Faces of
Philanthropy Spring 2011
Quarterly News from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation Message from the Chairman of the Board and President & CEO
2010: A Year in Review
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.
Aloha, from our new offices in the historic C. Brewer Building. As the Foundation starts a new year in a new home, we are reminded of how fortunate we are to live in these islands and how privileged we are to be the stewards of your generosity. In these challenging econo mic times, one thing is certain—without your meaningful support, the prospects for our community would be diminished. Thank you for all that you do for Hawai‘i. In this special edition of Faces of Philanthropy, we take a look back at a strong and fruitful year of investing in the community, while highlighting some of our exciting partnerships, initiatives and programs that are making an impact. The year 2010 was remarkable on several accounts. First of all, we are pleased to report that the Foundation is in solid financial shape amidst the recession. Since the demand for nonprofit programs and services is always greater in a down economy, the need for the Foundation’s resources was important more than ever before and we were able to prudently invest more than $36 million in the community. We continued to focus on strengthening our existing major initiatives in 2010, as well as introducing new ones. The Hawai‘i Community Stabilization Initiative (HCSI) has produced promising results in its first year of support to families and individuals in financial crisis. You can read more about HCSI in this issue. Similarly, Schools of the Future made significant progress in its second year. Through a partnership with the Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools, the Foundation has supported efforts
to transform 19 private schools in their quest to define success for 21st century students. In keeping with 21st century approaches, we launched the Island Innovation Fund last fall and its first awards process is underway. The fund supports a culture of innovation and fresh ideas within the nonprofit sector with the goal of bringing about significant change. The idea has garnered attention in the nonprofit sector and has become a fantastic learning experience for the participants and for us as well. The first round of grant recipients can be found at www.islandinnovation.org. Designated Grants 10.5%
Private Fdn. Grants 20%
Scholarship Grants 10.5%
Major Initiatives 36.6%
Donor Advised Grants 22.4%
2010 Community Investment ($ millions) Major Initiatives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 13.2 Donor Advised Grants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1 Scholarship Grants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8 Private Foundation Grants. . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2 Designated Grants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8 TOTAL
$ 36.1 (continued on page 4)
For more information on connecting with a cause that you care about, please contact the Philanthropic Services Department at (808) 566-5560 (toll-free at 1-888-731-3863) or e-mail clientservices@hcf-hawaii.org
www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org
Facesof
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Spring 2011
The Hawai‘i Community Stabilization Initiative:
Continuing the Momentum The Hawai‘i Community Stabilization Initiative (HCSI) distributed its first round of grant awards to several nonprofit organizations statewide in 2009 totaling more than $1.4 million. Throughout the year, these organizations helped hundreds of families avoid homelessness, financial crisis and remain stable through these challenging economic times. Grants supported nonprofit organizations that were faced with an escalating demand for services as the economy worsened. In a time when funding was also scarce, HCSI has enabled critical services that support families to continue uninterrupted. HCSI distributed funds to nonprofits that help Hawai‘i families access federal support and resources to meet basic needs. Many working families received help putting meals on the table with food stamps, staying in their homes through emergency housing assistance or foreclosure avoidance, accessing financial support through tax credits, and maintaining financial health and stability through credit or bankruptcy counseling. In all funding areas, HCSI achieved tremendous leverage. The dollar amount of support that went to families was more than seven times the grants dollars invested by the funder collaborative. Nonprofit organizations that received grants were also able to accomplish more in less time and reach more families in need.
HCSI Funding Partners American Savings Bank Anonymous Atherton Family Foundation Cooke Foundation First Hawaiian Bank Hawai‘i Community Foundation H.K.L. Castle Foundation Kosasa Family Fund McInerny Foundation Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund Seto Foundation Stupski Family Fund
A second round of grants estimated at another $1.5 million will be distributed later this year. HCSI is a three-year, $4.6 million funder commitment. Based on the results of the first grant making round, the funders plan to continue investing in what has worked, and will explore other funding areas where the initiative can help more people. “We came together for this funding initiative because we share a common desire to help the families in Hawai‘i who were most affected by the prolonged recession,” said Kelvin H. Taketa, president of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, which is a member of the funding partnership. “We are off to a great start and all partners remain committed to continuing the momentum.”
Self-Sufficiency Budget for a family of 4 in Hawai‘i (2007)
Miscellaneous The living wage for a family of 4 in Hawai‘i is $55,581. In the 8% current economic climate, families struggle to pay basic necessities. HCSI funding helps nonprofits who are connecting families with resources in these areas: Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,390.41 Healthcare 6% Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,728.62 Child Care . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,569.84 Transportation . . . . . . . . . 3,316.36 Healthcare . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,562.08 Transportation 6% Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . 4,356.69 Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,657.16 TOTAL $55,581.15
(Continued on page 3)
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Taxes 14% Food 22%
Housing 27% Child Care 17%
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Spring 2011
Hawai‘i Community Stabilization Initiavive (Continued from page 2)
Network Development 3%
Public Policy 1%
Public Awareness 7%
Credit & Foreclosure 41%
Loan Programs 2% Asset Building 3%
Immediate Support Credit/Foreclosure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 575,000.00 Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP: food stamps) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268,683.00 Emergency Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235,874.00 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). . 100,000.00 Building the Future Asset Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 33,440.00 Loan Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,000.00
VITA 7% Emergency Housing 17%
Funding by Area
SNAP 19%
Infrastructure Public Awareness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 102,373.00 Network Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,000.00 Public Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,500.00 TOTAL
$ 1,390,870.00
Fostering support:
Hawai‘i Youth Opportunities Initiative While turning 18 years old for most young people is associated with inde pendence and freedom from parents, it is often a different story for foster youth. Research has shown that youth transitioning from foster care to the “real world” experience poor outcomes in comparison to their peers in the general population. Many foster youth have not benefited from typical growing-up experiences that teach self-sufficiency skills, nor do they have family and community networks that help them make successful transitions to adulthood. As a result, they have difficulty with tasks such as securing housing, finding and keeping a job, accessing health care and taking care of their health, and undertaking educational and training opportunities. They often end up in financial and legal trouble as well. In an effort to combat this trend, the Hawai‘i Youth Opportunities Initiative (HYOI) was formed in 2010. “The initiative evolved from our strategy work on behalf of the Geist Foundation,” said Amy Luersen, director of philan thropic services for the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. “As a collaborative of funders, we’re coming together to change the systems to ensure access to the supports and services they need to be successful adults.” In addition to the Victoria S. and Bradley L. Geist Foundation, funding partners are: the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, the Atherton Family Foundation and the McInerny Foundation. HYOI is working with the national Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, learning from their experience throughout the country. Founded in 2001, (Continued on page 4) 3
The Opportunity Passport tm is a package of resources that helps young people make a successful transition to adulthood. The package includes financial literacy training, a matched savings account, and a personal bank account. Bank of Hawai‘i is a local partner. HYOI is committed to offering up to $1,000 per year for matched asset purchases to each young person, up to age 24. Individual donors are welcome to contribute to the match. For more information, please contact Amy Luersen at aluersen@hcf-hawaii.org.
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Hawai‘i Youth Opportunities Initiative (Continued from page 3)
the Jim Casey Initiative provides access to the ideas, people, skills, effective examples and learning opportunities sites need to expand opportunities for young people. Each local site is a co-investment site, receiving customized training and technical assistance. The Jim Casey Initiative’s approach is a systems improvement effort. Strategies that must be in place include youth engagement; partnerships and resources; research, evaluation and communication; public will and policy; and increased opportunities. Young people are given the opportunity for financial literacy training and a matched savings account for asset purchases, which benefits individual youth. At the same time the HYOI, based on the input of the young people, seeks changes to the systems that affect all young people aging out of the foster care system. Success is measured by improvements in education; employment; housing; physical and mental health; and personal and community engagement. “It’s a very vulnerable population,” said Jeanne Hamilton, one of two statewide initiative coordinators at EPIC ‘Ohana, Inc., the lead agency for HYOI. “But with access to resources in place, these youth can become successful adults.”
EPIC’s role as lead agency is to implement HYOI’s two goals: to raise public awareness of young people who “age out” of foster care, and to work with youth and community partners to provide access to supports, such as education, employment, health care, housing and family relationships, and community connections. Two volunteer boards assist HYOI in its work. The youth leadership board, HIHOPES (Hawai‘i —Helping Our People Envision Success) is comprised of current and former foster youth, and the Community Partnership Hui includes representatives from the community. HIHOPES develops HYOI’s policy agenda. Two areas that members are currently focused on are improved access to health insurance when youth turn 18 years old, and maintaining sibling connections while in foster care. Adrian Gilliland, a member of the HIHOPES board knows the difficulties foster youth face firsthand. “We’re trying to help them so they don’t fall through the cracks,” said Gilliland, who is attending Hawai‘i Community College and plans to study either environmental or political science. “Foster kids are aging out at 18, and they need to learn things on the spot. I don’t want others to go through the same things I did. As this program grows, many more won’t have to.”
Message from the Chairman and President & CEO (Continued from page 1)
In addition, our environmental program expanded thanks to a new partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration around marine conservation. We also launched Hawai‘i Emerging Leaders Program (HELP) as part of our Building the Sector Initiative. More about HELP is also in this issue. It has been an honor to be your partner in philanthropy this past year. As the Foundation continues its evolution, we are grateful for your trust in us and encouraged by your commitment to making our island home a better place. Here’s to an amazing 2011 and beyond. Mahalo, Paul Kosasa and Kelvin H. Taketa 4
Paul Kosasa Chairman of the Board
Kelvin H. Taketa President & CEO
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HELP has Arrived The Hawai‘i Emerging Leaders Program (HELP) brings together up-and-coming nonprofit leaders for a dynamic, sevenmonth, peer-centered learning experience. HELP stems from the Foundation’s Organizational Effectiveness Initiative that also includes the well established Promoting Outstanding Nonprofit Organizations (PONO) Program for nonprofit executive directors. The inaugural class of 15 senior staff leaders from nonprofit organizations in the state was formed in 2010. Participants, many of whom are second-in-command at their organization, deepen their under standing of their leadership capacity, advance their understanding and practice of leading in the nonprofit sector, and strengthen their network of colleagues. HELP Fellow Christi Masters is the program director for Imua Family Services on Maui, which provides comprehensive early childhood development assistance to children and their families. Masters experienced some transitional challenges from providing direct services to children as a speech language pathologist at Imua, to taking on a leadership role as program director for its early intervention program. “I am thankful to have the support of HELP so that I can improve as a leader and help our agency grow as well,” said Masters.
The next cohort of HELP Fellows will be selected in 2012. An incredible journey For Christi Masters, program director at Imua Family Services, this summer will mark her seventh anniversary at the Maui nonprofit organization. As a participant in HELP’s inaugural class, Masters is enthusiastic about what she has learned and confident about helping to lead Christi Masters her organization on what she calls “an incredible journey.” Here, she shares some of her experiences with us: How has HELP benefited you as a leader and what has it done for your organization? The program has helped me define my personal values and improved my confi dence in how I lead. By understanding my values and aligning them with our agency’s mission and values, making difficult choices is not as overwhelming. I understand that I may not always make the “right” decision, but I am not afraid to admit my mistakes. I supervise a large group of people, so I’ve ensured that our meetings focus on our commitment to the community and our mission. I have also improved my
2010–2011
HELP Fellows
Linda Lewis Ezuka Director of Development, Holy Nativity School
Casey Carmichael Director of Operations, Hawai‘i Nature Center
Yvonne Gilbert Director of Programs— Kona and Ka‘u, The Arc of Kona
Blair Collis Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Bishop Museum
Vince Hazen Director of Academy Art Center at Linekona, Honolulu Academy of Arts
Keith Cruickshank Regional Director, Kaua‘i, Boys and Girls Club of Hawai‘i
Stuart Hirstein Associate Headmaster and Chief Operating Officer, Island Pacific Academy, Inc.
self-awareness which has really helped me as a leader. I know that if I’m feeling stressed or worried or tired, it has an effect on the people around me, so I have been focused on improving my energy. What has been especially helpful to you? The most meaningful part of HELP has been meeting my cohorts in the class. It has truly gone beyond networking with others; it has become a group of friends who respect each other. I get excited for each session because I can’t wait to see my classmates and hear how each other have made changes at work based on what we’ve learned. We laugh and have fun together. We listen to each other’s struggles and accomplish ments with an open heart and offer our own experiences that may help without any fear of judgment. Before the HELP program, I truly did not think there were other people who could identify with the leadership challenges that I deal with, but I have learned that is not true at all. It feels so good to know that other people have experienced the same types of things—to be able to hear how they’ve dealt with situations really opens my eyes to new approaches and gives me confidence in what I do each day.
Teri Hollowell Director of Programming, Hawai‘i Island HIV/AIDS Foundation
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Amro Nassar Director of Finance, Maui Arts and Cultural Center
Keith Kuboyama Clinical Director, Family Programs Hawai‘i
Charlie Schlather Clinical Director of Community Services, Maui Youth and Family Services
Ryan Kusumoto Vice President of Administration, Goodwill Industries of Hawai‘i, Inc.
Kathy Suzuki-Kitagawa Chief Operating Officer, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association
Christi Masters Program Director, Imua Family Services
Vivian Yasunaga Director of Finance, Child and Family Service
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When the historic C. Brewer Building in downtown Honolulu was built in the late 1920s, The Honolulu Star-Bulletin called it “a home rather than a business establishment.” Today, the building has survived nearly unchanged and it is our new home. In addition to gaining a significant cost savings to our operating budget, this new space gives the Foundation its own unique identity—a true gathering place for philanthropy. New Office Location and Mailing Address: 827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-4317 Office: (808) 537-6333 Toll-free: 1-888-731-3863 Fax: (808) 521-6286 E-mail: clientservices@hcf-hawaii.org
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