Atherton Family Foundation Grants

Atherton Family Foundation Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Atherton Family Foundation
Last Updated: February 13, 2026

Summary

The Atherton Family Foundation Grants support charitable activities in Hawai‘i, focusing on areas such as arts, education, health, and community development. Capital requests over $25,000 are only accepted in July, while program requests are accepted in January, April, and October. Organizations must have a 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor. The foundation prioritizes collaborative approaches to address community issues and typically funds grants for one year, with specific guidelines for larger capital projects.

Overview

NOTE: Capital requests over $25,000 will ONLY be accepted at the July deadline for consideration by the board at their December meeting. Capital requests of $25,000 or less will be accepted at all deadlines. Program requests will ONLY be accepted at the January, April, and October deadlines for  consideration. The Atherton Family Foundation is now one of the largest endowed grantmaking private resources in the state of Hawai‘i devoted exclusively to the support of charitable activities. It perpetuates the philanthropic commitment expressed during the lifetimes of Juliette M. Atherton and Frank C. Atherton, and of the family who have followed them. Priorities The Foundation makes grants for projects that benefit the people of Hawai`i. The Foundation currently funds in the following areas: arts, culture, and humanities; community development; education; environment; health; human services; spiritual development; and youth development. The Foundation believes that addressing major community issues cannot be done by one organization alone. The Foundation supports organizations working collaboratively to address systems change. The term of a grant is usually one year. In the case of a multi-year pledge, payments are released in twelve-month intervals, and each payment is contingent on receipt of a satisfactory progress report. Addendum for Large Capital Requests (Renovations or New Construction) Requests for funds to support a large capital project may be submitted ONLY at the July grant application deadline. Organizations requesting support for a major capital project must have raised a minimum of 60% of the project budget before submitting the application. The maximum grant for major capital projects will be $200,000, normally paid out over three years.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must have 501(c)(3) status or must apply through a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status.If an organization applies through a fiscal sponsor, the fiscal sponsor must agree that the purpose of the grant is charitable, to monitor the grant project, control the expenditure of grant funds, and ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant.A grantee serving as the fiscal sponsor for another organization may receive a second grant for its own project.All previous grants must be completed with the submission of a final report before an organization is eligible to apply for a new grant.Grants for technology related projects require a 1:1 match from the organization.

Ineligibility

The Foundation does not make grants to organizations classified under 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.The Foundation does not make grants to the Hawaii State Department of Education schools or public charter schools.The Foundation does not make grants to the University of Hawai`i.The Foundation does not fund: conferences, festivals, and similar one-time eventsactivities that have already occurredlobbying loansfunds for re-granting and grants to individuals or for the benefit of identified individualsexcept scholarships through the Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship and the Community Scholarship Fund of the Hawai`i Community FoundationGrants for website development or the on-going costs for website, software, and hardware replacement and/or upgrades will generally not be funded.The Foundation generally does not fund endowments or operating support.The Foundation does not serve as the sole funder of any organization.The Foundation will award no more than one grant to an organization at a time and no more than one grant in any calendar year.The Foundation generally does not fund a program for more than three consecutive years. The Foundation does not accept incomplete applications or applications from organizations with overdue final reports.