PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Jan 24, 2018
827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 Phone: 808-537-6333 Fax: 808-521-6286 HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Catherine Howland Hawai‘i Community Foundation (808) 566-5569 (Office) (808) 260-5001 (Mobile) chowland@hcf-hawaii.org
FLEX GRANTS PROGRAM AWARDS $4.4 MILLION TO HAWAI‘I NONPROFITS 189 High-Performing Nonprofits to Receive Unrestricted Funds HONOLULU, HI — Through the FLEX Grant Program at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), 189 nonprofits across the state have been awarded a total of $4.4 million in unrestricted funds for calendar year 2019. Unrestricted funds allow an organization to prioritize its needs and respond to unforeseen circumstances or opportunities. FLEX Grants may be used for a variety of purposes including administrative costs, capacity building, program expenses, evaluations or salaries. “FLEX Grants are highly valued by nonprofit leaders,” said Micah Kāne, HCF president & CEO. “They have complete discretion on the best use of their award to sustain or strengthen their programs to better serve our community. And that’s our goal – to support nonprofits with the resources they need. When nonprofits are strong, we all benefit.” HCF’s FLEX Grants Program, was created in 2013 as part of the foundation’s Advancing Nonprofit Excellence Initiative, which is designed to strengthen the nonprofit sector in Hawai‘i through leadership development, strategic networks, and other supports. Since its inception, FLEX has distributed more than $25.8 million on behalf of more than 100 current and past donors. “FLEX Grant announcements are always bittersweet because every high-performing organization deserves this kind of support, but resources are limited,” Kāne adds. “We have to make tough decisions based on the funding available.” All 189 FLEX grantees have been notified about the coming award. “It takes all of our budgeted funding to keep the doors open, buy copy paper, pay the rent, and provide high-skills training for our wonderful volunteers,” said Bevanne J. Bowers, Esq., Executive Director of Maui Mediation Services which provides mediation services to Maui's families, employees, neighbors, contractors and more. “Whereas a programmatic grant wouldn’t cover the IT situation because it didn’t fulfill a preapproved category, the FLEX Grants really help us conduct our work in a manner that is effective, without having to worry if it’s fallen outside certain parameters. We are so thankful to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.”
A full list of the organizations receiving 2018 FLEX Grants is attached and available on HCF’s website. For individuals or organizations interested in supporting high-performing nonprofits, please call (888) 731-3863 or email flex@hcf-hawaii.org. For nonprofit organizations interested in applying for a 2018 FLEX grant, visit the HCF’s website for deadlines and application guidelines. ### With over 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of more than 850 funds, including more than 250 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2018, HCF distributed more than $59 million in grants and contracts statewide, including more than $6 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.