The Strong Foundation is a Hawaii-focused funder concentrating on community resilience, education, cultural preservation, and place-based environmental stewardship across Oʻahu and the neighbor islands. Grants overwhelmingly support capital projects, facility upgrades, and program expansions for schools, community centers, cultural institutions, and health/community safety-net providers, with an emphasis on serving children, families, and native cultural and natural resources. The foundation favors organizations that deliver tangible local impact—restoration, infrastructure, and hands-on learning—over pure research or policy work.
The Strong Foundation’s recent giving is dominated by $100,000 grants that fund buildings, restorations, and program spaces across Hawaiʻi. In 2025, it supported Hawaii Theatre Center for "Enriching, Educating, Engaging Our Keiki Through the Arts," and The Maui Farm for its "Ho'olana Keiki Education Program," showing a mix of arts, youth learning, and community services. The pattern is practical and place-based: the foundation backs projects that create or improve physical space for schools, cultural organizations, health providers, and community-serving nonprofits. Its grant history points to a funder that favors tangible local improvements over abstract support. Recent awards reached independent and charter schools, cultural institutions, and family-service organizations, including Island School for a new classroom building and Pacific Cancer Foundation for support for children and families battling cancer. Other grants have funded redevelopment, security, outdoor learning areas, and technology centers, suggesting a consistent interest in infrastructure that strengthens daily operations and access to services. The foundation’s portfolio also reflects a strong connection to Hawaiʻi’s cultural and environmental landscape. Grants have supported historic preservation, native habitat work, and place-based learning, alongside youth enrichment and community safety-net programs. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on community resilience through capital improvements and direct program support.
In education, The Strong Foundation has funded physical expansion and learning spaces for schools. Examples include $100,000 to Island School for a new classroom building, $100,000 to Carden Academy of Maui for Building "C" expansion, and $100,000 to Hālau Kū Māna PCS for a multi-purpose technology center. Cultural preservation is another clear thread. The foundation gave $100,000 to Lahaina Restoration Foundation for rehabilitation of the historic Baldwin Home in Lahaina and $100,000 to Manoa Heritage Center for Kualiʻi-A, described as a cultural treasure and community resource. Youth and family services also appear often in the recent record. The Maui Farm received $100,000 for its Ho'olana Keiki Education Program, while Child & Family Services received $100,000 for a place of families and youth in crisis. Health-related support is present as well, including $100,000 to Pacific Cancer Foundation for children and families battling cancer.
$1.7M
$25.4M
$3.2M
$1.9M
Most grants fall between $50K and $100K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Highly concentrated giving within Hawaiʻi: 25 grants of equal large amounts ($100,000 each) indicating a preference for sizable, one-off capital or program grants rather than many small awards. Grants are broadly distributed across sectors but repeatedly target local institutions and infrastructure projects; there is limited evidence of multi-year unrestricted operating support—funding appears project- and facility-focused with both island-wide geographic spread and repeated investment in education, culture, and conservation themes.
Notable grantees: Parker School, Manoa Heritage Center, The Nature Conservancy (Hawaiʻi), Teach For America–Hawaiʻi, Boys & Girls Club of Maui
Typical grant size clusters tightly around $100,000, with a p25 of $50,000 and both the median and p75 at $100,000. The recent record suggests a highly standardized upper tier of support rather than many small awards. The foundation appears to make repeat yearly grants, with recent awards visible in 2023, 2024, and 2025. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The profile and grant list point to institutional, project-based giving rather than open application or individual support.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly Hawaiʻi-centered, with 98% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent awards are spread across Honolulu, Kahului, Makawao, Pukalani, Wailuku, Hilo, Hāna, Lahaina, Ewa Beach, Waimea, Līhue, Haleʻiwa, and Haiku. Outside Hawaiʻi, the only named recipient location in the recent list is Denver, Colorado, through Book Trust Hawaii Chapter. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 55 grants to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants favor capital projects and program spaces for schools, cultural organizations, family-service providers, and community facilities. Examples in the record include a new classroom building at Island School, a rehabilitation project at the historic Baldwin Home in Lahaina, and a multi-purpose technology center at Hālau Kū Māna PCS.
The grant-size distribution is tightly centered on $100,000. The p25 is $50,000, the median is $100,000, and the p75 is also $100,000.
Its giving is local, and 98% of grants go to recipients in Hawaiʻi. In the recent grants list, the only recipient outside the state is Book Trust Hawaii Chapter in Denver, Colorado; the rest are in Hawaiʻi.
Recent awards show support for education, cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, youth services, and health-related community support. Named examples include Hawaii Opera Theatre for education and outreach programs, Haleakala Conservancy for safety and security in Haleakala National Park, and Pacific Cancer Foundation for children and families battling cancer.
The available record shows annual grantmaking across 2023, 2024, and 2025, with multiple awards each year. That indicates recurring annual giving rather than a single isolated grant cycle.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DYNAMIC COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS | WAIANAE, HI | $200,000 | 2026 | PUUHONUA O WAIANAE FARMING VILLAGE |
| KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY | CAPTAIN COOK, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL GRANT |
| LANA'I CULTURE & HERITAGE CENTER | LANAI CITY, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | AINA-BASED EDUCATION INITIATIVES |
| KIMOKEO FOUNDATION | WAILUKU, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | HAWAIIAN CULTURAL EDUCATION SITE LAND ACQUISITION CAPITAL PROJECT |
| MAUI YOUTH RODEO ORGANIZATION | KULA, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | POOKELA ARENA COVER |
| YWCA OF KAUAI | LIHUE, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | WIWO'OLE BRIDGE HOUSING |
| SUSTAINABLE MOLOKAI | KAUNAKAKAI, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | OHANA FOOD BOX |
| MAUI HEALTH FOUNDATION | WAILUKU, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | HOUSING FOR HEALTHCARE |
| KAPIOLANI HEALTH FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | MARTHA B SMITH CANCER & INFUSION CENTER |
| HAWAIIAN MISSION CHILDREN'S SOCIETY | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | HO'OPA'A: ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE HAWAIIAN MISSION HOUSES HISTORIC SITE AND ARCHIVES |
| IMUA FAMILY SERVICES | KAHULUI, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | PHASE 1 CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMUA DISCOVERY GARDEN: IMUA OUTDOOR INCLUSION PRESCHOOL & PARKING LOT |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | HAWAI'I MENTORING CENTER |
| HAKU BALDWIN CENTER | MAKAWAO, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ENHANCE EQUINE-ASSISTED PROGRAMS FOR MAUI'S YOUTH |
| MAUI YOUTH RODEO ORGANIZATION | KULA, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL RODEO ASSOCIATION FINALS |
| NA KOA MANU CONSERVATION INC | PUKALANI, HI | $100,000 | 2026 | MAUI FOREST BIRD RECOVERY PROJECT |
| MID-PACIFIC INSTITUTE | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2026 | TRACK & FIELD CAPITAL GRANT |
| REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF THE PACIFIC FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | THE CARE FUND: CARING FOR THOSE WITH FEW RESOURCES |
| PACIFIC CANCER FOUNDATION | WAILUKU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | HOPE PROJECT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BATTLING CANCER |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA-HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | TEACH FOR AMERICA HAWAI'I PROGRAMMING |
| THE MAUI FARM | MAKAWAO, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | HO'OLANA KEIKI EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | PROTECTING MAUI'S CRITICAL HABITATS AND NATIVE FOREST BIRDS |
| MA KA HANA KA IKE BUILDING PROGRAM | HANA, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | MA KA HANA KA 'IKE 2024 CONTRACTOR TRUCK AND TRAILER |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | MANOA ATHLETICS-RAINBOW WAHINE VOLLEYBALL TEAM |
| HISTORIC HAWAII FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | HISTORIC PRESERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| VARIETY SCHOOL OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | VARIETY SCHOOL OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND |
| MANOA HERITAGE CENTER | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | KUALII-A CULTURAL TREASURE AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE |
| LIVING PONO PROJECT | PAIA, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | PU'U KUKUI WATERSHED ALAPI'I PROJECT |
| BOOK TRUST HAWAII CHAPTER | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | PROMOTING LITERACY FOR HAWAI'I ELEMENTARY STUDENTS |
| HUI NO'EAU | MAKAWAO, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | VISITING ARTIST COTTAGE REPAIR & RESTORATION PROJECT |
| HAWAII THEATRE CENTER | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2025 | ENRICHING, EDUCATING, ENGAGING OUR KEIKI THROUGH THE ARTS |
| HUI O WA'A KAULUA | LAHAINA, HI | $50,000 | 2025 | RESTORING, REBUILDING, AND REPLACING WA'A FROM THE MAUI FIRE LOSSES |
| MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN HAWAII DBA MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2025 | NO SHAME, GET HELP SUICIDE PREVENTION APP |
| HALEAKALA CONSERVANCY | PUKALANI, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | ENHANCED SAFETY AND SECURITY WITHIN HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MAUI | KAHULUI, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | REBUILDING PROMISING FUTURES IN PAUKUKALO |
| CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES | EWA BEACH, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | FROM HOPE TO STRENGTH: A PLACE OF FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN CRISIS |
| HUI HO'OLEIMALUO | HILO, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | KAUHALE O KAUMAUI |
| SEABURY HALL | MAKAWAO, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | SECURITY GATE |
| FEEDING HAWAII TOGETHER | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | WALK-IN REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT |
| KOKUA KALIHI VALLEY COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY SERVICES | HILO, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | EQUITY FOR KKV'S YOUTH AND DISABLED DENTAL PATIENTS |
| PARKER SCHOOL | WAIMEA, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | BROADENING FOUNDATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE |
| ISLAND SCHOOL | LIHUE, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | NEW CLASSROOM BUILDING |
| STRAUB FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | STRAUB REDEVELOPMENT-PHASE ONE |
| ASSISTANCE DOGS OF HAWAII | MAKAWAO, HI | $100,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE DOGS OF HAWAII HONOLULU OFFICE |
| NAAIKANE O MAUI | MAKAWAO, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | MAUI DISASTER RELIEF |
| HUI O WAA KAULUA | KAHULUI, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | MAUI DISASTER RELIEF |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | PU'UHONUA INITIATIVE |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | MAUI STRONG FUND |
| BISHOP MUSEUM | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY FESTIVAL |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS HAWAII | EWA BEACH, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | BUILDING CHAMPIONS-A CAMPAIGN FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS HAWAI'I |
| HOOLA NA PUA | HONOLULU, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | PREVENTION EDUCATION/AWARENESS TRAINING AND STARFISH MENTORING |
KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$100,000CAPITAL GRANT
LANA'I CULTURE & HERITAGE CENTER
$100,000AINA-BASED EDUCATION INITIATIVES
KIMOKEO FOUNDATION
$100,000HAWAIIAN CULTURAL EDUCATION SITE LAND ACQUISITION CAPITAL PROJECT
MAUI YOUTH RODEO ORGANIZATION
$100,000POOKELA ARENA COVER
YWCA OF KAUAI
$100,000WIWO'OLE BRIDGE HOUSING
HAWAIIAN MISSION CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
$100,000HO'OPA'A: ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE HAWAIIAN MISSION HOUSES HISTORIC SITE AND ARCHIVES
PHASE 1 CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMUA DISCOVERY GARDEN: IMUA OUTDOOR INCLUSION PRESCHOOL & PARKING LOT
HAKU BALDWIN CENTER
$100,000CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ENHANCE EQUINE-ASSISTED PROGRAMS FOR MAUI'S YOUTH
MAUI YOUTH RODEO ORGANIZATION
$100,000NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL RODEO ASSOCIATION FINALS
NA KOA MANU CONSERVATION INC
$100,000MAUI FOREST BIRD RECOVERY PROJECT
MID-PACIFIC INSTITUTE
$50,000TRACK & FIELD CAPITAL GRANT
REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF THE PACIFIC FOUNDATION
$100,000THE CARE FUND: CARING FOR THOSE WITH FEW RESOURCES
PACIFIC CANCER FOUNDATION
$100,000HOPE PROJECT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BATTLING CANCER
THE MAUI FARM
$100,000HO'OLANA KEIKI EDUCATION PROGRAM
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
$100,000PROTECTING MAUI'S CRITICAL HABITATS AND NATIVE FOREST BIRDS
MA KA HANA KA IKE BUILDING PROGRAM
$100,000MA KA HANA KA 'IKE 2024 CONTRACTOR TRUCK AND TRAILER
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION
$100,000MANOA ATHLETICS-RAINBOW WAHINE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
VARIETY SCHOOL OF HAWAII
$100,000VARIETY SCHOOL OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND
MANOA HERITAGE CENTER
$100,000KUALII-A CULTURAL TREASURE AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE
LIVING PONO PROJECT
$100,000PU'U KUKUI WATERSHED ALAPI'I PROJECT
BOOK TRUST HAWAII CHAPTER
$100,000PROMOTING LITERACY FOR HAWAI'I ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
HUI NO'EAU
$100,000VISITING ARTIST COTTAGE REPAIR & RESTORATION PROJECT
ENRICHING, EDUCATING, ENGAGING OUR KEIKI THROUGH THE ARTS
RESTORING, REBUILDING, AND REPLACING WA'A FROM THE MAUI FIRE LOSSES
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN HAWAII DBA MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF HAWAII
$50,000NO SHAME, GET HELP SUICIDE PREVENTION APP
ENHANCED SAFETY AND SECURITY WITHIN HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MAUI
$100,000REBUILDING PROMISING FUTURES IN PAUKUKALO
CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES
$100,000FROM HOPE TO STRENGTH: A PLACE OF FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN CRISIS
HUI HO'OLEIMALUO
$100,000KAUHALE O KAUMAUI
WALK-IN REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT
EQUITY FOR KKV'S YOUTH AND DISABLED DENTAL PATIENTS
NAAIKANE O MAUI
$50,000MAUI DISASTER RELIEF
BUILDING CHAMPIONS-A CAMPAIGN FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS HAWAI'I