Hawai‘i Community Foundation celebrates 25 years of giving in Waimea through its Richard Smart Fund
Hawaiʻi Beekeeper Legacy Project. Photo credit: Andrew Richard Hara
The Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is marking 25 years of impactful giving in Waimea with $500,000 in grants through its 2026 Richard Smart Fund. This year’s funding will benefit 29 community programs that are helping to advance culture, education, health and safety in Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island.
“For the past 25 years, the Richard Smart Fund has supported the people and organizations who care deeply about Waimea and its future,” said Michelle Pope, HCF program officer, Hawai‘i Island. “Each year, we see how this work continues to evolve, whether through culturally grounded healthcare, ‘āina stewardship, or new approaches to housing. This funding reflects what’s possible when we listen to community and work together to support what matters most.”
Established in 2001 through the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust, the Richard Smart Fund has distributed $8.65 million to 108 nonprofits serving Waimea.
In 2023, HCF refined the Richard Smart Fund grant program to better address current needs and opportunities through the guidance of the Waimea Community Weaving Hui – a community advisory group of local leaders.
Building on the relationships and insights shared through community conversations, this year’s grantees will also be invited to come together as a learning cohort. Through this space, they will share ʻike (knowledge), learn from one another, and explore culturally grounded and innovative approaches to caring for Waimea’s future, including stewardship of land and water, economic resilience, and community well-being.
The 2026 Richard Smart Fund grants range from $8,000 to $25,000, and include:
| Grantee | Program | Grant Amount |
| Alex & Duke De Rego Foundation | Water Safety Ocean Awareness Education | $21,612 |
| Big Island Mediation | Community Mediation | $15,000 |
| Boys to Men Mentoring Network of Hawaii Incorporated | Kuleana for Our Keiki Kāne: Culturally Grounded Mentorship for the Future Men of Waimea | $20,000 |
| Discover Your Kuleana (Fiscal Sponsor: Friends of the Future) | Discover Your Kuleana 3.0 | $14,900 |
| Five Mountains Hawaii dba Kīpuka o ke Ola (KOKO) | Alaka‘i Mālama | $25,000 |
| Friends of the Future | Tutu’s House | $25,000 |
| Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy | Mālama ʻĀina in the Upper Pasture: A Reforestation and Learning Pilot | $15,000 |
| Hemp Hale Initiative | Hale Initiative | $10,000 |
| Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society | Free Children’s Education Concerts | $10,000 |
| Kauaʻi Music Festival | Hawaiʻi Songwriting Festival 2026 | $15,000 |
| Kawaihae Canoe Club | Junior Wa‘a Keiki Program | $7,500 |
| Leandra Rouse Creative (Fiscal Sponsor: Friends of the Future) | Hawai‘i Beekeeper Legacy Project | $12,688 |
| Lehua Community Birth Center (Fiscal Sponsor: AABC Foundation Inc.) | Midwifery Pathways Program: Connecting Generations of Care | $12,500 |
| Māla‘ai – The Culinary Garden of Waimea Middle School | Culinary Garden at WMS: Integrating Soil Health into Student Learning | $25,000 |
| Mālama Kai Foundation | Ridge to Reef Ahupua‘a, Watershed Student Education Program | $23,000 |
| Nalukai Foundation | 2027 Nalukai Spring Innovative Stewardship Program | $10,000 |
| Parker School | Ho‘okuleana: Strengthening Our Community Connections | $12,000 |
| Prince Dance Company | He Wāʻa He Honua: A Place-Based Education and Performance Initiative Rooted in Waimea | $20,000 |
| Project No Ke Ola Pono O Nā Keiki (Fiscal Sponsor: Friends of the Future) | Project No Ke Ola Pono O Nā Keiki | $20,000 |
| Small World Preschool | Accessible Early Education for our Young Keiki | $25,000 |
| St. James Episcopal Church | Waimea Community Meal | $10,000 |
| The Kohala Center | The Waimea Food Story: Building Community One Plate at a Time | $20,000 |
| The Rama Tree | E Ola Ka Wai Ola! O Wau Ka Wai Ola! A Community Mālama ‘Āina Mural | $20,000 |
| Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative Inc. | ʻŌuli Park Revitalization | $10,000 |
| Waimea Community Association | “Welcome to Waimea” signs | $8,000 |
| Waimea Country School | Foundations of Kuleana: Strengthening Waimea’s Future through Garden, Art, and Service | $17,800 |
| Waimea Elementary School | Community Resource Center | $25,000 |
| Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders’ Association, Inc. | Paniolo Festival | $25,000 |
| Waimea Resilience Hub (Fiscal Sponsor: Friends of the Future) | Waimea Resilience Hub | $25,000 |
“We are incredibly fortunate to have the Richard Smart Fund in Waimea, investing in projects like ours that help tell the story of our community,” said Leandra Rouse, founder and curator of Hawai‘i Beekeeper Legacy Project. “Their support allowed us to bring the Hawaiʻi Beekeeper Legacy Exhibit to Waimea last spring and share a unique part of our island’s agricultural history. We are grateful for the opportunity to go deeper into our research, preserve these stories, honor the families who helped shape Hawaiʻi Island’s beekeeping industry, and share this unique history with communities across the state.”
Hawaiʻi Beekeeper Legacy Project. Photo credit: Andrew Richard Hara
To learn more about the Richard Smart Fund, visit hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/strengthening/island-by-island/richard-smart-fund.
Sponsored Content
