Grantmaking Policy & Guidelines

In keeping with its mission to encourage effective and innovative philanthropy among Hawai`i ’s early-stage companies, EF Hawai`i is itself a philanthropic, grantmaking organization. We see our grantmaking as one of the best ways that we can invest in Hawai`i ’s future, and we see ourselves, our member companies, and our grantees as venture capitalists for social change. To ensure adequate return on our investments, we adopt the following policy.

Within six months of the sale of shares that EF Hawai`i holds in a member company, we will make one or more grants using an appropriate amount of the proceeds from that sale.

Because of its limited financial and human resources at present, EF Hawai`i does not accept unsolicited grant proposals or inquiries. Instead, the Foundation proactively contacts the projects or organizations that it is considering for support, and solicits proposals from them. However, an invitation to submit a proposal is not a guarantee of funding from EF Hawai`i .

Grants are generally made only to tax-exempt public charities as determined by Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Organizations without 501(c)(3) designation may receive funds through a fiscal sponsor with that designation provided there is an acceptable written fiscal sponsorship agreement between those two organizations. EF Hawai`i generally does not support deficit budgets, general fundraising campaigns, religious or political purposes, private schools, scholarships, construction or repair of buildings, or grants to individuals.

Grants are made to achieve one or more of the following purposes:

• Increase appreciation for and protection of Hawai`i ’s unique cultural, social, and environmental assets;
• Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the nonprofit sector;
• Move an organization to a substantially higher level of effectiveness and impact (therefore most grants will go to smaller nonprofit organizations);
• Inspire Hawai`i ’s citizens to have hope for the future;
• Attack the root causes of Hawai`i ’s problems while encouraging initiatives by those living and working closest to where problems are located;
• Promote collaboration among the nonprofit, government, and business sectors;
• Demonstrate new approaches for grantmaking foundations; and
• Allow and encourage good projects to be financially sustainable.

Grantees

Hula Preservation Society (www.hulapreservation.org) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve the oral histories of the senior-most hula masters alive today and to perpetuate their knowledge by providing access to their stories through public panel discussions and technology. Founded in 2000, HPS is the only organization in the nation completely dedicated to documenting the lives of a very specific and significant group of hula kūpuna, insuring that a critical aspect of the history and language of Hawai`i may be preserved and shared with future generations.

Mamie A. B. Lawrence Gallagher, President of HPS, explained that “The grant from EF Hawai`i will be used for a much-needed redesign of our website and upgrades to our computer systems and software. When this project is completed, we will be able to communicate with the community much more efficiently and effectively.”

`Onipa`a Na Hui Kalo is an organization of kalo growers, cultural practitioners, youths, and other community members who gather for workdays to restore lo`i and `auwai across the state. In the past 10 years, the Hui has held workdays in Waiahole, Kahana, Hālawa, Kohala, Hā`ena, Waipi`o, Wailua Nui, and Waikapu. These workdays have drawn over 200 volunteers at a time. The Hui has also published a book on lo`i restoration and conducts other educational activities.

Kāwika Winter, Director of Limahuli Garden on Kaua`i and a member of the Hui, said, “We will use the grant from EF Hawai`i for airfare, tools, safety equipment, and food for the volunteers at our workdays, as well as for our educational programs. The funds will help us perpetuate the cultivation of kalo, a spiritual ancestor of the Hawaiian people and a critical ethnobotanical resource for the native community.”