The Honda Foundation concentrates its giving on higher education in Hawaii and on working/search-and-rescue dog programs. It makes relatively large, targeted grants to a small number of institutions — primarily local universities and a couple of specialized canine/rescue organizations — suggesting dual priorities of supporting Hawaiian postsecondary institutions and funding operational capacity for canine search-and-rescue efforts.
Concentrated, mid-to-large sized awards to a small set of grantees (six grants totaling $336k), including repeat funding for at least one canine organization; split between local Hawaiian higher-education beneficiaries and mainland canine/rescue groups.
The Honda Foundation’s recent grants show a two-track pattern: substantial support for Hawaiian higher education and continued backing for search-and-rescue and working-dog organizations. The largest grant in the list, $76,410 to the University of Hawaii Foundation in 2025, sits alongside other large awards to The University of Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific University, reinforcing a strong institutional commitment to postsecondary education in Hawaii. On the canine side, the foundation has made repeated grants to specialized organizations such as Search and Rescue Dogs of PA and Atlantic Coast Canine, indicating attention to operational support for dog training and rescue work. The grant record also includes a smaller but visible set of general support awards to cultural, educational, and community organizations, including Columbia University Libraries and Little Tokyo Service Center. Across the recent grants listed, the foundation’s giving appears targeted rather than broad, with a relatively small set of recipients receiving meaningful multi-year support.
Higher education is the clearest theme in the Honda Foundation’s recent giving. In 2025, it gave $76,410 to the University of Hawaii Foundation for educational purposes, and it also awarded $60,000 to The University of Hawaii in 2024 and $32,000 to Hawaii Pacific University in 2023. Those grants point to ongoing support for Hawaiian postsecondary institutions rather than one-off awards. A second thread is canine search-and-rescue work: the foundation gave $67,900 to Search and Rescue Dogs of PA in 2023 and $49,950 and $49,750 to Atlantic Coast Canine in 2023 and 2024, respectively. It also made general support grants to community organizations such as Little Tokyo Service Center and Fix Nation, showing that its portfolio includes both education and nonprofit capacity support.
Typical grants cluster at the middle of the range: the foundation’s p25 is $1,400, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $14,625. The recent list includes repeated awards to the same recipients across multiple years, especially Hawaii-based universities and several dog-related organizations, which suggests recurring relationships rather than purely one-time gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent awards include both educational and general support, indicating flexibility in grant purpose even when the recipient base is relatively concentrated.
$218K
$4.6M
$299K
$257K
Most grants fall between $1K and $15K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$15K
About 20% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: University of Hawaii Foundation, The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, Atlantic Coast Canine, Search and Rescue Dogs of PA
Giving is regional, with the highest concentration in California by grant count and 20% of grants going to recipients in Hawaii, the headquarters state. Honolulu appears repeatedly in the recent grants list through the University of Hawaii Foundation, The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, Hear 4 Hope, and Hawaii Community Foundation. Outside Hawaii, Los Angeles is another frequent recipient city, alongside New York and New Brunswick. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants point to three main areas: higher education support for Hawaiian institutions, search-and-rescue and working dog programs, and general support for nonprofit capacity. Examples in the list include awards to the University of Hawaii Foundation, Search and Rescue Dogs of PA, and Little Tokyo Service Center.
Yes. The recent list shows repeated awards to the University of Hawaii Foundation in 2025 and 2025, Hawaii Pacific University in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Little Tokyo Service Center in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Atlantic Coast Canine and Kitten Rescue Via Network for Good also appear in more than one year.
The grant-size distribution is centered at modest-to-mid-sized awards: p25 is $1,400, median is $5,000, and p75 is $14,625. The recent list also includes larger targeted grants, including $76,410 to the University of Hawaii Foundation and $67,900 to Search and Rescue Dogs of PA.
By recipient location, California has the highest grant count, while 20% of grants go to recipients in Hawaii. Honolulu is a frequent city in the recent grants list, and Los Angeles also appears multiple times, along with New York and New Brunswick.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION) | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $28,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL |
| HEAR 4 HOPE | HONOLULU, HI | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS LOS ANGELES REGION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KITTEN RESCUE VIA NETWORK FOR GOOD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FIX NATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| NY PUBLIC LIBRARY-WALLACH DIVISION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| 10X10 PHOTOBOOKS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ALOHA ANIMAL SANCTUARY | KANEOHE, HI | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,400 | 2026 | CULTURAL |
| HAMMER MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,250 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,062 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CAMP LEBANON BAPTIST RETREAT | LEBANON, NJ | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| JACC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ACADEMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KUMU KAHUA THEATRE | HONOLULU, HI | $104 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH | NEW YORK, NY | $100 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $76,410 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION) | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $15,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| KITTEN RESCUE VIA NETWORK FOR GOOD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HEAR 4 HOPE | HONOLULU, HI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIX NATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NY PUBLIC LIBRARY-WALLACH DIVISION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NORTH EAST WORKING CANE CORSO CLUB | MONTGOMERY, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ASSOCIATION FOR ASIAN STUDIES | ANN ARBOR, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CENTER THEATRE GROUP | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EAST HAWAII CULTURAL CENTER | HILO, HI | $3,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DONKEY MILL ART CENTER | HOLUALA, HI | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TAP CANCER OUT | SHELTON, CA | $2,090 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,062 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE NEW GROUP | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,400 | 2025 | CULTURAL |
| HAMMER MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,250 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC | LONG BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ACADEMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $60,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| ATLANTIC COAST CANINE | MILLERSTOWN, PA | $49,750 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $22,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| KITTEN RESCUE VIA NETWORK FOR GOOD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION
$50,000EDUCATIONAL
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
$30,000GENERAL
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION)
$28,000EDUCATIONAL
HEAR 4 HOPE
$15,000GENERAL
LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER
$15,000GENERAL
AMERICAN RED CROSS LOS ANGELES REGION
$10,000GENERAL
FIX NATION
$10,000GENERAL
ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
$5,000GENERAL
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY-WALLACH DIVISION
$5,000GENERAL
10X10 PHOTOBOOKS INC
$2,000GENERAL
ALOHA ANIMAL SANCTUARY
$1,500GENERAL
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
$1,400CULTURAL
HAMMER MUSEUM
$1,250GENERAL
CAMP LEBANON BAPTIST RETREAT
$1,000GENERAL
JACC
$1,000GENERAL
ACADEMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL
KUMU KAHUA THEATRE
$104GENERAL
SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH
$100GENERAL
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION
$76,410EDUCATIONAL
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$20,000EDUCATIONAL
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION)
$15,000EDUCATIONAL
LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER
$15,000GENERAL
HEAR 4 HOPE
$10,000GENERAL
FIX NATION
$10,000GENERAL
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY-WALLACH DIVISION
$10,000GENERAL
ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
$5,000GENERAL
NORTH EAST WORKING CANE CORSO CLUB
$5,000GENERAL
ASSOCIATION FOR ASIAN STUDIES
$5,000GENERAL
EAST HAWAII CULTURAL CENTER
$3,500GENERAL
DONKEY MILL ART CENTER
$2,500GENERAL
TAP CANCER OUT
$2,090GENERAL
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
$1,400CULTURAL
HAMMER MUSEUM
$1,250GENERAL
ACADEMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL
THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
$60,000EDUCATIONAL
ATLANTIC COAST CANINE
$49,750GENERAL
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$22,000EDUCATIONAL