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2025 True Cost Coalition Survey Results
Hawaii True Cost Coalition Members were surveyed in September – October 2025 and were asked about the impacts insufficient funding and recent cuts have impacted their organizations. View the results here. Highlights include:
- 68.9% said that government contracts “never” or “rarely” cover the full costs of providing programs/services
- 69.6% said they need over $100,000 annually to cover program costs not covered by government contracts
- 41.8% said their contracts have been cut in the last 3 years
- 88.5% of survey respondents are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the future of government contracts
As the Cost of Living Increases, Demand for Social Services has Grown Statewide
As the cost of living has increased, in some instances over 60% in the last 10 years, more people are depending on the social services provided by the government via local community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs). The most vulnerable in our community depend on this safety net.
Just as prices have increased for our communities, the cost of providing these services has increased, making it just as difficult for local CBOs to continue to serve those most in need. This has been compounded by the fact that most government contracts to provide these services have not been increased to keep up with rising costs. While CBOs have been able to fill in the gap thus far, we are now at a critical tipping point.
Without action, programs and services are at risk of being cut or eliminated altogether.
2022 Survey Result Highlights
91%
had government contract budgets that fell below the full operating costs required to provide the contracted services. Of those:
- 79% always or often had to cut administrative costs
- 56% always or often had to undercut staff salaries
- 87% always or often turned to private funders to close the gap
- 23% always or often had to pay loan or interest fees while waiting for a contract payment, with 59% in this situation never being reimbursed for such fees