Frederic Duclos Barstow Foundation Grant

The Frederic Duclos Barstow Foundation for American Samoans, administered by the Bank of Hawai‘i, supports initiatives that focus on enhancing educational opportunities for the youth and residents of American Samoa. This private foundation was established through a Deed of Trust that prioritizes education as its central purpose. The Foundation’s main area of service is American Samoa, though some eligible programs may be based in the State of Hawaii, particularly tuition support administered through learning institutions. The Foundation operates under the oversight of a Permanent Committee, which sets guidelines for funding. Support is directed toward educational initiatives that may include assistance to public and private schools, hygiene education programs, support for Samoan students studying abroad, and cultural education initiatives such as the development of museums and libraries. The Foundation prioritizes applicants who present programs that benefit individuals of whole or part Polynesian descent for whom American Samoa is home. Applications must be submitted by qualified tax-exempt organizations classified as public charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Grants from the Frederic Duclos Barstow Foundation are single-year awards and may not be used for endowments, reserves, deficit financing, or given directly to individuals. Only one request per organization is allowed per year, and new applications will not be accepted if prior pledges or reports are outstanding. Funding decisions are made based on merit, alignment with the Deed of Trust, and the available funds, with applicants being notified of decisions within six months. A final report detailing program outcomes and grant expenditures is required from all recipients. The Foundation offers two types of support: Program Support and Tuition Aid Programs. Program Support grants are intended to improve education within American Samoa and may involve school-based programs with required support from school principals. Tuition Aid Program grants are available to accredited college or university institutions—preferably based in Hawaii—that serve second-year students recently arrived from American Samoa. Eligible students must be majoring in areas such as business, education, computer science, health care, and other specified fields. Applications are submitted online, and applicants must use the respective codes provided for each program type: FDBFPS for Program Support and FDBFTA for Tuition Aid. All applications must be received by 11:59 PM HST on October 1. While an audited financial statement is not typically required, it may be requested at the committee’s discretion. Inquiries regarding the Foundation and its application process should be directed to Claire Tarumoto, Vice President and Grants Administrator, via email at Claire.Tarumoto@boh.com or by phone at (808) 694-4945. The grant process does not appear to include a pre-application phase or Q&A sessions, and no opening date is specified beyond the closing date. The Foundation does not indicate that funding is recurring or rolling, and there is no mention of anticipated future cycles at this time.