Vibrant Hawaiʻi Economy Stream
Advancing economic diversity through community engagement and workforce development
Building a Stronger Economy Together
In 2020-21, Council Member Kierkiewicz and Dr. Farrah-Marie Gomes, then co-chairs of Vibrant Hawai‘i’s Economy Stream, engaged more than 300 community members to build awareness of the County’s CEDS.
Through online panels featuring industry experts, the initiative sparked community conversations. Core Teams convened to identify strengths, opportunities, and challenges facing six key economic sectors. This collaborative effort produced a community-driven economic development strategy, which serves as a roadmap for a more diversified and resilient economic portfolio for Hawai‘i Island.
Powering Ideas through Micro-Investments
Through Vibrant Hawai‘i, we co-designed a pilot micro-investing program aligned with the six key sectors of the EDS. These sectors include Creative & Performing Arts, Health, Education, Resilient & Sustainable Food Systems, Regenerative & Community-Driven Tourism, and Software, Technology & Creative Media.
The program aimed to empower residents by helping them test ideas or scale up concepts identified in the EDS. Micro-investments of up to $2,500 provided quick support to demonstrate the feasibility of these solutions. This initiative provided valuable insights that has informed current and future programs within the County, allowing us to continue fostering innovation and economic growth.