We need your help with securing a major grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Island Innovation Fund. The process is now in the “Collaboration” phase and we need feedback to strengthen our proposal before the final submission.

Please review our proposal at the Island Innovation Fund website and give us your candid feedback by leaving a comment on their site—positive and negative—by noon, Monday December 20.

The Island Innovation Fund is a groundbreaking approach to advancing extraordinary innovations for our community. It is looking for projects that are innovative, ripe, scalable, leveraged, and achievable. It is expected that no more than 8 grants will be awarded.

In our proposed concept, MEDB builds on the Focus Maui Nui community engagement program to create a Civic Engagement System™. This “high tech, high touch” system is centered on the internet and mobile devices, with a phone app that will expand and transform the penetration of Focus Maui Nui.

The Civic Engagement System™ will strengthen and enliven community engagement on issues identified as priorities by the community and will mobilize greater numbers of constituents in policy and decision-making processes. The system extends informed discourse by continuing the Focus Maui Nui practice of making it as convenient as possible for residents to participate.

We look forward to hearing from you by Monday December 20th. If you prefer to call with comments, please contact John Harrisson at 808 270-6806.