The Lāna‘i Community Benefit Fund, administered by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), aims to promote and enrich the lifestyle of Lāna‘i residents by supporting educational, cultural, and recreational activities. Special emphasis is placed on programs that serve youth, young adults, and senior citizens. This fund is part of HCF’s broader Community Grants Program, which supports nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of Hawai‘i residents through various community-focused funds.
Applications must be submitted online via the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Grants Portal by 4:00 p.m. HST on Monday, May 19, 2025. Grants are typically awarded for a one-year term, with funding generally not exceeding $10,000. Requests exceeding $5,000 are preferred for 501(c)(3) organizations or those working through a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Each organization may submit only one application per fund per year, and separate applications are required for each fund if applying to multiple ones.
Eligibility for this opportunity includes nonprofit organizations, fiscally-sponsored groups, community-serving initiatives with charitable intent, church programs, and projects within Hawai‘i DOE schools. Applicants must align with the priorities of the Lāna‘i Community Benefit Fund and other associated funds if applying to more than one. Organizations with overdue reports from previous HCF funding are ineligible. Additionally, applicants must ensure their organizational profile is updated and certified every six months in the Grants Portal and include financial documentation, service information, and a Board of Directors list.
The application involves four main sections: Program Overview, Program Information, Budget, and Supporting Documents. Applicants must detail their program’s title, duration, target populations, and its alignment with HCF's CHANGE framework. They should also describe the organization’s mission, the specific problem or opportunity the project addresses, the planned activities and their rationale, expected outcomes, and evaluation methods.
For projects utilizing a fiscal sponsor, applicants must provide a board resolution and sponsorship agreement form, along with the sponsor's IRS determination letter. These documents are available on the HCF website. For inquiries specific to the Lāna‘i Community Benefit Fund, applicants can contact Maggie Pulver at mpulver@hcf-hawaii.org or (808) 566-5590. General queries about the Community Grants Program can be directed to communitygrants@hcf-hawaii.org, and technical support is available through the online support ticket system.
