Kanaka Economic Development Alliance

IN 2021, THE KANAKA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE'S ("KEDA") MAIN FOCUS WAS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY BY INCREASING THE VISIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND CAPACITY OF BOTH NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESSES AND EXISTING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES. VISIBILITY OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES WAS INCREASED THROUGH (1) OUTREACH TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESSES TO GET THEIR BUSINESSES CERTIFIED-VERIFYING NATIVE HAWAIIAN ANCESTRY-AND ADDED TO OUR PUBLIC ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY; AND (2) RESEARCH TO ESTABLISH AND ADD BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO OUR PUBLIC ONLINE RESOURCE PAGE. KEDA INCREASED ITS DIRECTORY LISTINGS TO THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS DIRECTORY BY 82 BUSINESSES AND ADDED 25 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO OUR ONLINE RESOURCE LISTING. TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO THESE RESOURCES, KEDA WORKED WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS HOSTING PRESENTATIONS OF 10 HIGH-VALUE RESOURCES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS OWNERS AND ASSISTED THREE ACCELERATORS WITH OUTREACH TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESSES. TO INCREASE CAPACITY, KEDA PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES TO 56 BUSINESSES, FOUR OF WHICH WERE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDING VARIOUS SERVICES BASED ON NEED, INCLUDING INSTRUCTION ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CREDIT REPAIR, STARTUP ASSISTANCE, TAX PREPARATION, STRATEGIC GROWTH PLANNING, ASSISTANCE WITH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, AND GRANT MANAGEMENT. KEDA FURTHER KICKED OFF ITS OWN CAPACITY-BUILDING PROJECT TO CREATE A CENTRALIZED DATABASE AND SURVEYING SYSTEM TO FURTHER INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESSES AND AVAILABILITY OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES.