Hawaiʻi Workforce Funding Review 2023
July 2025
Created by: HWFC, Hawaiʻi Workforce Development Council, SR Partners
About the 2023 Hawaiʻi Workforce Funding Review
The 2023 Hawaiʻi Workforce Funding Review offers the most detailed snapshot to date of how federal and state dollars are currently flowing into workforce development in Hawaiʻi. Commissioned by the Hawaiʻi Workforce Funders Collaborative in partnership with the Workforce Development Council and research firm SR Partners, the report maps over $1.3 billion in federal investments across a wide range of workforce-related programs in education, training, work-based learning, and support services.
This report is not a comprehensive answer—it’s a practical baseline. It surfaces both the scale of investment already underway and the challenges we face in tracking and aligning those dollars toward shared outcomes. Inconsistent definitions, siloed reporting systems, and limited visibility across agencies make it difficult to evaluate whether funds are reaching priority communities—or building the long-term capacity our economy needs. Still, by elevating what we do know, this report provides a starting point for shared analysis, coordination, and future planning.
We encourage readers to use the Workforce Funding Review alongside the From Crisis to Opportunity report. Together, these tools can help identify where current resources align with our collective goals—and where new investments, policy reforms, or system infrastructure may be needed to ensure that every resident in Hawaiʻi has access to a meaningful, well-supported career pathway.
For additional context, read our blog post, “From Fragmentation to Alignment: Investing in Hawaiʻi’s Workforce Future,” which offers reflections on the report’s findings and practical guidance for aligning current funding with long-term workforce goals.
KEY INSIGHTS
-
Over $1.3 billion in federal funding touched workforce development in Hawaiʻi in Program Year 2023, supporting everything from job training and education to support services and internships.
-
Support Services ($594M) — such as transportation, child care, and clothing for job seekers.
Work-Based Learning ($487M) — including internships and apprenticeships.
Education ($86M) — including K–12 readiness programs like Hawaiʻi P-20.
-
Funding supports a wide range of communities, including youth, Native Hawaiians, the houseless, immigrants, limited-English speakers, justice-involved individuals, veterans, and low-income families—but data gaps mean we may still be underestimating who is left out.
-
No. This report is a baseline—limited by inconsistent definitions of "workforce development," lack of standardized accounting codes, and varying fiscal years across agencies. Still, it represents the most comprehensive statewide snapshot since 2018.
-
The analysis relied on three sources: survey responses from state agencies and nonprofits, data from USASpending.gov, and direct outreach to funding recipients. However, not all agencies participated, and not all funding streams were easily traceable.
-
Workforce development funding comes from multiple federal agencies, often as a component of larger programs. Without a shared definition or accounting system, it's difficult to align reporting or assess where gaps or duplications exist.
-
Without stronger data alignment, Hawaiʻi risks making inefficient investments, missing populations in need, and being unprepared for potential federal cuts. Better data is essential for accountability, coordination, and maximizing impact.
-
It provides a common starting point to:
Identify where funding is flowing—and where it isn’t.
Align funding with emerging workforce needs (e.g., tech, clean energy, healthcare).
Coordinate future investments across sectors more strategically.
-
HWFC will use this report to:
Inform 2025 funding strategies.
Advocate for improved data infrastructure.
Convene stakeholders around shared accountability for Hawaiʻi’s workforce future.
