TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Funds available
to beget Big Island
economic development
Big Island officials are looking to fund a few good ideas. The county Department of Research and Development is seeking requests for proposals to promote or enhance economic development in agriculture, tourism, new industry and industry development, energy, film or information resources."The department is not a (primary) funding agency," said Economic Development Specialist Margarita Hopkins. Nevertheless, nonprofit, educational or government organizations approved for supplemental funding often use the county grant to seek matching funds from other sources.
The request for proposal process is seen by the department as a way to help community needs at a grassroots level.
The funding is county money and is to stay on the Big Island.
"We want the public to bid (on the funding)," Hopkins said. "That's why the RFP's, it's just like giving everybody an equal opportunity for the projects they would like to pursue, based on the needs of the community, provided it falls within the programs that we concentrate on."
Hopkins' area is agriculture, but "we cannot help every single farmer," she said. Rather, the department can help a nonprofit growers' association with funds for a conference speaker or partial funding for a trade show, for example.
"They like that because a lot of our farmers cannot afford to go (to the mainland)," she said.
The department's energy program leans in favor of programs focused on energy efficiency or education, Hopkins said.
The Heritage Corridor project is an example of a proposal that could fall into the new industry development category. The project seeks to preserve and restore remnants of the Hamakua Coast's plantation legacy such as old camps, plantation equipment and an old train station in Laupahoehoe.
Levels of funding vary and many of the approvals amount to $4,000 to $5,000 Hopkins said. In her own realm, "The macadamia nut industry is a $34 million industry. There's no way I could help them in a big way."
In the tourism category, amounts can be larger as some proposals are funded in partnership with the Big Island Visitors Bureau or the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau.
Proposals are due by 2 p.m. Feb. 19.The county will notify those whose proposals are approved and recommended for funding on March 14.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com