About Us
WAYFINDER FUND
The Wayfinder Fund will provide multi-year grants to Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs) that strengthen community resilience and advance cultural priorities. These grants are designed to create stability and long-term impact, supporting programs that promote cultural practices, education, ʻāina stewardship, and sustainable development.
By investing directly in Native-led initiatives, the fund honors our collective ability to chart our own course, grounded in ancestral knowledge and guided by a shared vision for a thriving Native Hawaiian future.
Our Story
The Wayfinder Fund encompasses the original vision behind the establishment of Native Hawaiian Philanthropy (NHP). At its core, NHP aims to bridge the gap between the philanthropic sector and the Native Hawaiian community, fostering a strong connection that cultivates sustainable support for local initiatives.
Through the development of the Wayfinder Fund, NHP is committed to distributing essential resources to Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs) that are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Hawaiian culture and values. In our journey to establish NHP, we engaged in extensive conversations with various organizations and community leaders and uncovered a pressing challenge: the limited funding opportunities available in Hawaii to meet the existing and growing needs in Hawaii . Executive Directors stated that most Hawaii grants were limited to one-year commitments, with the average amount ranging between $5,000 to $20,000. NHOs faced a challenging process of seeking funding annually, often without access to multi-year support. With the Hawaii having the highest cost of living and most families are being “Priced out of Paradise”, NHOʻs needs can not be met by the Hawaii philanthropic sector alone.
In response to this reality, the Wayfinder Fund was created to raise funds specifically for multi-year grants. This initiative aims to empower NHOs with sustainable resources that allow for long-term planning and growth. Native Hawaiian Philanthropy remains dedicated to increasing philanthropic funding within Hawaii, ensuring that communities across the islands have the financial backing needed to realize their missions and support the continued practices and perpetuation of Hawaiian cultural practices.
