Who We Are
The Department of Research and Development (R&D) is an agency of the County of Hawai‘i. R&D advances knowledge and innovation to make Hawai‘i County a great place to live, work, and visit. R&D informs planning, policy, and programmatic decision-making with data-driven research and collaborates in the development and funding of initiatives seeking environmental, community, and economic sustainability.
Advance and Share Knowledge: R&D builds greater understanding of Hawai‘i Island so that residents, visitors, businesses, and other agencies can make informed decisions.
Collaborate to Advance Innovation: R&D works with public and private partners to grow initiatives that improve Hawai‘i Island. Current areas of focus include:
- Sustainable Local Economy and Household Self-Sufficiency
- Business, Industry, and Economic Development
- Community-based Tourism
- Diversified, Sustainable Agriculture Sector
- Creative Economy
- Low-Cost, Efficient, Renewable, and Resilient Energy Systems
- Sustainable Development, with a focus on Climate Change
Collaborate to Fund Innovation: R&D builds greater understanding of public and private funding resources and leverages them to grow initiatives that improve Hawai‘i Island.