Grant support for organizations, community projects and collaborative efforts in Waimea available from Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

WAIMEA, HI— The Ho‘ohui ‘O Waimea grant program is accepting grant proposals to support organizations, community projects and collaborative efforts in Waimea that strengthen existing and new connections between people of Waimea.

“During his lifetime, Richard Smart supported education, healthcare, culture and the arts for the Waimea community,” said Diane Chadwick, philanthropic services officer of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. “In honor of that legacy, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation created the Ho‘ohui ‘O Waimea, or Waimea Coming Together, grant program to encourage Waimea residents and community organizations to get involved in making our home town a great place to live.”

Applicants must be nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organizations, public schools or units of government; however, applications from community groups without 501(c)3 tax exempt status will be considered provided the proposed activities are charitable in nature. Proposed programs or projects must benefit the Waimea community and can be ongoing or one-time events. Grant awards range from $2,000.00 to $10,000.

Applications are available from HCF web site. Completed proposals should be mailed by June 15, 2009 to: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 800, Honolulu, HI. 96813, Attention: Richard Smart Fund.

Established in 1916, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation is a statewide, charitable services and grantmaking institution endowed with contributions from many donors. The Foundation is a steward of more than 500 donor funds, including more than 150 scholarship funds, and distributes charitable funds to Hawai‘i’s nonprofit organizations through a variety of programs. Hawai‘i Community Foundation also serves as a resource on philanthropy and community issues and trends.