Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation accepts no unsolicited requests and makes grants only to charities it has preselected, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered.
- Its recorded grants go to schools, universities, educational foundations, arts and cultural organisations, media, and environmental and community organisations, so a group in one of those fields may fit what it has funded, though no geographic focus is stated and its grants have mainly reached Hawaii, Mississippi, North Carolina and Michigan.
- Typical grants run from $1,000 to $40,000, and half of its 33 grants to organisations were $6,000 or less, so a modest request suits it best; its largest grant was $50,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat funding matters: 36% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so relationships count for a great deal.
- Its giving has risen across the last three filings, but the filing gives no application timetable.
Overview
Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation is a US private foundation based in Honolulu, HI.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Across the recorded organisation grants, support went to schools and universities, including primary and secondary schools, higher-education institutions and educational foundations, as well as arts and cultural organisations, media, environmental and community organisations. Most payments were described as unrestricted gifts; other stated purposes were charitable or charitable educational, with one culinary scholarship. The filings therefore show giving to a varied group of nonprofit organisations rather than a published set of funding priorities. The grants reached Hawaii and several other states, while Hawaii received the largest share of recorded organisation-grant dollars. The available records do not set out eligibility criteria or a wider grantmaking policy.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Hawaii, Mississippi, North Carolina and Michigan.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to charitable organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing gives no further application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 36% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 33 grants to organisations were $6,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 36% of grant dollars went to organisations Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 23 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $5,500 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls · Unrestricted Gift$43,0002025 tax year
- Duke University · Unrestricted Gift$42,5002025 tax year
- University of Michigan · Unrestricted Gift$40,0002025 tax year
- University of Hawaii Foundation · Culinary Scholarship$25,0002025 tax year
- University of Hawaii School of Law · Unrestricted Gift$25,0002025 tax year
- Hawaii Symphony Orchestra · Unrestricted Gift$25,0002025 tax year
- Hanahaui'oli School · Unrestricted Gift$19,8222025 tax year
- Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation · Unrestricted Gift$19,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Michelle Slentz — Trustee
- Elliot H Loden — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $118,155 | $43,487 | $12,706,382 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $421,286 | $106,000 | $15,307,908 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $618,446 | $292,846 | $17,037,001 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Honolulu, HI
Applying to Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Honolulu, HI