Faces of
Philanthropy Fall 2009
Quarterly News from the Hawai`i Community Foundation
2009 Walk the Talk Grantees An opportunity for staff philanthropy
OUR MissiOn We help people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every island community.
In keeping with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s mission to inspire the spirit of giving a fund was established in 2001 to provide the Foundation’s staff an opportunity to engage in philanthropy. Staff members are encouraged to contribute to a combined fund that is used for immediate grantmaking. Grantmaking decisions are made annually by a rotating advisory board and staff nominate nonprofit organizations based on their experiences in the community. This year’s committee announced 10 organizations that were selected to receive a total of $8,250. The following are 2009’s grantees: TEACH Maui, Inc. – Grant will be used to purchase geocaching equipment for TEACH Maui. TEACH stands for Technology for Environmental Assessment & Collaboration in Hawai‘i. The organization was established to help protect natural resources and cultural sites in Maui County by teaching the keiki of Maui to appreciate the ‘aina using scientific and technology curriculum.
tainable living practices into daily life, and to nurture the ability of future generations to continue and improve on these practices. The Movement Center – Grant will be used to support TMC’s scholarship program. TMC’s primary goal is to teach life skills such as creative problem solving and disciplined work ethics. They promote creative arts and dance to help with motor skill development, creativity, self-expression, courtesy, cooperation, and confidence. YWCA of O‘ahu – Grant will be used to provide athletic equipment for the YWCA’s afterschool program. Children’s afterschool enrichment at the YWCA at Laniäkea provides physical education activities for school age children through the Kama‘aina Kids program. This program serves school age keiki, primarily 5-13 years old.
Child and Family Service –Grant will be used to support CFS’s Nana’s House on Kaua‘i. Nana’s House is a family development center providing an array of support and preservation services to the families of West Kaua‘i (Köloa to Mänä), an underserved geographic region with limited opportunities for youth.
Boys and Girls Club of Hawai‘i – Grant will be used to cover costs for the Youth of the Year Academy. The Boys and Girls Club of Hawai‘i’s Youth of the Year Academy is a weekly seminar over two months that gather teens from Kaua‘i to O‘ahu to hone their writing, speaking, and presentation skills to prepare them for the Youth of the Year Competition.
The Green House - Grant will be used to support the afterschool program of the The Green House. Their mission is to guide children, adults, families, and communities in the integration of sus-
YWCA – Hawai‘i Island – Grant will be used to support the Hamakua Youth Center located in Honoka‘a. This project is managed by the YWCA in Hilo but is strongly supported by the
For more information on connecting with a cause that you care about, please contact HCF’s Philanthropic Services Department at (808) 566-5560 (toll-free at 1-888-731-3863) or email clientservices@hcf-hawaii.org.
www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org
leading the mission Wow. This year has been a long roller coaster ride with a few too many ups and downs, and current economic forecasts indicate we’re in for more of the same in 2010. From our vantage point, however, we’re fortunate to witness the impact every gift, large or small, plays in building a stronger community. Examples of this are captured within the pages of this newsletter: from the Annie Sinclair Knudsen Memorial Fund on Kaua`i, which celebrated its 22nd anniversary with grant awards of $150,000, to Foundation employees who have been inspired by the generosity of donors to establish the Walk the Talk Fund. You’ve probably also heard of the $50 million commitment from Pierre and Pam Omidyar which we believe is the largest single gift by a living donor in the state of Hawai`i’s history. The Omidyars’ investment will be used to launch several community initiatives over the next six years as well as to support the Omidyars’ ongoing philanthropic interests through the Omidyar `Ohana Fund, a donor advised fund, at the Hawai`i Community Foundation. Already, we are preparing to launch two initiatives in the next several months: •
Community Stabilization Initiative (CSI): A six year, $8 million funding partnership aimed at stabilizing communities by helping families and individuals weather the recession and build towards the future. This initiative seeks to increase the utilization of available government resources, increase credit counseling and mortgage foreclosure prevention services and asset building strategies. The Omidyar `Ohana Fund is providing a lead grant of $4 million that must be matched by other donors, foundations and government agencies over the next
a message from our board chairman and president
Barry K. Taniguchi, Chairman of the Board and Kelvin H. Taketa, President & CEO
•
six years. Omidyar Innovation Fund: This new, competitive grant making program will launch in 2010 and is aimed at spurring innovation in Hawai‘i’s social sector. The Omidyars are commiting $6 million over six years for this program which will provide matchmaking funds for qualifying organizations.
It is important to acknowledge that the Omidyars are following in the footsteps of our many donors and clients. When announcing the gift, Pierre said “We are humbled and inspired by the many people and organizations dedicated to transforming lives in our community. We look forward to being part of the collective effort to improve the quality of life for people throughout Hawai`i.” Thank you for showing others the way. And thank you for the difference your generosity is making in our community and for allowing us to be your partner in philanthropy.
Annie Sinclair Knudsen Memorial Fund Anniversary This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the Annie Sinclair Knudsen Memorial Fund and the Foundation’s Kaua‘i office celebrated with a small gathering on September 22 to honor its 2009 grantees. Nineteen community based organizations were awarded a total of $150,000 in grants to benefit Kaua‘i’s community including culture and arts, education, environment, and health and human services. This year’s awards promote volunteerism and collaboration and have demonstrated organizational and community effectiveness. Over the fund’s 22 year history, it has granted over $5 million to the community of Kaua‘i. The fund was established at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation in 1987 by Ruth Hanner, in honor of her grandmother. The fund was set up with a broad purpose to “support organizations that benefit the people, flora and fauna of Kaua‘i.” “We are honored to have the opportunity to steward Ms. Hanner’s legacy,” said Advisory Committee Chair, Tad Miura, Jr. The Annie Sinclair Knudsen Memorial Fund supports an extensive community grants program, organization capacity building grants for Kaua‘i organizations and Kaua‘i participation in the Foundation’s PONO program, a nonprofit leadership fellowships program. Past Kaua‘i grantees of the fund include the Nature Conservancy of Kaua‘i, the Kaua‘i Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Lïhu‘e Pop Warner Association. Copies of current and past issues of Faces of Philanthropy are available at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.
Maui Food Bank Donation – Valley Isle Vision Fund The Valley Isle Vision Fund reached out to the pressing needs of youth on Maui with a grant to help fight hunger. In August, the fund made a $1,500 donation to the Maui Food Bank’s Choices Youth Outreach program, which supports high school students who are predominately homeless and hungry. In a letter to the Foundation’s Maui office, the Food Bank’s director of development, Marlene Rice, expressed her gratitude, “More than ever before working poor families, seniors on fixed incomes and single parents are relying on the Maui Food Bank just to survive month to month. Thank you so much for helping make a difference in the lives of teens on Maui who have faced the hard reality of going hungry.” Six other organizations were also awarded a total of $5,000 in grants this year including, A Keiki's Dream, Lana'i Youth Center and Moloka'i Youth Center. The Choices Youth Outreach program initially began in 2007 under the direction of Donna Smith, Executive Director for the Kïhei Lutheran Church Community Outreach Program. With Donna’s help, the program grew from a counseling program at a local Maui high school, to an agency with the Maui Food Bank, giving her access to food to supplement the program. Counselors were able to distribute the food directly in the classroom,
2009 Walk the Talk Grantees continued from page 1
Donna Smith, Choices program director
and now the program has a wider outreach and is able to help more families in the community. The Valley Isle Vision Fund was established and named in 2003 by Marti deBenedetti, a part-time Maui resident who could see most of Maui County from her condo. It is a geographical fund benefiting Maui, Lana'i, Kaho'olawe, and Moloka'i with a special interest in programs and projects that support children. Grants are decided by the Maui Leadership Council, a group of community volunteers who help Neighbor Island Foundation staff to form new partnerships and provide advice on issues relevant to their respective islands.
Foundation staff members doing a site visit at Re-Use Hawai‘i’s warehouse.
people of Honoka‘a. The Center is located nearby schools and offers Hawaiian Studies, Youth Music Exchange and Youth Life Skills programs in addition to a computer center, homework tutoring and game room. Grassroots Community Development – Grant will be used for the Kea‘au Middle College High School program. Funding will help pay for college class credits taken by high school seniors that participate in this alternative curriculum. Seniors that are having difficulty in regular classes but have sufficient credits to be close to graduation are allowed to participate in this off-campus program that provides “hands on” learning.
Re-Use Hawai‘i – Grant will be used to support Re-Use’s volunteer program. Re-Use Hawai‘i’s mission is to keep reusable building material out of landfills and in use in the community. It’s the only organization of its kind in the state, and is filing a critical need on an island with limited landfill space. They also offer deconstruction services, which is the dismantling of a building in order to preserve the maximum amount of material for reuse or recycling.
We encourage your comments and questions. Please contact us via e-mail at communications@hcf-hawaii.org or call (808) 566-5544.
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Faces of Philanthropy
Summer 2009
Board Leadership Conference 2010 – Breaking Boardom On Tuesday, February 16, 2010, the Foundation will host its annual Board Leadership Conference titled “Breaking Boardom.” Next year’s conference will be held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Board members of nonprofit organizations are invited to this event to learn how to be fully engaged in the oversight of their organization’s operations. “Breaking Boardom” is an opportunity for board members to also learn more about current governance issues. This year’s expert speakers will address the latest federal and state tax requirements, fundraising, capacity building, and staff relationships. The keynote speakers are Lois G. Lerner of the IRS and U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye. For more information, visit our web site www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.
For more information about this and other community building initiatives in which Hawai‘i Community Foundation is involved, please call our Programs Department at (808) 537-6333.