Richard Palmer Kaleioku Smart established the Richard Smart Fund at Hawai‘i Community Foundation when he created the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust to support healthcare, education, and charitable giving for the Waimea community on Hawai‘i Island. From 2001 to 2024, Hawai‘i Community Foundation distributed over $8.1 million to nonprofit organizations serving Waimea.

In 2023, HCF initiated Waimea Futures conversations to elevate community voices and engage a diverse cross-section of Waimea’s residents to update the grant program to address current interests, challenges and opportunities facing the community.

The Waimea Community Weaving Hui, a community advisory group, collaborated with HCF to apply the concepts generated from the community to support Waimea residents working together to bring about the desired future for Waimea.

As a result of these conversations, a Funding Opportunity was developed and grants awarded to organizations that could describe their kuleana for Waimea’s future, align their work with the vision, values, and priorities raised by the community, and engage the diverse people, organizations, and ‘āina of Waimea.

In August 2024, HCF awarded 18 grants totaling $415,770 to support Waimea residents working together to bring about the community’s desired future for Waimea.

Alex & Duke De Rego Foundation $25,000
Water Safety & Ocean Awareness Youth Education Program

Big Island Mediation dba West Hawai‘i Mediation $25,000
Community Mediation

Five Mountains Hawai‘i $25,000
Hoʻohui Ola: Facilitating Seamless Connections for Waimea Patients Requiring Complex and Collaborative Care

Friends of the Future $74,770
Discover Your Kuleana program. Tūtū’s House, and Waimea Resilience Hub – Waimea Emergency Communications Awareness Network (WECAN)!

Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy $7,500
HPA’s Community Arts Program at Isaacs Art Center

Kahilu Theatre Foundation $25,000
The Stories That Shape Who We Are and Who We Will Become: Sharing Manaʻo and the Story of Kahilu

Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society $15,000
Free Youth Education Concerts

Kauaʻi Music Festival $25,000
Hawaiʻi Songwriting Festival

Kawaihae Canoe Club $25,000
Kawaihae Canoe Club Ho‘okipa

Malaai – The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School $25,000
Kokua Aku, Kokua Mai: Sharing and Reciprocity in Waimea Nui

Paniolo Preservation Society $25,000
Cataloging and Digitalizing Artifact Collection

Parker School $18,500
Facilitating connection and shared kuleana to strengthen Waimea’s future

Small World Preschool $25,000
Early Childhood Education Accessibility for Our Keiki

St. James Episcopal Church $25,000
Waimea Community Meal

Waimea Community Theatre $25,000
Waimea Community Theatre

Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club $25,000
Waimea Water Summit

Associated Files:
2025 Richard Smart Funding Opportunity
Program Budget Form
Waimea Community Report

Contact Michelle Pope, HCF program officer, at mpope@hcf-hawaii.org if you have any questions.