The Robert E. Black Memorial Trust is a Hawaii-focused funder that channels the bulk of its resources through the Hawaii Community Foundation while also directly supporting local independent schools, higher education, and cultural institutions. Its giving emphasizes sustaining Honolulu-area nonprofits—private K–12 schools and universities, museums, performing arts, and a small slice of health/aging and disaster relief—often via repeat, similarly sized grants. The foundation’s patterns suggest steady, place-based philanthropy aimed at preserving local educational and cultural infrastructure.
Robert E Black Memorial Trust’s largest recent grants go to the Hawaii Community Foundation, including $2,100,000 in 2024 and $1,821,400 in 2023. That pattern shows a funder that uses a major intermediary alongside direct support for Honolulu-based institutions. The trust’s recent giving also reaches Hawaii Pacific University, Bishop Museum, and a set of private schools and cultural organizations that recur across years. The trust’s portfolio is anchored in Hawaii institutions that serve education, arts, heritage, and community services. Hawaii Pacific University received $369,000 in 2024 after $320,048 in 2023, while Bishop Museum received $144,000 in 2024 and $124,896 in 2023. Smaller awards appear alongside those larger commitments, suggesting a mix of high-dollar anchor gifts and repeat support for organizations with established relationships to the funder. Its recent grants also include Honolulu-area schools such as Punahou School, Iolani School, St Louis School, and Hawaii Preparatory Academy, plus organizations tied to the city’s cultural and social fabric. The pattern is consistent and place-based: the trust gives within Hawaii, and the same recipients often reappear from one year to the next.
Education is a clear throughline. In 2024, the trust gave $45,000 to Iolani School, $45,000 to Punahou School, $45,000 to St Louis School, and $45,000 to Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Kamuela; in 2023, each of those schools also received $39,032. Hawaii Pacific University received $369,000 in 2024 and $320,048 in 2023, placing higher education among the trust’s larger direct commitments. The trust also supports cultural institutions. Bishop Museum received $144,000 in 2024 and $124,896 in 2023, while Hawaii Symphony Orchestra received $54,000 in 2024 and $46,836 in 2023. Diamond Head Theatre followed the same pattern, with $54,000 in 2024 and $46,836 in 2023. Health and relief appear in the record as well. The trust gave $45,000 to the Alzheimer's Association in 2024 and $39,032 in 2023, and $54,000 to the American Red Cross in 2024 after $46,836 in 2023.
Typical grant size sits tightly around the mid-$40,000 range: the 25th percentile is $45,000, the median is $46,836, and the 75th percentile is $107,172. The distribution includes a small number of very large grants, led by multimillion-dollar awards to the Hawaii Community Foundation, while many direct grants cluster in repeated amounts such as $45,000, $46,836, and $39,032. The recent record shows recurrence rather than one-off support, with several recipients appearing in both 2023 and 2024. The trust makes programmatic grants and unrestricted or flexible support, and it does not fund individuals or program-related investments.
$2.8M
$50.1M
$5.9M
$3.2M
Most grants fall between $45K and $107K, with a median of $47K.
25th Percentile
$45K
Median
$47K
75th Percentile
$107K
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Highly concentrated: one very large award to the Hawaii Community Foundation accounts for the majority of giving, with the remainder distributed as multiple repeat, mid-sized and equalized grants to a small set of local schools, cultural organizations, and service groups. Grants are typically recurring to the same grantees rather than broadly distributed to new organizations.
Notable grantees: Hawaii Community Foundation, Hawaii Pacific University, Bishop Museum, Punahou School, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra
The trust gives locally and all recent grants in the file go to U.S. recipients, with 100% of grants landing in Hawaii. Honolulu is the main recipient city, including Hawaii Pacific University, Bishop Museum, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Diamond Head Theatre, the American Red Cross, and several private schools. Kamuela also appears through Hawaii Preparatory Academy. The geographic pattern is narrowly concentrated within the state rather than spread across multiple regions.
Recent grants show support for Hawaii Community Foundation, higher education, private K–12 schools, museums, performing arts groups, and a few health and relief organizations. The record includes Hawaii Pacific University, Bishop Museum, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Diamond Head Theatre, the Alzheimer's Association, and the American Red Cross.
No. The recipient country distribution shows 22 grants to U.S. organizations, and every listed recipient is in Hawaii. The top state by grant count is HI, and 100% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state.
The typical grant cluster is in the mid-$40,000 range. The 25th percentile is $45,000, the median is $46,836, and the 75th percentile is $107,172.
Yes. Hawaii Community Foundation appears in both 2023 and 2024 with multimillion-dollar awards, and several direct grantees recur across those years as well, including Hawaii Pacific University, Bishop Museum, Punahou School, Iolani School, Hawaii Preparatory Academy, the Alzheimer's Association, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Diamond Head Theatre, and the American Red Cross.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $1,925,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $338,252 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| BISHOP MUSEUM | HONOLULU, HI | $132,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | HONOLULU, HI | $49,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | HONOLULU, HI | $49,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | HONOLULU, HI | $49,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | HONOLULU, HI | $41,252 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| IOLANI SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $41,252 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| PUNAHOU SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $41,252 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| ST LOUIS SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $41,252 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| HAWAII PREPARATORY ACADEMY | KAMUELA, HI | $41,252 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $1,855,000 | 2025 | — |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $325,952 | 2025 | — |
| BISHOP MUSEUM | HONOLULU, HI | $127,200 | 2025 | — |
| DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | HONOLULU, HI | $47,700 | 2025 | — |
| HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | HONOLULU, HI | $47,700 | 2025 | — |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | HONOLULU, HI | $47,700 | 2025 | — |
| IOLANI SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $39,752 | 2025 | — |
| HAWAII PREPARATORY ACADEMY | KAMUELA, HI | $39,752 | 2025 | — |
| PUNAHOU SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $39,752 | 2025 | — |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | HONOLULU, HI | $39,752 | 2025 | — |
| ST LOUIS SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $39,752 | 2025 | — |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $2,100,000 | 2024 | — |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $369,000 | 2024 | — |
| BISHOP MUSEUM | HONOLULU, HI | $144,000 | 2024 | — |
| HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | HONOLULU, HI | $54,000 | 2024 | — |
| DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | HONOLULU, HI | $54,000 | 2024 | — |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | HONOLULU, HI | $54,000 | 2024 | — |
| IOLANI SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $45,000 | 2024 | — |
| HAWAII PREPARATORY ACADEMY | KAMUELA, HI | $45,000 | 2024 | — |
| ST LOUIS SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $45,000 | 2024 | — |
| PUNAHOU SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $45,000 | 2024 | — |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | HONOLULU, HI | $45,000 | 2024 | — |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $1,821,400 | 2023 | — |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $320,048 | 2023 | — |
| BISHOP MUSEUM | HONOLULU, HI | $124,896 | 2023 | — |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | HONOLULU, HI | $46,836 | 2023 | — |
| DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE | HONOLULU, HI | $46,836 | 2023 | — |
| HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | HONOLULU, HI | $46,836 | 2023 | — |
| ST LOUIS SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $39,032 | 2023 | — |
| HAWAII PREPARATORY ACADEMY | KAMUELA, HI | $39,032 | 2023 | — |
| PUNAHOU SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $39,032 | 2023 | — |
| IOLANI SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $39,032 | 2023 | — |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | HONOLULU, HI | $39,032 | 2023 | — |
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$338,252UNRESTRICTED GIFT
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$49,500UNRESTRICTED GIFT
UNRESTRICTED GIFT
PUNAHOU SCHOOL
$41,252UNRESTRICTED GIFT
ST LOUIS SCHOOL
$41,252UNRESTRICTED GIFT
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$325,952AMERICAN RED CROSS
$47,700PUNAHOU SCHOOL
$39,752ST LOUIS SCHOOL
$39,752HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$369,000AMERICAN RED CROSS
$54,000ST LOUIS SCHOOL
$45,000PUNAHOU SCHOOL
$45,000HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$320,048AMERICAN RED CROSS
$46,836ST LOUIS SCHOOL
$39,032PUNAHOU SCHOOL
$39,032