May 8, 2026 – Statement from PIDF May 8, 2026

Aloha e PIDF participants, partners, and supporters,

Yesterday afternoon, we received notice that Senator Schatz negotiated an agreement with Secretary McMahon of the U.S. Department of Education to continue funding the Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) for current grantees for another fiscal year.

While this news is encouraging as a critical short-term step forward, it does not resolve the crisis facing Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF), Native Hawaiian-serving organizations, or the communities that depend on these programs. At this time, we still do not know how much funding will ultimately be released, when funds would become available, or whether PIDF will receive the support necessary to sustain all current programs, staffing, and sites.

We are grateful to Senator Schatz and his team, and to every one of you whose advocacy, testimonies, calls, letters, and public support helped move this issue forward. Your voices continue to matter, and continued advocacy will remain critical in the months ahead.

Given the continued uncertainty surrounding federal funding, PIDF’s stabilization plan — including operational consolidation and team restructuring — remains necessary. These decisions were not made lightly, and this federal development does not provide the immediate funding certainty needed to reverse course.

While we are hopeful that the upcoming NHEP funding opportunities may help preserve more programs and sites for another year, PIDF must still go through the federal application and award process before any future funding can be counted on.

We understand how difficult this prolonged uncertainty has been for our staff, participants, partners, and families. PIDF will continue advocating aggressively, pursuing every available partnership opportunity, and communicating transparently as new information emerges. We also ask our community to continue sharing the impact of our programs and helping defend the essential services our communities still risk losing.

We remain deeply grateful to Senator Schatz and his team for their leadership and solutions-oriented efforts. This agreement may provide additional time to fight for longer-term stability, but the work ahead remains urgent.

Mahalo nui for your continued support, patience, and trust during this difficult period.

Naʻu nō me ke aloha,
Shawn Kanaʻiaupuni, President & CEO
Partners in Development Foundation