Harold K.L. Castle Foundation

• This Hawaii-focused foundation works across four priorities: public education redesign and enhancement, nearshore marine resource conservation, climate resiliency, and strengthening Windward Oahu communities, so only work fitting one of these and serving Hawaii's people should apply.
• Grants range from $100 to $4,000,000, but half of its 294 grants across its last three filings were about $46,500 or less, so a modest request is the realistic starting point for most applicants; those applying to its Koʻolau Pilina Fund should expect $3,000 to $15,000 and note that projects must be community-led, specific to Koʻolau communities, and not duplicate or repeat previous work already funded there.
• The process is relationship-led at the outset: first-time applicants must phone Beth Murph to discuss their idea before staff advise on registering and submitting a full proposal, with invited proposals following scheduled deadlines in February, May, August and November.
• In its latest filing, 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in the two filings before that, suggesting a funder that favours continuing relationships, so new applicants should expect the initial conversation to matter and should be ready to show how their project can leverage other support, act catalytically, address an important public issue with significant impact, and demonstrate strong leadership.
• It does not fund individuals or businesses, vehicles, computers, endowments, annual fund drives, sponsorships, special events, dinners or galas, organisations based outside Hawaii, or projects taking place outside Hawaii that do not benefit Hawaii, and it generally avoids funding ongoing operating expenses except where it deems an organisation critical to its overall strategies or where start-up funding for a new project or organisation is needed.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• Social Finance · Proposal to serve as hawaii renewable learning fund manager [6086; pc]
  $550,0002024 tax year
• University of Hawaii Foundation · Soar higher - support for windward oahu schools to participate as a gear up 6-16 model [5173; pc]
  $529,2402024 tax year
• Kuaaina Ulu Auamo · To support and strengthen this critically important backbone organization and its three community-driven networks for ocean management in hawaii. [5598; pc]
  $500,0002024 tax year
• Hawaii Community Foundation · Support for a second round of contributions to the holomua pooled fund whose goal is to improve marine resources management in hawaii through a suite of efforts built on four pillars: place-based planning, pono practices, monitoring, and protection & restoration [5905; pc]
  $500,0002024 tax year
• Hawaii Community Foundation · Pilina fund 2.0 [5618; pc]
  $400,0002024 tax year
• Nature Conservancy of Hawaii · Advancing community-based marine management to reach 30x30 goals [5660; pc]
  $280,0002024 tax year
• University of Hawaii Foundation · To extend windward community college's groundbreaking hoolei scholarship that ensures all public school graduates in the koolau region can afford to attend community college [6140; pc]
  $214,2862024 tax year
• University of Hawaii Foundation · Hawaii p-20 core support 2022-2025 [5465; pc]
  $150,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

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.