Cooke Foundation Limited
Cooke Foundation Limited is a private foundation based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. It supports community endeavors intended to improve the welfare of Hawaiʻi’s people, with stated priority interests in arts, culture and humanities; education; the environment; and human services.
Cooke Foundation Limited at a glance
In short: Cooke Foundation Limited gave $1.4M across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Hawaii. 52% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,401,350
- -9.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- +21.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $25,024
- -25.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $16,034,277
- -1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (27 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Hawaii (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cooke Foundation Limited
- How to Apply
-
For the FY2027 arts and arts education round, applications are made through the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation Grants Portal. Applicants generally must be 501(c)(3) public charities or apply through a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. The foundation generally does not fund loans, endowments, regranting funds, one-time conferences or festivals, religious programs, completed activities, scholarships, or grants or direct cash payments to individuals or for identified individuals. The FY2026 guidelines also state that a grantee generally may not receive more than one grant in a fiscal year and that the foundation generally does not fund an organization or program for more than two consecutive fiscal years.
- Review Cycle
- The FY2027 arts and arts education application round is described as due in early 2027; a specific date is not stated in the available information. The FY2027 Beautification Award deadline is February 1, 2027, at 4:00 p.m.
- Deadline
- The FY2027 arts and arts education application round is described as due in early 2027; a specific date is not stated…
- Contact
Application contact: Elizabeth Lentz-Hill
Mailing address: 827 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 566-5543
Email: elentzhill@hcf-hawaii.org
Website: https://cookefoundationlimited.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Cooke Foundation Limited
Who Cooke Foundation Limited funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Honolulu Museum of Art ($200K). Together the top 10 received $794K.
Grant Size Distribution
320 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 290 grants of 320 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Hawaiʻi. The foundation’s mission and stated priorities are oriented toward the welfare of Hawaiʻi’s people.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Cooke Foundation Limited open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 27 of 52 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 21% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2025) to $1.6M (2021). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu Museum of Art Honolulu, HI | Homa beretania campus capital improvements (pmnt 5 of 5) | $200,000 |
| Punahou School Honolulu, HI | Punahou School Academy Learning Commons | $200,000 |
| Honolulu Academy of Arts Honolulu, HI | Annual Grant - Unrestricted General Support | $100,000 |
| Hanahauoli School Honolulu, HI | Annual Grant - Unrestricted General Support | $50,000 |
| Manoa Heritage Center Honolulu, HI | Annual Grant - Unrestricted General Support | $50,000 |
| Hawaii Symphony Orchestra Honolulu, HI | Hawaii Symphony Orchestra 2025-26 Season | $30,000 |
| Molokai Land Trust Kaunakakai, HI | Annual Grant - Unrestricted General Support | $25,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii Honolulu, HI | Annual Grant - Unrestricted General Support | $25,000 |
| 808 Cleanups Honolulu, HI | Expanding Stewardship Opportunities for All | $20,000 |
| Downtown Art Center Honolulu, HI | Downtown Art Center's Art Exhibitions for Fy 2026 | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Cooke Foundation Limited?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $16,034,277 | $1,455,170 | $1,646,067 | $1,401,350 | 56 | $1,528,113 | $1,337,216 | $1,349,737 |
| 2024 | $16,225,174 | $662,091 | $1,785,622 | $1,540,367 | 46 | $1,662,715 | $525,028 | $1,267,211 |
| 2023 | $16,988,102 | $797,912 | $1,692,320 | $1,435,979 | 71 | $1,555,575 | $676,627 | $1,236,962 |
| 2022 | $17,882,510 | $1,279,053 | $1,787,046 | $1,556,588 | 73 | $1,660,305 | $1,161,268 | $1,367,101 |
| 2021 | $18,390,503 | $459,783 | $1,797,393 | $1,578,506 | 74 | — | $518,504 | $1,271,357 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cooke Foundation Limited reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support worthy community endeavors that the family believes will make a significant difference in the betterment and welfare of the people of Hawaiʻi. Its stated priority interests are arts, culture and humanities; education; environment; and human services. Trustees may fund other areas, but unsolicited proposals outside those priorities will not be considered.
Its 2025 grants included support for schools, arts and cultural organizations, environmental organizations, and human-service organizations. For example, Punahou School received $200,000; the school describes its mission in terms of helping students discover their purpose and responsibility to Hawaiʻi and the world. Honolulu Museum of Art received $200,000 and describes its mission as creating transformative experiences through art. Feeding Hawaiʻi Together received $20,000; it describes its mission as building a sustainable and equitable food system.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 56 grants totaling $1,401,350. Grants ranged from $3,150 to $200,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest grants included $200,000 to Honolulu Museum of Art for Beretania campus capital improvements and $200,000 to Punahou School for its Academy Learning Commons. Other notable awards included $100,000 to Honolulu Academy of Arts for unrestricted general support; $50,000 each to Hanahauoli School and Manoa Heritage Center for unrestricted general support; and $30,000 to Hawaii Symphony Orchestra for its 2025–26 season.
The foundation’s website describes annual grants to Honolulu Museum of Art, Hanahauoli School, Manoa Heritage Center, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and Molokai Land Trust. These awards are reserved for selected family-affiliated organizations, are decided at the trustees’ discretion, and are not open for application.
For fiscal year 2027, the foundation has approved a special focus on arts organizations and arts education, with one application round planned for early 2027. It will accept applications related to arts and arts education during that fiscal year. Separately, its FY2027 Beautification Award offers $10,000 to a Hawaiʻi public or charter school for a completed project that enhances its campus appearance; the stated deadline is February 1, 2027, with decisions by June 2027.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Gregory Wrenn as president and trustee; Catherine Cooke, Elizabeth Dunford, Amber Makaiau, Caroline Bond Davis, and Fred Cowell as vice presidents and trustees. Dunford is also listed as treasurer, and Davis as secretary.
Cooke Foundation Limited is led by Gregory Wrenn, President & Trustee on every filing since 2021; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gregory Wrenn
President & Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amber Makaiau
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Bond Davis
Vice President, Secretary & Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Cooke
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Dunford
Vice President, Treasurer & Trustee
Vice President & Trustee → Vice President, Treasurer & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fred Cowell
Vice President & Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Charles Spalding Jr. (2021–2024) — Vice President, Treasurer & Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Cooke Foundation Limited
How much does Cooke Foundation Limited give each year?
Cooke Foundation Limited gave $1.4M across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 46 grants.
What is Cooke Foundation Limited's typical grant size?
Cooke Foundation Limited's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $25,024, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cooke Foundation Limited that year got $20K on average.
Where does Cooke Foundation Limited give grants?
Cooke Foundation Limited gives mostly in Hawaii: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Honolulu, HI (32 grants), Lihue, HI (3 grants), Hana, HI (2 grants) and Hilo, HI (2 grants).
Does Cooke Foundation Limited give general operating support?
Occasionally: 9% of Cooke Foundation Limited's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cooke Foundation Limited's largest grantees?
Cooke Foundation Limited's largest 2025 grantees include Honolulu Museum of Art ($200,000), Punahou School ($200,000) and Honolulu Academy of Arts ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cooke Foundation Limited?
Cooke Foundation Limited reported $16.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cooke Foundation Limited fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support worthy community endeavors that the family believes will make a significant difference in the betterment and welfare of the people of Hawaiʻi. Its stated priority interests are arts, culture and humanities; education; environment; and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cooke Foundation Limited?
For the FY2027 arts and arts education round, applications are made through the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation Grants Portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cooke Foundation Limited's EIN?
Cooke Foundation Limited's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7120804. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cooke Foundation Limited funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cooke-foundation-limited-morg_4a90506633b241c387ca7b716aae1ff5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237120804_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cooke Foundation Limited funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cooke-foundation-limited-morg_4a90506633b241c387ca7b716aae1ff5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Cooke Foundation Limited's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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