News for Nonprofits

Recent grants to Hawaii nonprofits

Hawaii gets $5.6 million for health information exchange

Hawaii has received $5.6 million in stimulus funding to create a statewide health information exchange – one of the foundations of expanding the use of electronic health records. Hawaii was among the first states to receive the federal funding, which totaled $750 million, meant to be used specifically for health information technology infrastructure and the electronic health records.

Hawaii’s share of the money will serve as the base funding for the Hawaii Health Information Exchange, a nonprofit consortium of Hawaii hospitals and health-care providers that will craft the plan for a statewide, integrated electronic system linking patient medical records. The more than $750 million in federal grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the states is part of the $100 billion investment in science, innovation and technology set aside in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Other grants to Hawaii nonprofits:
  • First Hawaiian Bank employees and retirees pledged $572,138 to benefit 38 charities in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan. The charity campaign, called Kokua Mai, is administered by the bank. More than 90 percent, or about 2,247 bank employees, participated in the effort, according to the bank.
  • The N.F.L. said its commitment to Hawaii remained even though this year’s Pro Bowl was being played in Miami Gardens, Fla. The league has announced that 19 island nonprofit organizations will benefit from $100,000 as part of the longstanding N.F.L. Charities Pro Bowl Grant Program. The recipients include the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Hospice of Kona Inc. and Special Olympics Hawaii. For more than a decade, NFL Charities has provided grants to Hawaii-based groups focused on youth education, health and physical fitness. The game had been played in Honolulu since 1980 and is to return to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012.
  • The Alexander & Baldwin Foundation says it donated $1.3 million to nonprofit organizations in Hawaii and on the mainland during the past year. The foundation said Wednesday that over the past decade, its donations have totaled more than $18 million. The foundation says last year, it gave $1.1 million to charities serving a broad range of community needs in Hawaii and the Pacific islands. It says an additional $200,000 was granted to nonprofits on the mainland. Half of the money was allocated for such basic needs as housing, food and health care.
  • The Hawaii Tourism Authority on Tuesday named 27 community-based projects that will share a total of $1 million in grant money from the HTA’s Natural Resources Program. They include: $60,000 to The Nature Conservancy to restore near-shore fisheries and coral reefs at Kaupulehu on the Big Island; $45,000 to the Moanalua Gardens Foundation for Kamananui (Moanalua) Valley improvements; $30,000 to the Hawaii Forest Industry Association for development of the Panaewa Zoo Discovery Forest, also on the Big Island; $30,000 to the Community Work Day Program for the Laie Wetland Restoration Project on Oahu; $17,000 to the Hawaii Ecotourism Association for development of a certification program for ecotourism operators; and $45,000 to the Friends of the Future for the Waipio Valley Education & Information Officer Program. By legislative mandate, the HTA must spend $1 million annually to assist projects and programs that support managing, protecting and improving Hawaii’s natural environment and areas frequented by visitors.
  • Foodland Super Market and Western Union Foundation has donated $104,611.72 to American Red Cross. The donation is the result of Foodland's “Help for Haiti” program, which ran at all Foodland and Sack N Save stores statewide.
  • The Women’s Fund of Hawaii has thanked HMAA for its generosity in offering a $10,000 challenge match. Thanks to donors, the match was met and HMAA has awarded the Women’s Fund $10,000.
  • Hawaii Arts Alliance has received a gift of $110,000 to enhance arts education opportunities within the Hawaii State Department of Education. The donor, who has decided to remain anonymous for time being, has designated the bulk of the gift to focus on the Performing Arts Learning Centers. These centers provide performance skills to 1,000 students per year, and countless others who are exposed to the arts as audience members. The recipient High School Performing Arts Learning Centers are: Baldwin High School Performing Arts Learning Center; Castle Performing Arts Center; Hilo High School Performing Arts Learning Center; Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center; Kauai Performing Arts Learning Center; Central Theatre Arts Academy (Mililani); Nanakuli High and Intermediate Performing Arts Center; and Alliance for Drama Education's T-Shirt Theatre at Farrington High School. Each Center must raise matching donations to the initial $5,000 to receive a second grant installment, or become a $2,000 Arts Angel supporter with Hawaii Arts Alliance.
  • Through its HopeLine program, Verizon Wireless donated about $83,000 worth of services and cash grants to domestic violence awareness programs in Hawaii. In 2009, the program donated 217 phones, each with 3,000 prepaid minutes, to domestic violence shelters in the state. The value is around $65,100. The company also donated a total of $18,500 to the Domestic Violence Action Center, Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center and the State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
  • American Savings Bank has donated $25,000 to the Hawaii Home Ownership Center. The contribution will support HHOC's homebuyer and counseling services to first-time homebuyers as well as its foreclosure prevention services.
  • Ward Centers has raised more than $11,000 for the Hawaii Food Bank through its Honolulu City Lights Trolley Tour. Tours run every year during December, with ticket sales beginning after Thanksgiving.
  • The Hawaii Forest Institute has been awarded an $8,000 grant from the Arthur Lawrence Mullaly Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation for the Kaupulehu Dryland Forest Restoration and Education project. This volunteer outreach project provides dryland forest restoration and forest stewardship opportunities at Kaupulehu Dryland Forest Preserve in North Kona.
  • Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health, an affiliate of Sutter Health, has received $1,000 from Central Pacific Bank in support of its education program.