HCF’s administrative fees sustain the staff and expertise that connect people who care with causes that matter, making collaboration and lasting change possible.

At the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, we’ve evolved from simply managing charitable resources to serving as a vital community convener for our islands. We’re the trusted center of excellence that makes philanthropy in Hawai‘i more effective. Through research, policy advocacy, program evaluation, nonprofit support, cross-sector convenings, and crisis response, we ensure that resources flow where they are most needed, including to some of our most vulnerable populations.

Together, we inspire generosity, advocate for equity, forge connections, and invest in community, improving the community support systems that make Hawai‘i stronger today and for generations to come.

Investing in People and Expertise

For 12 years, HCF has not increased our annual fees. However, during that time, we have expanded our role as community leaders, in alignment with national best practice as the role of community foundations has evolved. Following careful benchmarking with peer community foundations across the country, we’re making a strategic adjustment to ensure we can continue investing in the people and expertise that sustain the work you value most.

Beginning January 1, 2026, HCF’s annual fee on all funds will be between 1.5 and 2 percent, depending on the type of fund. Our one-time standard fee on all incoming contributions will be 3 percent.

Fee Investments Power Impact

This adjustment allows us to invest heavily in good stewardship, community impact, and deep change. Unlike commercial fund managers who offer standardized financial services, HCF invests fees in something invaluable: people with local knowledge and relationships, deeply rooted throughout Hawai‘i, who can connect generous donors with trusted nonprofits making real, long-term change.

Convening Community

HCF brings together leaders and community voices from across the state, including the nonprofit, government, business, and philanthropy sectors, to take on challenges no single organization can solve alone. We create a rich environment for collaboration and cultivate effective, collective action.

Local Insight

We are deeply rooted in Hawai‘i, with staff and board members who live and work throughout the state, conducting research and maintaining deep relationships with nonprofits and community leaders who possess the wisdom to solve problems they are closest to. We know where resources are most needed and what opportunities are best positioned to affect change.

Strategic Stewardship

While there are many options for transactional stewardship of philanthropic dollars, HCF is unique as a transformational community asset. Every donor contribution is amplified by our ability to provide strategic counsel, convene partners, and attract additional resources to leverage and maximize every dollar.

Rapid Crisis Response

When wildfires, floods, or emergencies strike, HCF mobilizes immediately, coordinating relief efforts, distributing emergency funds within hours, and serving as the trusted partner that organizations and communities turn to first.

Policy Advocacy and Systems Change

Through research, coalition-building, and advocacy, we are changing the systems that perpetuate inequality, from advancing once-in-a-generation housing policy on Maui to partnering on economic opportunity initiatives like ALICE, to strengthening Hawai‘i’s safety net with the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund.

Mahalo for trusting us to effectively steward your investment in HCF through our updated administrative fees. By reinvesting these fees back into our people and expertise, we strengthen our ability to connect generous donors with trusted local nonprofits, amplify community impact, and ensure long-term effectiveness. We are deeply grateful to you for your generosity and partnership, which makes possible our vision of an equitable and vibrant Hawai‘i where all our island communities thrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Hawai‘i Community Foundation adjusting its fees?
For 12 years, we have kept our fees steady while we’ve dramatically expanded from fund manager to community leader, responding to crises, advocating for policy change, and serving as the catalyst our communities depend on. Increasing our annual fee to 1.5 to 2 percent, depending on fund type, and implementing a 3 percent gift administration fee on all incoming contributions, effective January 1, 2026, allows us to continue investing in the people and expertise that make philanthropy more effective: the staff who connect people who care with causes that matter, who know which nonprofit partners are most effective, who can convene the right partners, and provide strategic counsel and stewardship that maximizes every donor’s impact.

What do these fees support?
The fees are investments in community impact and deep change. They sustain the support systems that enable effective philanthropy in Hawai‘i, including:

• Expert staff who understand Hawai‘i’s nonprofit landscape and can guide donors toward the most effective philanthropic opportunities.
• Crisis coordination and rapid response when communities face emergencies.
• Research and policy work that foster systems change.
• Compliance, reporting, and program evaluation to ensure effectiveness.
• Convenings that bring together donors, nonprofits, and government leaders to elevate community wisdom and shape solutions.
• Nonprofit support services and grantmaking systems that ensure resources reach the people and places that need them most.

How do HCF’s fees compare to other options?
Increasing our annual fee to 1.5 to 2 percent, depending on fund type, and implementing a 3 percent gift administration fee on all incoming contributions remains consistent with best practices among community foundations nationwide.

What sets HCF apart from commercial providers is what we provide: experienced people with deep expertise. The kind of expertise that connects donors to causes that matter through trusted relationships across sectors, policy expertise, and convening power, amplifying generosity with partnerships and additional, leveraged resources that drive greater impact for Hawai‘i.

Why does this matter for Hawai‘i?
HCF staff and board live and work throughout the state; we understand local issues in ways outside advisors cannot. We are embedded in community, listening to residents, engaging community leaders, and partnering with nonprofits to identify where resources will make the greatest difference. Fees are invested in our people and their expertise, helping to ensure that donor generosity translates into real, lasting change for Hawai‘i’s communities.

How does this benefit me as a donor?
Your giving is amplified through HCF’s people and expertise. HCF donors gain:

• Strategic philanthropic counsel from staff who understand your values and the nonprofit landscape, helping you identify where your giving can have the most impact.
• Crisis response capacity with staff who can expertly guide you when you want to help but do not know where to start.
• Connections to a community of like-minded donors and vetted organizations aligned with your values.
• Optimal impact from a team that knows how to leverage your dollars to attract additional resources through partnerships.
• Good stewardship that provides peace of mind that our team will ensure your legacy adapts to community needs as they evolve.

Fees sustain the people, knowledge, and relationships that make your philanthropy most effective, so you can feel confident your gifts are managed with care and create long-term impact.

How will this change impact my giving?
The adjustment will not change how you direct your giving. Your generosity will continue to support the causes and communities you care about most. What changes is your ability to create even more impact because the fee ensures HCF can continue investing in the people, expertise, relationships, and essential services that maximize the impact of every gift.

Who can I talk to if I have more questions?
We welcome your questions and conversations. Please reach out to your HCF representative or our Donor Services team at donorservices@hcf-hawaii.org or (808) 566-5560.

What other fees does HCF have?
HCF does have an annual investment management fee on certain fund types or contracted agreements. For more information, please contact our Donor Services team at donorservices@hcf-hawaii.org or call (808) 566-5560.