The Honda Foundation
The Honda Foundation is a private foundation established in 1989 and based in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a non-operating private foundation with tax-exempt status since March 1990. The foundation's primary purpose is to use income generated from investments to fund charitable contributions and cover foundation expenses.
Key facts about The Honda Foundation
- EIN
- 99-0272268
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $217,916
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- Average grant
- $9,475
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (10 of 23, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Hawaii (31% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applicants should submit a letter and brief description of charitable purpose. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Honda Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Honda Foundation's 23 itemized 2025 grants were Hawaii (31%), 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). 87% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Honda Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 23 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. 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
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Honda Foundation
- How to evaluate The Honda Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Honda Foundation with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$218K
-1.9% YoY
Grant Count
23
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-1.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for education and supports general, cultural, and educational causes. Its grantmaking focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and human services.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
range: $100 to $160,410
Average Grant
$13,000–$14,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Honda Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with primary funding regions including:
- Hawaii (primary focus)
- California
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
The foundation supports various U.S. cities including Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 23 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $4.57 million
- Total Revenue: $442,921–$507,581
- Total Expenses: $267,773–$267,996
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Net Income: $175,148
The foundation operates with zero employees and maintains no outstanding liabilities.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Honda Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include University of Hawaii Foundation ($50,000), Columbia University Libraries ($30,000), Rutgers University (Agricultural Experiment Station) ($28,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION Honolulu, HI | EDUCATIONAL | $50,000 |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES New York, NY | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION) New Brunswick, NJ | EDUCATIONAL | $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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- James A. Honda – President and Secretary
- Erika Honda – Vice President and Treasurer
- Alex Shimizu – Assistant Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer
None of the key personnel receive compensation for their roles.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erika Honda | Vice Pres & Treasurer | — | — |
| James a Honda | President & Secretary | 2 | — |
| Alex Shimizu | Asst VP, Secretary & Treasurer | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Honda Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for education and supports general, cultural, and educational causes. Its grantmaking focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and human services.
How do I apply for a grant from The Honda Foundation?
Applicants should submit a letter and brief description of charitable purpose. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Honda Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with primary funding regions including: • Hawaii (primary focus) • California • New York • Pennsylvania • New Jersey • Virginia • Washington, D.C. The foundation supports various U.S. cities including Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
What size grants does The Honda Foundation award?
In 2025, The Honda Foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $218K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Honda Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.