Education is the gateway to an improved future.

As the cost of a college education has grown, the amount of federal financial aid has failed to keep up. As a result, the college graduation rate for students from low-income and underserved households in Hawai‘i is 20 percent or more lower than their peers. Donors who value the gift of higher education may be inspired to help provide support by working with HCF’s education team.

For over a century, Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) has helped Hawai‘i’s students along the road to their postsecondary degree by maximizing the power of our donors’ gifts to aid Hawai‘i’s students in achieving a brighter tomorrow. Our robust scholarship program consists of nearly 300 different scholarships established by individuals, businesses, community organizations and private foundations, as well as the HCF Community Scholarship Fund, which aggregates gifts from multiple donors to maximize impact. Here’s how to help provide support through HCF’s program:

Contribute to the Community Scholarship Fund at HCF
The Community Scholarship Fund helps us be more strategically responsive to student needs by providing flexible scholarships to increase access for applicants who face greater financial and situational barriers to their college education than their peers. The Community Scholarship Fund is a pooled fund supported by many donors, to maximize the impact of their generous contributions.

Establish a New Fund at HCF
Work with us to create a scholarship fund to provide assistance to deserving students to ensure they have the access and affordability to pursue their higher education goals and aspirations.

Joining HCF’s scholarship program maximizes your charitable giving by leveraging our expertise in scholarship administration. Joining one of the largest scholarship programs in the state is a cost-effective strategy, reducing application expenses for students and streamlining the application review process on the administrative side. As one of the largest private providers of post-secondary scholarships in Hawai‘i, HCF is a well-known and relied-upon source for students seeking aid. Your fund will be visible to the greatest number of students looking for educational opportunities. Establishing a fund through HCF also leverages additional resources that benefit scholarship applicants: a single application serves all our 300 plus funds, and recipients of one scholarship may be considered for additional grant awards.

Interested in opening a scholarship fund?

Contact Eric Laʹa by calling 808.566.5557 or email elaa@hcf-hawaii.org