Atherton Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $5,046,045
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 3-4 months (quarterly reviews)
• Grant Range: $1,500 - $220,000
• Geographic Focus: Hawaii (primarily)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.athertonfamilyfoundation.org/ Phone: (808) 566-5524 Address: 827 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813 Application Portal: https://hawaiicf.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp

Overview

The Atherton Family Foundation, established in 1975 as the successor to the Juliette M. Atherton Trust (founded in 1915), is one of Hawaii's leading private foundations with assets of approximately $90.7 million. The foundation annually distributes over $5 million in grants to support Hawaii's communities across eight key focus areas. Operating as a family foundation with six board members who are all descendants of the founding principals, the foundation maintains its commitment to improving the quality of life for the people of Hawaii through strategic grantmaking and collaborative partnerships that address systemic community issues.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Program Grants: Average ~$19,000 (no maximum limit specified) - Applications accepted at January, April, and October deadlines
• Capital Grants: Average ~$41,500 - Applications under $25,000 accepted at all deadlines
• Major Capital Projects: Maximum $200,000 (paid over 3 years) - Applications accepted only at July deadline

Priority Areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Community development
• Education
• Environment
• Health
• Human services
• Spiritual development
• Youth development

What They Don't Fund

• Conferences, festivals, and similar one-time events
• Activities that have already occurred
• Lobbying
• Loans
• Funds for re-granting
• Grants to individuals (except specific scholarship programs)
• Endowments (generally)
• Operating support (generally)

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a board of six directors, all descendants of Juliette M. Atherton and Frank C. Atherton. Patricia R. Giles serves as President. All directors serve without compensation, maintaining the foundation's commitment to family stewardship of philanthropic resources. The foundation believes in collaborative approaches to address major community issues and supports organizations working together for systems change.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Hawaii Community Foundation online application portal at https://hawaiicf.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp. New users must register for an account. The foundation strongly recommends using their specific budget templates available in the Grant Portal's Resources section.

Decision Timeline

• Applications reviewed quarterly at board meetings
• Decisions typically made within 3-4 months of submission
• Program requests: Reviewed at January, April, and October board meetings
• Capital requests over $25,000: Reviewed only at September board meeting (July deadline)
• Applications must be submitted by 4:00pm HST on deadline dates (portal closes automatically)

Success Rates

The foundation awards approximately 280-284 grants annually. Specific application success rates are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation awards no more than one grant to an organization at a time and no more than one grant in any calendar year. Organizations must complete current grants before applying for new funding.

Application Success Factors

• Collaborative Approach: The foundation specifically values organizations working collaboratively to address systems change rather than working in isolation
• Match Requirements: Technology-related items/programs require a 1:1 match from the organization
• Capital Campaign Readiness: Major capital projects (over $500,000) must have raised minimum 60% of budget before applying
• Lead Funder Status: The foundation rarely serves as a lead funder for major projects
• Documentation: Audited financial statements preferred but not required; additional attachments like letters of support are not accepted
• Budget Templates: Using the foundation's specific budget templates is strongly recommended
• 501(c)(3) Status: Required for all applicants or must have qualified fiscal sponsor

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Submit applications well before 4:00pm HST deadline as the portal closes automatically
• Focus on collaborative partnerships and systems change approaches in your narrative
• Use the foundation's budget templates to streamline review process
• For capital campaigns, ensure 60% funding secured before applying for major projects
• Limit requests to one per calendar year and complete current grants before reapplying
• Technology grants require 50% matching funds from your organization
• Average program grants ($19,000) and capital grants ($41,500) inform realistic request amounts

References

• Atherton Family Foundation Official Website: https://www.athertonfamilyfoundation.org/ (Accessed February 2026)
• Atherton Family Foundation Grant Application Guidelines 2025-2026 (Published November 2025)
• Hawaii Community Foundation Grants Portal: https://hawaiicf.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp
• Instrumentl 990 Report - Atherton Family Foundation: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/atherton-family-foundation (Accessed February 2026)
• Rural Health Information Hub - Atherton Family Foundation Grants: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/funding/3143 (Accessed February 2026)
• Foundation Directory - Candid: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=ATHE001 (Accessed February 2026)