← Back to US Funders Directory

Kosasa Foundation

Annual Giving
$5.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $2.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5.2 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $2,040,000
  • Average Grant: $77,800 (Median: $22,500)
  • Geographic Focus: Hawaiʻi only
  • Application Method: Invitation-only after questionnaire screening

Contact Details

Address: 3610 Waiʻalae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 509-8800
Website: www.kosasafoundation.org
Application Portal: Available after questionnaire approval

Overview

Founded in 1994, the Kosasa Foundation is a private philanthropic organization built on the four-generation legacy of the Kosasa family, founders of ABC Stores in 1964. With assets totaling $137.5 million and annual giving of approximately $5.2 million to 80+ organizations, the foundation invests in efforts to "nurture a sustainable environment and empower younger generations to lead Hawaiʻi to a stronger future." The foundation operates exclusively in Hawaiʻi, supporting programs critical to the development of vulnerable youth from their earliest years into young adulthood, while promoting environmental stewardship and cultural vitality. In 2025, the foundation launched a new $1 million Creative Capacity program to strengthen Hawaiʻi's arts and culture sector, demonstrating their commitment to supporting the cultural authenticity and vibrancy of the islands.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community-Based Environmental Stewardship (Deadline: August 7, 2026)

  • Small Grants: $10,000 - $50,000 for 18-month projects
  • Large Grants: Over $50,000 for up to 2-year strategic projects
  • Focus: Projects combining local knowledge with western science to improve specific environmental conditions
  • 20 grantees in 2025 including 808 Cleanups, Bishop Museum, and Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi

Culture & Arts: Creative Capacity (Deadline: April 24, 2026)

  • Grant amounts up to $100,000 annually for multiple years
  • Focus: Building artistic audiences, supporting early-career artists, strengthening organizational capacity
  • 40 grantees in 2025 including Hawaii Opera Theatre, Honolulu Museum of Art, and Hula Preservation Society

Opportunity Youth (Deadline: October 23, 2026)

  • Grant amount not publicly specified
  • Focus: Youth aged 16-24 not in school, job training, or employment
  • Supports measurable reconnection to school, work, family, and community
  • 15 grantees in 2025 including KUPU, Purple Mai'a Foundation, and Adult Friends for Youth

Early Childhood Education (No separate deadline - part of general application)

  • Grant amount not publicly specified
  • Focus: Early learning environments and educator support
  • 9 grantees in 2025 including Family Support Hawaii and Hawaii Children's Action Network

General Operating Support & Capital Campaigns

  • General application deadlines: January 23, April 24, October 23, 2026
  • Capital campaign deadline: August 7, 2026
  • Available year-round for qualified organizations

Priority Areas

Environmental Stewardship: Projects that engage communities in achieving clear environmental improvement goals, combine local and scientific knowledge, involve collaborative partnerships with academic and government entities, and support policy development and implementation.

Youth Development: Programs supporting vulnerable youth from early childhood through age 24, with particular focus on opportunity youth who face barriers to education and employment.

Arts & Culture: Projects that contribute to cultural authenticity and diversity of Hawaiʻi, support Native Hawaiian artists, attract new audiences (especially younger and more diverse), and build organizational capacity through new systems and collaborations.

Climate Resilience: Practices that increase the resilience of Hawaiʻi's islands to environmental challenges.

What They Don't Fund

  • Non-501(c)(3) organizations
  • Organizations not working exclusively in Hawaiʻi
  • Projects that re-grant Kosasa Foundation funds
  • More than one project per year per organization
  • Organizations with current working grants from the Foundation
  • Organizations funded within the past 12 months
  • Environmental projects focused primarily on food security
  • General environmental education programs
  • Solely leadership development initiatives

Budget Limitations

For Community-Based Environmental Stewardship grants, funding is limited to 20% of an organization's operating budget to ensure organizational sustainability and diversified funding sources.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Paul J. Kosasa - President and Treasurer
  • Lisa Gainsley - Vice President
  • Board includes additional family members and community leaders (6 additional members)

Staff Leadership

  • Christine van Bergeijk - Chief Executive Officer
  • Bob Agres - Program Officer
  • Lisa Rodrigues - Director of Administration
  • Lindsay Kosasa - Program Associate

Leadership Perspectives

Paul Kosasa on the foundation's philosophy:

"The Kosasa Foundation has always been an advocate for arts and culture, particularly here in Hawaiʻi. We believe that the fabric of our society needs an arts and culture component, just like athletics or health care or anything else that society needs. And so to have a vibrant and healthy community, we need to make sure that we have a vibrant and healthy arts community."

"My belief is that our community, more than ever, needs a sense of belonging. They need to belong to something, right? And I think the art is that conduit that can give you that sense of belonging."

Christine van Bergeijk on the economic importance of arts:

"They employed 3,000 people, they generated about $300 million a year in revenue, and they held nearly $1 billion in assets. So this is not a small component of our economy."

On audience expectations:

"They want to hear local voices. They want to hear from Indigenous people, perspectives, the diversity of Hawaiʻi. They want to hear from what makes Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi, you know, they want to see young, up-and-coming artists, and so they're really working hard to kind of meet that increasing demand."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Kosasa Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Instead, they use a mandatory two-step screening process:

Step 1: Prospective Grantee Questionnaire

Step 2: Invitation to Apply

  • If your work aligns with foundation priorities, you will receive a link to the full application portal
  • Receiving an invitation does not guarantee funding
  • Submit full application by the relevant deadline

Important Note: The foundation seeks to ensure alignment before applicants invest time in a full application, which is why the preliminary questionnaire is required.

Eligibility Requirements

Before completing the questionnaire, verify you meet these requirements:

  • Must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
  • Must work exclusively in Hawaiʻi
  • Cannot have received funding from the foundation in the past 12 months
  • Cannot have a current working grant with the Foundation
  • Can only receive funding for one project per year

Application Deadlines for 2026

  • January 23: General Application
  • April 24: General Application and Culture & Arts: Creative Capacity
  • August 7: Capital Campaigns and Community-Based Environmental Stewardship
  • October 23: General Application and Opportunity Youth

Decision Timeline

The foundation does not publicly disclose specific decision timelines or notification timeframes. Applicants should contact the foundation directly at (808) 509-8800 for information about when to expect decisions.

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose application success rates. However, available data shows:

  • In 2024: Made 80+ grants totaling $5.2 million
  • Historical data shows 47-86 grants made annually
  • For Creative Capacity program: 49 applications received for the April 2025 deadline

The foundation supports approximately 84 organizations annually across all programs (20 CBES, 40 Creative Capacity, 15 Opportunity Youth, 9 Early Childhood Education).

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not publicly disclose a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. However, their 12-month restriction between grants applies to all funding. Organizations should contact the foundation directly for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Strategic Priorities

The foundation uses specific language in describing what they seek. Successful applicants demonstrate:

For Environmental Stewardship:

  • "Clear goals focused on specific environmental improvements that are meaningful to the local community"
  • Projects that "combine local knowledge and practices with western science"
  • "Deep community engagement" with residents understanding their kuleana (responsibility) to address issues
  • Strong partnerships across community, academic, and government sectors
  • Contribution to "island resilience"

For Creative Capacity:

  • Projects that "contribute to cultural authenticity, diversity, and vibrancy of Hawaiʻi"
  • Support for "artists early in their careers," particularly Native Hawaiian artists
  • Approaches that "attract new/different audiences" and recruit "underrepresented voices, especially younger artists"
  • "Test ways to improve access to art and culture through new collaborations, new public venues, or reducing barriers"
  • Initiatives that build "organizational capacity via new systems/technology"

For Opportunity Youth:

  • Programs delivering "measurable results to youth in reconnecting to school, work, family, and community"
  • Focus on youth aged 16-24 not in school, training, or employment
  • Evidence-based approaches with demonstrated effectiveness

For All Programs:

  • "Passion to make a difference and the skill to work together to create lasting change"
  • "Different approaches to improve outcomes"
  • Potential to make "important changes to public systems"
  • Projects showing potential for "significant impact on vulnerable populations"

Grant Size Considerations

For Community-Based Environmental Stewardship grants over $50,000:

  • Must be for "more strategic, complex projects"
  • Should have "value and scope commensurate with the level of funding request"
  • Require "significant and robust partnerships and community engagement"
  • Must demonstrate "dramatic impact to the communities and constituencies to be served"
  • Subject to "greater scrutiny to assess cost-effectiveness"

Smaller grants ($10,000-$50,000) are appropriate for more focused, time-limited initiatives.

Community Connection

The foundation consistently emphasizes:

  • Deep roots in Hawaiʻi (four-generation legacy)
  • Commitment to preserving what makes "Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi"
  • Supporting local and Indigenous voices
  • Building community resilience and belonging
  • Long-term sustainability rather than short-term fixes

Recent Grant Examples

2025 Grantees include:

  • Environmental: 808 Cleanups, Bishop Museum, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi
  • Arts: Hawaii Opera Theatre, Honolulu Museum of Art, Hula Preservation Society
  • Youth: KUPU, Purple Mai'a Foundation, Adult Friends for Youth
  • Early Childhood: Family Support Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network
  • INPEACE: $200,000 for Capital Campaign (Community Hub supporting Native Hawaiian communities)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Mandatory Pre-Screening: Do not invest time in a full application without first completing the questionnaire and receiving an invitation to apply. The foundation will not review unsolicited proposals.

  • Hawaiʻi-Only Focus: The foundation exclusively supports organizations working in Hawaiʻi. Multi-state organizations must demonstrate that requested funding will be used entirely for Hawaiʻi-based work.

  • One Grant Per Year Limit: Strategic decision required - carefully choose which program or deadline best fits your work, as you cannot receive multiple grants in a 12-month period.

  • Community Engagement is Central: Particularly for environmental grants, superficial community involvement will not be competitive. Demonstrate how community members will be meaningfully engaged in understanding and solving issues, not just as beneficiaries.

  • Local Knowledge + Science: The foundation values approaches that honor traditional Hawaiian practices and local wisdom while incorporating research and evidence-based practices. Show how you bridge these worlds.

  • Speak Their Language: Use terms like "island resilience," "kuleana," "cultural authenticity," "vulnerable youth," and "sustainable environment" when these genuinely reflect your work. The foundation has clear values and seeks organizations that share them.

  • Show Measurable Impact: Particularly for Opportunity Youth programs, vague promises won't be competitive. Demonstrate concrete outcomes and your ability to track and report on them effectively.

  • Strategic Partnerships Matter: Cross-sector collaboration (community + academic + government) strengthens applications, particularly for larger environmental grants. Show existing relationships and formal partnerships.

  • Budget Proportion Rule: For CBES grants, remember the 20% operating budget cap. If you need more than 20% of your budget from one source, this may not be the right fit.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory