The Omidyar Fellows program seeks to cultivate the conditions in which Hawai‘i thrives by enhancing connections among leaders and improving their desire and capabilities to mobilize other individuals and organizations who can create these broad and durable improvements. Since launching in May 2012, eight cohorts have completed the curriculum phase of the Omidyar Fellows program and have become fully engaged in their ongoing and enduring commitment to the Forum of Fellows.

This active network of 115 leaders and change makers are dedicated to making positive movement on Hawai‘i’s most pressing issues. The cumulative effect of this extraordinary opportunity has the promise to be a life changer for Fellows and a game changer for the people of Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i Leadership Forum partners with SMALLIFY, led by Dave Viotti, to offer coaching, facilitation, capacity building, and other supports to Fellows and their colleagues and teams. The intention is to accelerate and expand participants’ impact, cultivate relationships across their networks, and strengthen their capacity for innovation.

Through weekly labs that take place over several months, SMALLIFY works with impact project teams comprised of Omidyar Fellows and other community leaders who have a collective challenge they want to address.

These labs use SMALLIFY’s method and approach to community-centered innovation and moving work forward through action to achieve results. The SMALLIFY process focuses on six essential factors for transformative change:

1. Clear “Guiding Star”—the anchor purpose or long-term impact goal

2. Strong leaders, teams, and trusted partners

3. Commitment to “Small Bets that Matter”

4. Co-Development of solutions with communities to meet authentic community needs

5. Leveraging opportunities where this energy or urgency in the system for change

6. Staying anchored in a Growth Mindset