Deadline: 15-May-25
The Hawai‘i Community Foundation supports the Hawaiʻi Youth Opportunities Initiative, a Co-Investment site with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative.
Therefore, the Foundation offers this funding opportunity to provide support to Hawaiʻi’s transitioning foster youth through projects that are aligned with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and the Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative.
Funding Information
- Grants usually range from $10,000 to $75,000 per year.
- Requests are considered in relationship to the size of the organization’s operating budget.
- Unless the organization’s clientele is solely legally recognized as current or former foster youth up to the age 24, administrative fees are capped at 5% per grant award. The Foundation reserves the right to determine those costs that are administrative and subject to the limited percentage.
- Requests for up to three years will be considered. If funded, subsequent years will be contingent on the submission of satisfactory progress reports.
- Capital requests and endowments will not be funded.
Funding Priorities
- Preference will be given to proposals that align with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. Successful projects and programs will demonstrate youth engagement in development and be designed to result in improved youth outcomes in one or more of the following areas:
- Permanence – Every young person has an adult to rely on for a lifetime and a supportive family network.
- Education – Young people acquire education and training that enable them to obtain and retain steady employment.
- Employment – Young people support themselves by obtaining and retaining steady employment.
- Housing – Young people have safe, stable and affordable housing and have access to transportation for work and school.
- Physical and Mental Health – Young people have health insurance and access to services for both physical and mental health.
- Social Capital – Young people have supportive relationships in the community that help them achieve their personal goals.
- Financial Capability – Young people manage their budgets and achieve their financial goals.
Eligibility & Requirements
- Tax-exempt Hawaii organizations are eligible to apply. This includes nonprofit organizations, 501(c)(3) organizations, religious organizations that are exempt from taxation, and units of government.
- Programs must preferentially and primarily (more than 50%) serve current or former foster youth, age 14-24, who were in state child welfare or mental health systems after their 14th birthday, even if they were adopted or legally reunited with their birth families prior to the age of majority.
Review Criteria
- The strongest proposals will be those that meet all or most of the following criteria:
- Integrity of the Proposed Program
- Program is aligned with one or more of the youth outcomes identified by the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative.
- Program is well-defined and likely to be successfully implemented.
- Organization demonstrates the ability to deliver the program.
- Program budget is adequate and program costs are reasonable and consistent with the narrative.
- Program design includes youth input and will engage the target population.
- Potential for Impact of the Program
- Program clearly identifies intended outcome and the means to measure progress.
- Program evaluation is clearly incorporated into program design,
- Program demonstrates the ability to leverage other resources (such as funds, in-kind or community partnerships).
- Integrity of the Proposed Program
For more information, visit HCF.