Our Health and Wellness Sector Vision
Our approach to improving Health and Wellness in Hawai‘i has shifted from “fixing the individual” to supporting changes identified and led by communities across Hawaiʻi. These shifts will impact the overall ecosystem of health in places where people live, connect, work, and play. Shifting agency, resources, and decision-making to community members closest to the solutions creates a more resilient, equitable, and secure Hawaiʻi.
Please refer to the Health and Wellness Sector Summary of Findings deck for more information about the vision statement, the initial strategies for implementation, and the development process.
The Health and Wellness Grant Program
To help achieve the goals of this CHANGE sector vision, HCF created an ongoing grant program to support nonprofits throughout the state, supporting positive changes to the ecosystem of health led by communities across Hawaiʻi. This grant program targets organizations that play an active role in the Health and Wellness sector and regularly take shared action with other organizations to achieve program goals and impact.
Inaugural Health and Wellness Cohort
Grantee power in action—captured at Ka Waiwai ma Koʻolau during our final convening of the Health and Wellness cohort.
In October 2023, HCF awarded collaboration and seed grants to 20 Hawaiʻi nonprofits, totaling $557,000. These organizations became HCF’s first cohort of Health and Wellness grantees. One year later, to continue the tremendous progress of the cohort, HCF extended the existing grants to 18 months and awarded an additional $309,000 to the same 20 nonprofit organizations, bringing the total Health and Wellness grant award amount to $886,000.
Final Grantee Partner Gathering
In May 2025, the Health and Wellness Sector grantees came together one last time at Ka Waiwai ma Koʻolau in Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu. The gathering marked a meaningful milestone for the Health and Wellness cohort. Over the course of the day, grantees came together to celebrate 18 months of shared accomplishments, deepen pilina (connection), and reflect on the journey so far. Through storytelling and dialogue, they explored both successes and challenges, offering valuable insights into the impact of their work across the five core strategy areas. These reflections will help shape ideas and priorities for future funding cycles and the continued evolution of the Health and Wellness sector. Summer Keliʻipio, from Aʻaliʻi Alliance, helped to facilitate the day’s events and captured key learnings and shared understandings in our 2025 Health and Wellness Grantee Gathering Report.
Excerpt from the 2025 Health and Wellness Grantee Gathering Report.
Key Findings
Cohort members reported they met and, in some cases, exceeded their own goals. Wins included: rewriting parent education curriculum with parent input; offering 48 holistic and community-based workshops to community to improve mental health and wellness; building the health and wellness workforce by training 48 individuals who supported rural and remote communities across Hawaiʻi; and providing professional development and training that led to a decrease in incidence reports and an increase in job satisfaction. Many organizations also hired and retained quality staff members whose presence and skills help connect community members to vital health and wellness services they needed.
Collaboration was an essential piece to the success of this cohort. Since the start of the grant program in 2023, the cohort has reported more than 110 instances of partnership with members. They collectively worked together to amplify their efforts and impact in the communities they served. Investing in pilina strengthens the Health and Wellness sector by reinforcing the foundation of the systems meant to sustain it. When pilina is strong, the work of the sector flows more seamlessly; stakeholders move forward together, and communities are not only supported but also empowered.
Behind these achievements and strengthened partnerships was the simple yet transformative gift of flexible funding. As one grantee partner mentioned, “[the flexible funding] steadied the ship.” Without restrictive conditions tied to narrow fund purposes, organizations were able to focus on the work and build their internal capacity. Whether that meant adjusting programs, hiring staff, purchasing other supplies, or partnering in new ways, this type of funding enabled organizations to be nimble and responsive to community needs in a constantly shifting environment. Organizations were able to direct resources where they were most needed.
Graphic recording from the 2025 Health and Wellness Grantee Gathering, illustrated by Sara Yukimoto-Saltman. Sara helped visually capture our reflections, conversations, and collective vision for the path ahead.
The Path Forward
With the knowledge of the cohort captured, partnerships in place, and lessons guiding us, we journey forward to our next horizon. We started this work by identifying and investing in five core strategies that would enable us to reach our sector vision. Through the 18-month grant period, we worked with our grantee partners to narrow down our path forward. They helped us identify key leverage points: those with the most traction that could move us closer to our shared vision.
Guided by the strategies below, the next funding opportunity is anticipated to open in late spring 2026:
- Involving Communities in Decision-making
- Addressing Mental and Behavioral Health
- Increasing Holistic and Community-Based Health and Wellness Options
Health and Wellness Grantee Cohort Members, 2023-2025
ʻAʻALIʻI MENTORING
ʻAʻALIʻI Mentoring, Oʻahu
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAWAIʻI
Kūpuna to Kamaliʻi, Oʻahu
FAMILY HUI HAWAI‘I
Strengthening Understanding and Awareness of Infant Mental Health for Hawaiʻi
Families, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Maui
FAMILY PROMISE OF HAWAIʻI
Housing is Healthcare: Ending Family Homelessness, Oʻahu
KĪPUKA O KE OLA
Service Integration Coordinator, Hawaiʻi Island
GOING HOME HAWAIʻI
Hawaiʻi Island Frequent Users System Engagement, Hawaiʻi Island
GROW SOME GOOD
Nā Māla Kaiāulu: Growing Some Good for Maui Families, Maui
HAWAIʻI CHILDREN’S ACTION NETWORK
Advancing Paid Family Leave in Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Niʻihau,
Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Maui
HAWAIʻI HEALTH & HARM REDUCTION CENTER
Behavioral Health Support for Homeless and Underserved, Oʻahu
HAWAIʻI HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Integration of Social Determinants of Health Data with Clinical Data, Molokaʻi,
Kauaʻi, Oʻahu
HAWAIʻI ISLAND ADULT CARE INC.
Leadership, Management and Program Training Collaboration, Hawaiʻi Island
HAWAIʻI PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
Community Health Worker (CHW) Workforce Development, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi,
Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Maui
HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAWAIʻI
Hawaiʻi Hispanic Health Program, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Maui
HOʻOKUAʻĀINA
Hāʻehuola, Oʻahu
I OLA LĀHUI INC.
I Ola Lāhui: A Community Program, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui
LĀNAʻI COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Project System Migration (Providing Better Data and Information), Lānaʻi
MĀLAMA KAUAʻI
Bringing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online to Hawai‘i’s
Food Hubs, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui
ROOT & RISE HAWAIʻI
Nature & Art as Therapy, Hawaiʻi Island
SAMARITAN COUNSELING CENTER HAWAIʻI
Client Assistance Fund, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Maui
Y.E.S. EDUCATION
Changing the Quality of Health for all Lives in Hawaiʻi using Aeroponics and
Aquaponics, Oʻahu
Curious about the HCF Health and Wellness Grant Program? Reach out to our Health and Wellness team at Health@hcf-hawaii.org to learn more.
Join us on our journey of CHANGE. Donate to our Health and Wellness Fund, where flexible funding supports community-led solutions that last.