The Victoria S. and Bradley L. Geist Foundation makes large, concentrated gifts to major institutions in Honolulu, with a clear emphasis on supporting independent K–12 education and sizable unrestricted institutional support. Grants are few but substantial, suggesting the foundation prefers to make transformative contributions to a small number of local organizations rather than funding many small projects. Their giving appears locally focused on Honolulu-area institutions and flagship schools.
A single unrestricted gift of $1,781,260 to "See Attached Statement" stands out in the foundation’s recent record and points to a grantmaker that is comfortable making very large, concentrated commitments. The Victoria S and Bradley L Geist Foundation pairs that scale with a strong local pattern: many of its 2024 grants went to Honolulu institutions, and the largest named awards include $300,000 to Punahou School for general support and $180,000 to the University of Hawaii Office of Research Services for research programs. The foundation’s giving is not broad-based small-donor support; it is a selective portfolio built around sizable institutional grants, scholarships, and targeted help for children, youth, and families. Recent awards also show support for foster youth services, caregiver networks, therapeutic services, and housing-related assistance, alongside education grants to University of Hawaii campuses and other schools. The mix suggests a funder that combines major unrestricted support with program-specific gifts across a small number of organizations, most of them in Hawaii.
Education is a visible thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $300,000 to Punahou School for general support, $56,000 to the University of Hawaii at Manoa for scholarships, and $51,250 to the University of Hawaii at Hilo for scholarships. It also supported Chaminade University of Honolulu with $39,625 for scholarships and University of Hawaii - West Oahu with $21,750 for scholarships. Child and family services form another clear cluster. Grants included $111,576 to Family Programs Hawaii for general support, $100,000 to Hoola Na Pua for foster youth programs, and $60,000 to Family Hui Hawaii for Caregiver Hui. The foundation also gave $43,000 to Catholic Charities Hawaii for supporting foster children and $39,500 to Hawaii International Placement and Family Services for Family Tree Foster Adoption. Health and stabilization needs appear as well. It awarded $75,000 to the Hawaii Association for Infant Mental Health for Mauka Allies Collbaborative, $55,251 to Hale Kipa Inc for housing support, and $50,000 to Child and Family Service for Hawaii Island therapeutic services.
$3.2M
$37.9M
$4.6M
$3.8M
Most grants fall between $6K and $50K, with a median of $16K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$16K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Highly concentrated giving: very few grants overall, high-dollar amounts, and preference for unrestricted gifts to major local institutions rather than many small or targeted grants.
Notable grantees: Punahou School, SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT
Typical grant size sits at $6,000 at the 25th percentile, $16,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, showing a pattern of mid-sized gifts with some much larger outliers. The recent record includes both one-time unrestricted awards and recurring institutional support, especially among Honolulu-based organizations and University of Hawaii campuses. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent filings show a regional, institution-centered style rather than an open application-driven approach.
The foundation’s grants are heavily concentrated in Hawaii, with 67% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Honolulu is the main landing point, including awards to Punahou School, the University of Hawaii Office of Research Services, Family Programs Hawaii, Hoola Na Pua, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Beyond Honolulu, grants also reached Ewa Beach, Hilo, Wailuku, Kailua Kona, Hana, Pahoa, and Kapolei. Outside Hawaii, the recent list includes a $40,000 grant to Forge Youth Mentoring in Richland, Washington. NJ is the top state by grant count, though the provided grant list does not show the named New Jersey recipients.
The recent grants cluster around schools, universities, and child-and-family service organizations. Examples include Punahou School for general support, multiple University of Hawaii campuses for scholarships or research, and groups such as Family Programs Hawaii, Hoola Na Pua, and Family Hui Hawaii for foster youth and caregiver support.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $6,000 at the 25th percentile, $16,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. That range sits below some of the larger individual grants in the recent file, but still reflects a generally mid-sized pattern.
Yes. 67% of its grants go to recipients in Hawaii, and many recent awards are in Honolulu. The recent list also reaches other Hawaii locations including Ewa Beach, Hilo, Wailuku, Kailua Kona, Hana, Pahoa, and Kapolei.
Both appear in the recent record. The foundation made an unrestricted gift of $1,781,260 in 2023 and a $30,000 unrestricted gift to Kokua Kalihi Valley in 2024, while many other awards were tied to named purposes such as scholarships, foster youth programs, housing support, and research programs.
Yes, but rarely in the recent list. Most grants are in Hawaii, while one recent award went to Forge Youth Mentoring in Richland, Washington for general support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUNAHOU SCHOOL | HONOLULU, HI | $300,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES | HONOLULU, HI | $180,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH PROGRAMS |
| FAMILY PROGRAMS HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $111,576 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOOLA NA PUA | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | FOSTER YOUTH PROGRAMS |
| HAWAII ASSOCIATION FOR INFANT MENTAL HEALTH | HONOLULU, HI | $75,000 | 2024 | MAUKA ALLIES COLLBORATIVE |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | HONOLULU, HI | $75,000 | 2024 | BUILDING INDEPENDENCE FOR |
| FAMILY HUI HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $60,000 | 2024 | CAREGIVER HUI |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA | HONOLULU, HI | $56,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HALE KIPA INC | EWA BEACH, HI | $55,251 | 2024 | HOUSING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO | HILO, HI | $51,250 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT IN MAUI |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER OF EAST HAWAII | HILO, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | ENHANCMENTS, SUPPORT & |
| MA KA HANA KA IKE BUILDING PROGRAM | HANA, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WISDOM CIRCLES OCEANIA | KANEOHE, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | STORY QUILT |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | PROMISING MINDS |
| CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICE | EWA BEACH, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | HAWAII ISLAND THERAPEUTIC |
| RESIDENTIAL YOUTH SERVICES & EMPOWERMENT | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $43,000 | 2024 | SUPPORTING FOSTER CHILDREN |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER OF MAUI | WAILUKU, HI | $42,000 | 2024 | CARING FOR CHILDREN |
| FORGE YOUTH MENTORING | RICHLAND, WA | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY OF HONOLULU | HONOLULU, HI | $39,625 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HAWAII INTERNATIONAL PLACEMENT AND FAMILY SERVICES | HONOLULU, HI | $39,500 | 2024 | FAMILY TREE FOSTER ADOPTION |
| KOKUA KALIHI VALLEY | HONOLULU, HI | $30,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GIFT |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER OF OAHU | HONOLULU, HI | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN OF WEST HAWAII INC | KAILUA KONA, HI | $25,000 | 2024 | ENHANCEMENTS AND BASIC |
| GREEN WILL CONSERVANCY INC | PAHOA, HI | $25,000 | 2024 | HANAI RESOURCING MODEL |
| KIDS HURT TOO HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $24,719 | 2024 | SUPPORT & MENTORING FOR |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII - WEST OAHU | KAPOLEI, HI | $21,750 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX - HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $17,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HUMANITY HALE | KAILUA KONA, HI | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY | PHOENIX, AZ | $14,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY | CORVALLIS, OR | $11,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | CHEYNEY, WA | $9,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| VILLAGE OF HOPE MAUI INC | KEHEI, HI | $9,000 | 2024 | RESOURCE CAREGIVER NIGHT |
| SAYBROOK UNIVERSITY | PASADENA, CA | $8,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| KAPIOLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE | HONOLULU, HI | $7,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII - MAUI | KAHULUI, HI | $7,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE | HILO, HI | $6,250 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO | MONTEVALLO, AL | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER | DENVER, CO | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY | STONY BROOK, NY | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| TROY UNIVERSITY | SADDLE BROOK, NJ | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLOROADO COLORADO SPRINGS | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY | OMAHA, NE | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY | HONOLULU, HI | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY | RIVER FOREST, IL | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| BAYLOR UNIVERSITY | WACO, TX | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE | PEARL CITY, HI | $5,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY | NORTH MONMOUTH, OR | $5,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| KAUAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE | LIHUE, HI | $4,250 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
PUNAHOU SCHOOL
$300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES
$180,000RESEARCH PROGRAMS
HAWAII ASSOCIATION FOR INFANT MENTAL HEALTH
$75,000MAUKA ALLIES COLLBORATIVE
THE SALVATION ARMY
$75,000BUILDING INDEPENDENCE FOR
FAMILY HUI HAWAII
$60,000CAREGIVER HUI
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
$56,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO
$51,250SCHOLARSHIPS
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER OF EAST HAWAII
$50,000ENHANCMENTS, SUPPORT &
MA KA HANA KA IKE BUILDING PROGRAM
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WISDOM CIRCLES OCEANIA
$50,000STORY QUILT
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAWAII
$43,000SUPPORTING FOSTER CHILDREN
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER OF MAUI
$42,000CARING FOR CHILDREN
FORGE YOUTH MENTORING
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY OF HONOLULU
$39,625SCHOLARSHIPS
HAWAII INTERNATIONAL PLACEMENT AND FAMILY SERVICES
$39,500FAMILY TREE FOSTER ADOPTION
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER OF OAHU
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN OF WEST HAWAII INC
$25,000ENHANCEMENTS AND BASIC
GREEN WILL CONSERVANCY INC
$25,000HANAI RESOURCING MODEL
KIDS HURT TOO HAWAII
$24,719SUPPORT & MENTORING FOR
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII - WEST OAHU
$21,750SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX - HAWAII
$17,000SCHOLARSHIPS
HUMANITY HALE
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSES
VILLAGE OF HOPE MAUI INC
$9,000RESOURCE CAREGIVER NIGHT
SAYBROOK UNIVERSITY
$8,500SCHOLARSHIPS
KAPIOLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$7,500SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII - MAUI
$7,000SCHOLARSHIPS
HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$6,250SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
TROY UNIVERSITY
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF COLOROADO COLORADO SPRINGS
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$5,000SCHOLARSHIPS
KAUAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$4,250SCHOLARSHIPS