The Honda Foundation
The Honda Foundation is a private foundation based in Honolulu, Hawaii (EIN 990272268). Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations and individual recipients, including grants designated for educational and general purposes.
The Honda Foundation at a glance
In short: The Honda Foundation gave $218K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), top state Hawaii. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $217,916
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,475
- -1.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,614,490
- +0.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (10 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Hawaii (31% 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 The Honda Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists James Honda as the contact and requests a letter and brief description of charitable purpose. The filing states there are no award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- None, according to the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None, according to the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: James Honda
Mailing address: 2969 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 924-2102
Website: https://thehondafoundation.com.au
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Honda Foundation
Who The Honda Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Hawaii Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $170K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($28,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 102 grants of 106 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing’s grant-dollar shares by recipient state were Hawaii 31%, California 28%, New York 24%, New Jersey 13%, and the District of Columbia 5%. These reported percentages total 101%, reflecting rounding.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Honda Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 23 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $218K (2025) to $337K (2020). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $218K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaii Foundation Honolulu, HI | Educational | $50,000 |
| Columbia University Libraries New York, NY | General | $30,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $28,000 |
| Hear 4 Hope Honolulu, HI | General | $15,000 |
| Little Tokyo Service Center Los Angeles, CA | General | $15,000 |
| American Red Cross Los Angeles Region Los Angeles, CA | General | $10,000 |
| Fix Nation Los Angeles, CA | General | $10,000 |
| Kitten Rescue via Network for Good Los Angeles, CA | General | $10,000 |
| Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General | $10,000 |
| National Dance Institute New York, NY | General | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Honda Foundation?
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 | $4,614,490 | $299,204 | $256,998 | $217,916 | 23 | $217,916 | $286,765 | $287,895 |
| 2024 | $4,572,284 | $442,921 | $267,773 | $222,212 | 23 | $222,212 | $431,002 | $228,580 |
| 2023 | $4,397,136 | $507,581 | $267,996 | $237,162 | 21 | $237,162 | $496,849 | $206,622 |
| 2022 | $4,157,551 | $258,709 | $297,720 | $260,862 | 20 | $260,862 | $246,344 | $232,522 |
| 2021 | $4,196,562 | $313,709 | $278,321 | $245,142 | 19 | $245,142 | $303,310 | $283,769 |
| 2020 | $4,161,174 | $249,858 | $398,667 | $337,110 | 24 | — | $236,849 | $260,380 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Honda Foundation reported a distributable amount of $288K 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 available filing information does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants include educational and general-purpose awards. Examples of supported organizations include the University of Hawaii Foundation, whose mission is to raise and manage philanthropic support for the University of Hawai‘i and its beneficiaries; the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, which says it provides equipment, training, and public outreach programs to supplement city resources; and World Central Kitchen, which says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions involve children’s arts education, Japanese American cultural understanding, cinema, and local theatre.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $217,916. Grants ranged from $100 to $50,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest awards included $50,000 to the University of Hawaii Foundation for educational purposes, $30,000 to Columbia University Libraries for general purposes, and $28,000 to an individual recipient in New Jersey for educational purposes. Other notable grants included $15,000 each to Hear 4 Hope and Little Tokyo Service Center, and $10,000 each to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, Fix Nation, Kitten Rescue via Network for Good, National Dance Institute, and World Central Kitchen.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Erika Honda as vice president and treasurer, James A. Honda as president and secretary, and Alex Shimizu as assistant vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
The Honda Foundation is led by James A. Honda, President & Secretary since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James A. Honda
President & Secretary
President → President & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erika Honda
Vice President & Treasurer
Director → Vice President & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Alex Shimizu
Assistant Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mitsuko Honda (2020) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 The Honda Foundation
How much does The Honda Foundation give each year?
The Honda Foundation gave $218K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $222K across 23 grants.
What is The Honda Foundation's typical grant size?
The Honda Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,475, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Honda Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Honda Foundation give grants?
The Honda Foundation's top state is Hawaii, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (28%) and New York (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (10 grants), New York, NY (6 grants) and Honolulu, HI (3 grants).
Does The Honda Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 87% of The Honda Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Honda Foundation's largest grantees?
The Honda Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Hawaii Foundation ($50,000), Columbia University Libraries ($30,000) and Hear 4 Hope ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($28,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Honda Foundation?
The Honda Foundation reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $218K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $288K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Honda Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants include educational and general-purpose awards. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Honda Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Honda Foundation's EIN?
The Honda Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 99-0272268. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Other open foundation grants in Hawaii
Hawaii Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Honda Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Hawaii
The Rockefeller Foundation
New York, NY
The Rockefeller Foundation funds initiatives in energy access, sustainable food systems, health, climate, economic opportunity, and finance in the United States and around the world. In 2024, it made 381 grants, with a median grant of about $171,000, though awards ranged widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$6.4B
Grants
381
Total Given
$233.2M
Tradewind Group Foundation
Honolulu, HI
The foundation supports Hawai‘i organizations working in areas including education, workforce development, housing, health, arts, and community service. In 2025, its 146 grants ranged from $86 to $100,510, with a median of $5,000. It accepts requests by letter year-round and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$45.1M
Grants
146
Total Given
$1.5M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Hawaii Realtors Charitable Foundation
Honolulu, HI
The Hawai‘i REALTORS® Charitable Foundation supports community efforts addressing food insecurity and providing housing for people in need, including disaster relief and food assistance, primarily in Hawai‘i. Its 2024 grants ranged from $200 to $3,000, with a median of $2,500. It offered applications for Maui wildfire housing assistance, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$102K
Grants
568
Total Given
$1.3M
J Watumull Fund
Honolulu, HI
J Watumull Fund supports public charities and schools across areas including arts, education, health, community services, and child welfare; most of its 2024 grant dollars went to Hawaii. Its grants ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $2,000. It accepts applications anytime.
Assets
$12.1M
Grants
275
Total Given
$684K
More similar funders
More Funders in Hawaii
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Honda Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-honda-foundation-morg_14b7bd3f3e0d44dbb6cca29119f086a3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_990272268_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Honda Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-honda-foundation-morg_14b7bd3f3e0d44dbb6cca29119f086a3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Honda Foundation'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.
The Honda Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?