Share Your Manaʻo for Molokai’s Economic Future

Solutions Pacific News Release

Molokai residents, business owners, and nonprofit leaders are invited to participate in a survey that will look deeper into the business landscape today and explore community-driven economic opportunities for the future. The survey aims to identify and learn from businesses on Molokai, gather insights from community members, and get input into how economic development and growth on Molokai can align with the values and aspirations of her people. The survey project is funded by the County of Maui and will provide decision-makers, including business and nonprofit leaders on Molokai, with important insights and information. Your survey responses can empower actions that improve well-being for all of Molokai.

We believe you might find the survey interesting to fill out. For business and nonprofit leaders, the survey is a chance to add your business to a directory and share insights into your business, the challenges you face, the solutions that you need, and the possibilities that you envision for businesses on Molokai. For Molokai residents in general, the survey is a chance to share your perspective on the economy of Molokai, challenges and opportunities on-island, and other issues of community economic interest. Some of the topics we explore include access to business resources, business cooperatives and a possible Molokai trademark, skilled trades and training, tourism, remote work, and the role that self-sufficiency and the sharing of resources plays in Molokai’s economy.

All individual survey responses will remain confidential, except where participants choose to share their business information for a potentially public directory. In the survey, participants can also choose how they’d like to stay involved in the next steps of this project. We look forward to follow-up interviews and group talk story sessions. A team from Solutions Pacific will visit Molokai at the end of May to hear from the community about your needs, goals, and other mana‘o related to the project.

The survey link will be available in the coming weeks by email, social media, and QR code in The Molokai Dispatch. A paper survey is also available by mail. To request an emailed or paper survey or to simply reach out to the project team, email us at kukakuka@sphawaii.com or call us at (808) 585-2231.

Your manaʻo matters. We hope you’ll make the time to engage with us.

Solutions Pacific is a Native Hawaiian-owned and community-based planning company partnering with Maui County on this project. The core project team includes Rebecca J.ʻI. Soon, Keoni Kuoha, Sarah Kamakawiwoʻole, and Kaʻala Souza. We’re also working with Ward Research, a Native Hawaiian-owned research firm providing support with collecting input and aggregating manaʻo.