New Strategic Plan Will Guide OHA’s Work Through 2035

News Release from OHA, April 1, 2021

HONOLULU (April 1, 2021) – With an overall goal of bringing vision and execution together through effective strategy implementation, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs today unveiled “Mana i Mauli Ola (Strength to Wellbeing),” the organization’s 15-year strategic plan.

“This plan is the result of a collaborative effort between our community, our administration and our trustees,” said OHA Board Chair Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey. “Community members were engaged in our strategic planning process, and their feedback was essential in the development of Mana i Mauli Ola.”

Mana i Mauli Ola features three strategic foundational elements: ʻohana (family), moʻomeheu (culture), and ʻāina (land and water). These foundations represent strengths or mana of Native Hawaiian communities. 

OHA aims to build upon these community strengths to uplift the lāhui (Native Hawaiian community) toward positive change in its strategic directions of education, health, housing and economic stability and through its roles of being advocates, researchers, community engagers and asset managers.

The plan was approved by trustees in September 2020 and is being supported internally by new leadership at every level. Already this year, OHA launched solicitations for $4.27 million in grants that are aligned with the new directions of the plan.

Other plan highlights include an increased focus on addressing system level change by advancing policies, programs and practices in targeted areas of need, and a greater emphasis on community collaborations with Hawaiian-focused charter schools and Hawaiian medium schools, homestead communities, the Native Hawaiian health system, chambers of commerce, cultural practitioners and ‘āina-based communities.

“As we have heard from our communities, and learned from experiencing COVID-19, OHA needs to continue to be responsive to rapidly changing contexts,” said OHA Chief Operating Officer Casey Brown. “Therefore, this plan builds in reflection and pivot points every three years as well as annual monitoring and reporting.“

“Mana i Mauli Ola recognizes OHA’s inspirational and aspirational vision of ‘Hoʻoulu Lāhui Aloha – To Raise a Beloved Lāhui,’ including the ultimate goal of an abundant and thriving lāhui,” said OHA Ka Pouhana/CEO Dr. Sylvia Hussey. “Our next step implementation tactics will find OHA engaged with communities to strengthen ʻohana, amplify ʻohana and community voices, uplift culture– and place–based practices and solutions, and strengthen policy development and implementation.”

To read Mana i Mauli Ola, please visit www.oha.org/strategicplan.