, which include unanimous, board-approved salary adjustments for staff earning less than $100,000, as well as executive releveling proposed by the administrator.

Deliberations centered on building consensus around the remaining 20% — discretionary funds for programs directly supporting the agency’s mission.

“Our board and our administration worked together to move forward with unity,” said Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chief Executive Officer Stacy Ferreira in the announcement. “Our budget reflects our shared commitment to uplifting Native Hawaiian communities and staying grounded in our kuleana.”

Key budget highlights include:

• Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ largest-ever investment in Hawaiian focused charter schools.
• Expanded beneficiary services staff to meet growing needs.
• Strong support for programs led by and focused on Native Hawaiians, such as Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, the College of Hawaiian Language at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and the University of Hawaiʻi Native Hawaiian health program, facing federal funding cuts.
• Pay equity adjustments and increases for employees, many of whom have gone years without wage growth.
• Introduction of 12 weeks paid family leave, setting a new standard among state agencies.

“[Office of Hawaiian Affairs] aims to be an employer of choice,” Kahele said. “We can only provide an excellent level of service to our beneficiaries if we also provide our employees with the support and recognition they deserve.”

The new budget represents more than a financial plan — it is a declaration of values, shaped by dialogue, unity and a shared vision.

“To fulfill the bold goals we’ve set in education, health, economic resilience and housing, we need both strong programs and strong people,” Ferreira said. “This budget ensures we have both.”