2002 Annual Report Executive Summary
Molokai Enterprise Community
During its fourth year of operations, Molokai Enterprise Community partners worked to implement 21 of the projects in the EC 10-year strategic plan. The economic impact of these projects has been extraordinary for this small, rural community.
Economic Progress: After decades of double-digit unemployment rates, in 2002 the island of Molokai’s unemployment count stabilized in single digits. The month of December’s rate was 6.8%, and the average rate for the entire year was 7.6%. This annual rate stands in dramatic contrast to the 14.9% annual rate in 1998, when the Molokai Enterprise Community strategic plan was developed.
Job Creation: Since its designation as an Enterprise Community in December 1998, projects in the Molokai EC plan have directly created nearly 100 new full-time jobs. These new positions have brought additional cash into the island’s economy, stimulating further job development in non-EC businesses and services.
Job Training and Placement for Youth: As an Enterprise Community, Molokai qualified for a Youth Opportunity Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Since the program’s start in late 2000, over 700 youths have enrolled. By the end of 2002, 175 of these youths had successfully transitioned into unsubsidized employment. During the summer of 2002, 250 in-school youths participated in a summer jobs training program, in partnership with more than 80 local businesses.
Funds Leveraged: Since receiving notice of its EC designation in January of 1999, the Moloka‘i EC has leveraged a total of $19,199,487 for both program and operational expenses. This amount does not include the annual $250,000 EC grant. Currently, the Molokai Enterprise Community’s leveraging ratio is 19:1 (i.e., since January 1999, $19 has been raised for every dollar from the USDA EC grant). The administrative expense of leveraging these funds and administering the Enterprise Community amounts to only 3.6% of the overall total of all funds raised to date.
Governance and Administration: Governance of the Moloka'i Enterprise Community is the responsibility of an all-volunteer, community-elected board, Ke Aupuni Lokahi (“Leaders Working Together”). This board is responsible for setting operating policies, allocating USDA EC funds, and working with the community to implement and update the Enterprise Community strategic plan. In 2002, the Moloka‘i Community Service Council continued its contracted role as the lead administrative entity for the Enterprise Community. After four years of contracting for administrative services, Ke Aupuni Lokahi has recently begun to explore the possibility of becoming a free-standing 501(c)(3), and assuming the responsibility of administering the Molokai Enterprise Community on its own.
Community Involvement: Moloka‘i community residents continued to participate in individual EC projects as well as governance meetings and community outreach events. A total of 152 open meetings on projects and governance were held during the past year. 107 meetings were held on individual EC projects. Ke Aupuni Lôkahi, the volunteer Enterprise Community Board, held a total of 16 meetings, including a community-wide meeting for the election of new Board members in August. The Board’s Executive Committee conducted 12 meetings, and Board Subcommittees held a total of 17 meetings.
Partnerships:
Since being designated an EC four years ago, the Moloka‘i EC has attracted a
total of 55 partners for EC projects and administration. These partners have
provided and/or pledged to provide funds, technical support, project leadership,
and/or in-kind services. Thirty-four of these 54 partners are private entities,
while 20 are governmental partners, including federal, state and county
agencies.