First, take a very close look at the application requirements for each funding source in Hawaii. It’s vitally important that you apply only for grants for which your organization is a good match. If you’re not applying from the right city or island, or they don’t support your type of organization or program, it’s a guaranteed decline. But help is at hand!
Second, write the most convincing grant proposal you can! Come attend our outstanding training class and we’ll guide you through the process. If you’re not able to join us in person, you can order our industry-leading textbook, Grantsmanship: Program Planning & Proposal Writing. It’ll walk you through each important step along the way. You can order it on our website for only $45, along with other free resources such as articles, mini-webinars, blogs and podcasts.
Third, it’s important to know that writing strong descriptions of your programs is just one part of the application process. The strength of your budget design and your grant management and evaluation plan can also make or break your funding request. Take a look at The PowerPack at the bottom of our homepage, for more suggestions. It’s another free download and includes all kinds of grant info, including grant management tips.
Below are links to elected officials, funding sources and other useful agencies for grant-seeking groups in Hawaii. Please let us know about others that you feel would be helpful so that we can continue to improve this listing. Thanks!
Government Offices:
Governor Josh Green - (808) 586-0034, Honolulu
Senator Mazie K. Hirono - (202) 224-6361, Washington, DC
Senator Brian Schatz - (202) 224-3934, Washington, DC
Attorney General Anne E. Lopez - (808) 586-0034, Honolulu
If you’d like to contact your other elected officials, click here on Hawaii State Officials.
Hawaii State Department of Health - The mission of the DOH is to protect and improve the health and environment for all people in Hawaii.
Superintendent of Education Dr. Christina M. Kishimoto - The superintendent is the chief executive officer of the public school system and oversees curriculum, instruction, and student support; human resources; fiscal services; school facilities; and information technology services.
Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations - There are thousands of nonprofits in Hawaii – each trying to make a difference on their own. HANO’s mission is to unite and strengthen the nonprofit sector as a collective force to improve the quality of life in Hawaii through the following approach: 1) Bring together a diverse alliance of nonprofits, statewide and sector-wide, to network, learn, share ideas, collaborate, and partner; 2) Advocate for the nonprofit sector to build community awareness of its value and how to invest resources; 3) Provide communications, tools, and resources to facilitate dialogue and gathering and disseminating information for and about the sector and the community; 4) Provide professional and organizational development–workshops on nonprofit best practices and capacity-building consulting services for nonprofits and community groups; and 5) Put the collective buying power of the membership to work to save member organizations time and money.
Commission for National and Community Service (CNCS) HI - CNCS is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Last year, the agency provided $7.7M in grants to support the more than 3,600 volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who met local needs, strengthened communities, and expanded economic opportunity through national service in Hawaii. If you’re looking for volunteers and/or applying for planning grants through AmeriCorps Hawaii, Senior Core or their related services, this is place to start your search.
Association of Fundraising Professionals Aloha Chapter - AFP-AC advances philanthropy throughout Hawaii by actively promoting the practice of ethical and effective fundraising. We are committed to education, training, advocacy, and mentoring in the field of fundraising for the benefit of all, with the spirit of aloha. Chapter members represent organizations on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Visit our online membership directory to find a professional in your area of interest.
Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii - VLHS provides free or low-cost legal help to low-income residents and the non-profit organizations serving them in communities across our state with the help of volunteers who contribute pro bono services.
Hawaii Community Foundations:
Here’s a wonderful resource to explore: Hawaii has two Community Foundations providing funding and other services to nonprofits, schools, artists, churches, social justice and other groups through their own endowments and through their donor advised funds. Simply click on the Foundation names below for more information. Both provide grants throughout the Islands.
Want to learn more about Community Foundations before approaching them for funding? Click here on What’s a Community Foundation? The explanation will put you on a more solid foundation of understanding (pardon the pun!).
Hawaii Community Foundation - Based in Honolulu on Oahu, and with offices on the islands of Hawaii, Hilo, Kauai and Maui, HCF helps people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every Island community. As the “go-to” place to learn about nonprofit agencies and resources available to them, charitable giving, and community issues, HCF tracks industry trends, commissions studies, organizes workshops and conferences, and disseminates information to the community. The Foundation distributes more than $44M in grants and contracts each year.
Hawaii Peopleʻs Fund - Based in Honolulu, HPF has helped to support, build capacity, and amplify the impact of grassroots social change movements in Hawaii since 1972. No other organization specifically addresses the needs of grassroots progressive movement building. HPFʻs intersectional philosophy ensures that applicants and awardees reflect a broad range of issue areas. Fueled by community-based philanthropy, we award small grants annually to Hawaii-based organizations working towards social justice, equity, peace, and positive change in our islands. We are dedicated to the most creative, passionate, and radical visions of community, bravely navigating the intersections of indigeneity, environment, race, class, labor, gender, art, technology, mental health, incarceration, food, and other crucial issues we face.
United Ways of Hawaii:
Here’s an interesting question: Which organizations know the specific needs of local neighborhoods from the inside out, and also provide grants and volunteers to address them? United Way Chapters! All United Way organizations around the United States are dedicated to supporting projects within the four main areas of Health, Education, Financial Stability and Disaster Recovery of Individuals. While they share this common focus, each UW chapter -- and each one in Hawaii -- also provides funding and support for programs customized to the needs of its local area. To find out more about the four United Way Chapters in Hawaii and their resources and nonprofit funding opportunities, please click on the links below:
Aloha United Way - Based in Honolulu, AUW is celebrating 100 years. We are committed to the health and well-being of our community. We understand our community’s greatest needs and opportunities, as well as the people and programs that can help. We currently support 320 local nonprofit organizations that deliver a wide range of services to the Hawaii community. In 2018, AUW supported these independent agencies that provided 920,000 service encounters for families and individuals in need.
Hawaii Island United Way - Based in Hilo, HIUW partners with you to invest in 54 health and human service programs that reach over 75% of Hawaii Island families and individuals each year. All funded programs fall within the parameters of the following Community Care Impact Initiatives:
Education – Encouraging and nurturing positive values to develop skills in children, youth and adults; Income – Empowering families and individuals to become financially stable; increasing self-sufficiency and independence; and Health – Providing for basic needs and a safety net of services that promote prevention and encourage healing and recovery.
Kauai United Way - Based in Lihue, KUW is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization, dedicated to serving the social needs of Kauai since 1943. We monitor our agencies throughout the year and re-evaluate social needs annually. This is your assurance that your hard-earned contribution will be used efficiently and directed where it will do the most good for our entire community. How important is Kauai United Way funding? Some agencies depend heavily on our continuing support and could not exist without us. Unlike grants from other sources, which often require that their donations be tied to special projects, Kauai United Way funding is unrestricted. Agencies can use our money for whatever purpose is most important to help them serve the people on our island.
Maui United Way - Based in Wailuku, MUW has stayed vital to our community since 1945 for good reason: we know how to put the right people together with the right resources to make the right things happen. We are working to address Maui’s most vital needs through the impact areas of Education, Income (sustainability) and Health. Our goal is to bring people, organizations and our community together around a common cause, a common vision, and a common path forward.
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