OHA board approves event sponsorships, audit reports and a FY26 budget realignment

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs board on March 19 approved multiple event sponsorship awards, accepted independent audits for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, and approved a FY26 budget realignment intended to align personnel costs with onboarding dates and centralize administrative travel.

Budget and Finance chair presented two related motions. The board approved HAO/HAKOA event sponsorship awards for fiscal year 2025–26 Quarter 4 (batch 2) items 1–6 and 8–13 by roll call; trustees recorded nine yes votes on that motion. A separate vote on item 7 (Action Digital Inc.) followed a noted recusal and passed with seven yes votes and one abstention.

Trustees then approved reports from independent auditors NKC CPAs — the annual financial statements and the single-audit report for FY2025 — and authorized the administrator to finalize distribution and filings. The roll call returned nine yes votes.

Finally, the board approved FY26 budget realignment number one (BR1), which the motion described as synchronizing personnel costs with actual onboarding dates, centralizing administrative travel for better oversight, updating organizational structure to current operational needs, and reallocating funds for temporary staffing. Trustees approved BR1 by roll call.

Why it matters: The approvals set near-term fiscal and administrative direction for OHA, including sponsorship disbursements, formal acceptance of audited financial statements, and an internal realignment of FY26 budget lines. A recusal and one abstention were recorded on a sponsorship item; trustees otherwise approved the motions by clear majorities.