Business Development and Support Division

Kapolei, HI—It is a common experience for nonprofits to struggle with maintaining staff or programming year after year depending on what grant funding is available or actually awarded. Knowing the value of the programs that these organizations run on behalf of their respective communities, DBEDT’s Community-Based Economic Development Accelerator is looking to mentor and support five nonprofits who have developed or designed products or subsidiary entities that can help bring in unrestricted funding for their organization.

In cooperation with the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), CNHA-Technical Assistance Services is seeking applicants for a new nonprofit focused program known as the CBED Accelerator. This pilot program will bring technical training and assistance, as well as other resources to nonprofit member-based organizations looking to develop a sustainable funding stream.

In this year-long pilot, CNHA-TAS will manage specialized technical assistance and training programs for each organization and provide a variety of tools, access to resources, and diverse local and/or national networking opportunities to help develop and implement a sustainability product or subsidiary business entity. DBEDT and CNHA-TAS are looking for applicants from across the state representing a variety of community work with unique ideas for sustaining their organizations.

Mark J. Ritchie, Branch Chief of the Business Support Branch of DBEDT, said “We are excited to launch the CBED Accelerator in partnership with CNHA-Technical Assistance Services and look forward to seeing the applications from many organizations. Community-based nonprofit organizations are increasingly becoming key economic development drivers, so we want to help them create revenue streams to supplement their grant funding. We look forward to a great pilot program and hope to be able to expand this program in the coming years.”

Applicants are limited to member-based 501(c) nonprofits who meet certain qualifications: a qualified organization is defined as a nonprofit community-based organization determined to be exempt from federal income taxation by the IRS. A community-based organization is defined as a membership-based, nonprofit corporation incorporated in the state of Hawaii that is organized and controlled by either a geographic community, a community of identity, or a community of interest and which is directly involved in community-based economic development activities.

Should you be interested in applying, please visit http://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/our-programs/ or http://invest.hawaii.gov/business/cbed/. Solicitation kits and applications are available as of June 05, 2015 and completed applications are due June 30, 2015. Technical assistance is available for organizations filling out applications. For more information, please feel free to contact Kehau Meyer, CNHA Program Manager at info@hawaiiancouncil.org or by phone at 808.596.8155 extension 111.

The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission continues to be achieving a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through our attached agencies, we also foster planned community development, create affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promote innovation sector job growth.

CNHA-TAS is a division of CNHA, a national network of Native Hawaiian Organizations, providing assistance in accessing capital and technical resources. Its mission is to enhance the cultural, economic, political, and community development of Native Hawaiians.