Department of Business, Economic & Development & Tourism

Overview

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s strategy for the use of Recovery Act funds is in-line with each of the seven identified Hawaii priorities as follows:

1. Jobs will be created or retained and economic development promoted by helping to accelerate the development of projects by providing funds to “tip” (start) projects currently stalled or in the pipeline for implementation.  Also, by building the capacity of government to assist organizations in addressing broad economic recovery issues, including helping low-income individuals secure and retain employment, earn higher wages, obtain better-quality jobs, and gain greater access to state and federal benefits and tax credits. 

2. Stabilizing the State’s fiscal situation has prompted DBEDT to refocus on its core functions and to use Recovery funds to counter-balance the local and national economic downturn leading to the down sizing of businesses, loss of jobs, reduction in staffs, resource constraints, and increasing economic risk.

3. The expenditure of ARRA funds has focused on wisely using these resources to target strategic market interventions that can cause permanent structural change; identify opportunities for better integration of initiatives for technology deployment and market transformation; and promote collaboration across public and private agencies.

4. ARRA funds are transforming Hawaii’s energy infrastructure with state-of-the-art clean energy technology, which improves Hawaii’s economic competitiveness by necessitating the development of a supporting skilled workforce.

5. DBEDT has applied for formula funding and teamed with or endorsed through letters of support industry initiatives for competitive funding, which were available to Hawaii.   DBEDT expects to continue to coordinate with other agencies where appropriate to apply for funds and to pursue project opportunities in-line with priorities. 

6. Accountability for Recovery funds is in effect from the program-level procurement and management of the funds; department-level fiscal oversight; inter-department budgetary and accounting review; and executive monitoring of priorities and reporting through the Governor’s Office and website.
Department efforts in providing transparency have been through informational or working group meetings; public access through website notification; documentation; the media; and through consolidated reporting to the Governor’s Office by state agencies. 

7. DBEDT is fulfilling federal reporting requirements by meeting federal grant compliance requirements and reporting deadlines, conforming to federal grant administration provisions, and closely monitoring Recovery fund expenditures for waste, fraud, or abuse.

Awards 

ARRA Recovery Team