Harold K.L.Castle Foundation Grant Program

The Harold K.L.Castle Foundation provides funding to nonprofit organizations and public schools that align with its four strategic priority areas: Public Education Redesign and Enhancement (pre-K through 12th grade), Nearshore Marine Resource Conservation in the waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands, Climate Resiliency, and Strengthening the Communities of Windward Oahu. Occasionally, the Foundation may support initiatives outside these areas, but such decisions are rare, discretionary, and always initiated internally by the Foundation itself. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS under sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a) as public charities, as well as public schools operating in Hawaii. The Foundation does not provide funding to individuals or businesses under any circumstances. Applicants must serve the population of Hawaii to be considered. While historically capital campaigns and capital needs such as construction, renovation, and equipment purchases were frequently funded, such grants are now infrequent and must align tightly with the Foundation’s strategic priorities. In such cases, applicants are encouraged to consult with Foundation staff before submitting a proposal to assess fit and reduce effort. The Foundation does not generally provide general operating support, except in rare instances where the recipient organization is critical to the overall success of the Foundation’s strategies. Most grants are awarded for specific projects that advance one or more of the priority areas. The application process begins with submission of an Online Inquiry Form, available year-round. Within one month of submission, staff will respond with a request for more information, an invitation to submit a full proposal, or notification that the request will not be considered. If invited, applicants can then prepare a full proposal for one of the four scheduled deadlines in 2025: February 11, May 6, August 5, or November 4. All full proposals are reviewed by Foundation staff, who then make recommendations to the Board of Directors. The board is responsible for all final funding decisions and meets quarterly in 2025 on March 12, June 5, September 4, and December 4. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within one week following the directors' meeting. Prior to submitting an online inquiry, applicants are required to contact the Foundation by phone to discuss their eligibility and project. The key contact for this initial conversation is Beth Murph, who can be reached at 808-554-5164. Grants typically range from $100 to $4 million, with an average grant size of approximately $110,000. The Foundation prefers not to be the sole funder of a project. For university-based projects, grants under $500,000 carry a 1% overhead rate, while those at or above $500,000 carry a 2% rate. Only one active grant per organization is allowed at a time. Organizations whose proposals have been declined are advised to wait one year before resubmitting the same request. Once a grant is awarded, the Foundation may include contingencies such as progress reporting or securing matching funds. These must be satisfied via the Fluxx grants management system to release funds. Budget reallocations of up to 20% between line items per year are permitted without prior approval, and unspent funds must be returned at the project's conclusion.

Contact staff by phone before submitting an inquiry. Fit with strategic priorities is essential.