FAQs

1. Can I give something other than a cash contribution?

Yes. In addition to cash, mutual fund shares, stocks, bonds and other securities, including certain privately held and restricted stock, are eligible for contribution to Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Real estate may also be contributed. Long-term gifts can also be made through life insurance and bequests that are made from both Wills and Trust provisions. Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Philanthropic Services staff can work with your attorney on sample testamentary language or answer any questions you have. Please email us or contact our Philanthropic Services staff at 808-537-6333 ext 560 (toll-free from neighbor islands 888-731-3863).

2. What are the tax benefits of making a gift to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation?

Contributions to Hawai‘i Community Foundation receive the most favorable tax treatment because Hawai‘i Community Foundation is a public charity. A cash gift is the easiest way to create a named fund or add to an existing fund at Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Cash contributions are tax deductible up to 50 percent of adjusted gross income and long-term appreciated property is deductible up to 30 percent of adjusted gross income.

3. If I’d like to make a donation to Hawai‘i Community Foundation, where do I mail my check?

You can mail your check to:

Hawai‘i Community Foundation

1164 Bishop Street, Suite 800

Honolulu, HI 96813

If you would like to make a donation to a specific fund at Hawai‘i Community Foundation, please note the name of the fund on your check or attach a letter noting to which fund your gift should be directed.

4. Can I make a gift online?

Not at this time.

5. Can I make a donation using my credit card?

We currently do not accept credit card transactions.

6. What is the difference between an endowment gift and an expendable gift?

Gifts that create endowment funds are meant to exist in perpetuity, and they are invested for long-term growth. Each year, a portion of the fund’s earnings is made available in the form of a payout. The payout – usually about five percent of the fund’s value at the beginning of the fiscal year – is used for the purposes the donor and Hawai‘i Community Foundation agreed upon when the gift was made. Expendable gifts are to be spent in their entirety during a specific period of time.

7. How can I establish a scholarship fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation?

Please email Hawai‘i Community Foundation's Senior Scholarships Officer, or contact us at 808-537-6333 ext 557 (toll-free from neighbor islands 888-731-3863).

8. What are the benefits of giving securities to Hawai‘i Community Foundation?

If you have securities that have appreciated in value, giving them to Hawai‘i Community Foundation allows you to avoid capital gains taxes while also receiving a tax deduction for your gift. You may wish to discuss the tax benefits of your gift with your accountant or attorney. For questions on giving securities to Hawai‘i Community Foundation, please email us or call our Philanthropic Services staff at 808-537-6333 ext 560 (toll-free from neighbor islands at 888-731-3863).

9. How can I make a gift of securities to Hawai‘i Community Foundation?

Securities held in your brokerage account: If your securities are held in a brokerage account, most brokers will require that you submit written instructions authorizing the transfer to Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Please email us or call our Philanthropic Services staff at 808-537-6333 ext 560 (toll-free 888-731-3863) for information about Hawai‘i Community Foundation's brokerage account.

Securities held in certificate form: If you hold stock or bond certificates, you may transfer shares to Hawai‘i Community Foundation. You can notify us of your intention to transfer shares by emailing us or calling our Philanthropic Services staff at 808-537-6333 ext 560 (toll-free 888-731-3863).

Securities held by a transfer agent: If you own securities that are held in book entry form by a transfer agent, please contact the transfer agent directly to inquire about requirements for transferring gift stock to Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Transfer agents will not disclose the name of the donor to Hawai‘i Community Foundation, so please be sure to notify us of your intention by emailing us or calling our Philanthropic Services staff at 808-537-6333 ext 560 (toll-free from neighbor islands 888-731-3863).

10. If I include Hawai‘i Community Foundation in my Will, whom do I need to tell about it?

Hawai‘i Community Foundation appreciates knowing when it is included in an individual's estate plans to ensure the designated purpose of the gift is fulfilled to the best of a donor’s intentions. We would also like to show our appreciation to donors who include us in their estate plans.

For more information about setting up a giving plan for the future, please email us or call our Philanthropic Services staff at 808-537-6333 ext 560 (toll-free from neighbor islands 888-731-3863).

11. What kinds of funds can I set up?

	Unrestricted funds are designed for donors who want to help their community, but don't have any specific cause or organization in mind. Hawai‘i Community Foundation is given the authority to allocate grants as it sees fit. This type of fund gives community foundations the capital needed to enact long-term solutions to social problems as well as respond quickly to emergency situations.
	Donor-advised funds give donors the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. Although Hawai‘i Community Foundation handles the final decisions, donors may make recommendations as to how much money goes where. Foundations will generally do their best to enact all suggestions.
	Field of interest funds allow donors to specify a field of interest to be supported, without specifying individual charities. The foundation then make grants to appropriate local organizations serving the designated need.
	Designated funds are similar to donor-advised funds. Donors, however, make their recommendations for grant dispersal when they establish the fund, rather than making multiple suggestions over time. Often, this type of fund is set up as a means of supporting a single organization over an extended period of time.
	Scholarship funds are created to support academic excellence and students throughout Hawai‘i. Donors can designate criteria for awarding gifts to scholarship applicants.
	Agency endowment funds are established by nonprofit organizations in the interest of building their own endowments. Income from these funds provides the organizations with a source of revenue they can rely on, increasing self-sustainability and financial security.

12. What is the minimum amount needed to setup a fund with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation?

The minimum suggested initial contribution is $10,000 and additional contributions of any size can be made to your fund at any time. And, just as with your initial contribution, additional contributions are tax deductible in the year they are made.

13. May I choose the name of the fund?

Yes, you provide us with the name you would like to use for the fund.

14. Will I receive a statement about the fund I established and the grants made from the fund?

Yes, Hawai‘i Community Foundation provides statements to fund creators four times a year. Fund statements reflect the fund balance, funds available for grantmaking and grants made for the quarter of the year most recently completed. Statements are usually mailed out shortly after the end of each quarter.

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