By Connie Mitchell, executive director of The Institute for Human Services
For years, state contracts have failed to cover the full cost to deliver services. A recent survey found 68.9% of Hawaii True Cost Coalition members — nonprofits that deliver critical support services to our community, often referred to as safety net services — operate with government contracts that never or rarely cover actual delivery costs. Seventy percent say they have to cover annual shortfalls of over $100,000. We’ve already watched some nonprofits close their doors this year, and others drastically scale down.