Founded in 1962, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation works to build resources for Hawaii’s future. We do so by investing in promising initiatives and organizations through grantmaking, using our convening power, and introducing and spreading new ideas and approaches to help solve some of Hawaii’s most pressing problems. Our 2017 Mission and Strategies:
(1) to close the achievement gap in public education so that all of Hawaii’s children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have access to and benefit from high-quality education, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, that prepares them for a successful future;
(2) to restore Hawaii’s nearshore marine life populations so that future generations can benefit and learn from this rich natural resource;
(3) to build on the strengths of Windward Oahu communities through investments that support the region’s rich cultural legacy, its youth and families, and its natural resources; and
(4) to support a limited number of other unforeseen but compelling opportunities to make a big difference in Hawaii’s future.
We achieve this mission through grants, which we see as investments—investments in ambitious, creative initiatives that deliver results by clearly making Hawaii a better place for its children, communities, and environment. Money for those grants comes from the Foundation’s endowment, which is managed carefully to ensure that the Foundation can serve as a resource for Hawaii’s future generations. Harold K.L. Castle, owner of Kaneohe Ranch and grandson of one of the early missionary families to Hawaii, established his foundation in 1962, providing much of his wealth to fund the organization.
Education Strategy: Help low-income youth graduate high school on a path to success, with college credits and relevant career experiences, by supporting industry-led partnerships, strengthening academic rigor and career pathways, increasing student supports, and building work-based learning into the high school and college experience.
Marine Conservation Strategy: Make measurable improvements in our nearshore oceans where possible now; promote systemic change through improved governance and a community-based management model of practice for scaled impact in the near term; and foster a collaborative set of stakeholders to maintain a healthy system for nearshore management throughout Hawaii in the long term.
Windward Oahu Strategy: 1) By 2027, to dramatically increase the number of Windward Oahu youth who earn a promising credential, secure a good job and contribute to their community; 2) By 2027, to ensure that all Windward Oahu students graduate high school with an ‘aina aloha mindset and the resiliency and civic skills needed to protect and restore the watersheds and fisheries of Ko’olauloa and Ko’olaupoko; and 3) To support other unique opportunities to strengthen the resilience of the region’s families and communities from Kahuku to Waimanalo.