The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation makes grants to organizations working in one or more of our three strategic priority areas:
- Public Education Redesign and Enhancement (pre-K – 12th grade)
- Nearshore Marine Resource Conservation (for waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands)
- Strengthening the Communities of Windward Oahu
We occasionally choose to fund outside these areas, at our discretion. Such grants are increasingly rare, limited, and always initiated by the Foundation.
Who can apply?
Nonprofit organizations (recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) and 509(a) public charity) or public schools working to advance one of the three strategic priority areas listed above. Please note: the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation does not make grants to individuals or businesses.
Are there any geographic limitations?
The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation only funds organizations that serve the people of Hawaii.
Does the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation make grants for capital campaigns or other capital needs such as construction, renovation, or purchase of furniture and equipment?
We have made grants of this nature in the past. However, the Covid-19 pandemic’s economic impact has caused a reduction of the Foundation’s asset valuation and an unexpected increase in grantmaking to respond to the pandemic. As a result, capital grant requests will not be considered in calendar year 2024 unless the Foundation’s asset valuation considerably improves. We do not want to raise grantseekers’ hopes and waste their time by looking at online inquiries for capital grants, only to tell you that the Foundation cannot afford to consider capital grant proposals. Should the Foundation’s situation change, we will inform you of that on our website.
Does the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation make general operating support grants?
No, we do not provide funding for ongoing general expenses except for those few organizations the Foundation deems critical to the overall success of its strategies. The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation primarily makes grants for specific projects.
How do we apply for funding?
If you are a grant seeker whose 501(c)(3) organization or public school can further the foundation’s strategic priorities, please click here for more information about applying online and a link to the Online Inquiry Form.
Is there an application deadline?
Online Inquiry Forms will be reviewed by foundation staff on a rolling basis, so they may be submitted at any time during the year. Within one month of receipt of your Online Inquiry Form, we will contact you to request more information, invite you to submit a full proposal, or inform you that the foundation will be unable to consider a full proposal due to limited resources and/or a mismatch with foundation priorities. If you are invited to submit a full proposal, the 2024 deadlines are:
- February 13
- May 7
- August 6
- November 5
If we apply for a grant, when will we get an answer?
Once you have submitted an Online Inquiry Form, Foundation staff will contact you within one month to request more information, invite you to submit a full proposal, or to inform you that the Foundation will be unable to consider a full proposal due to limited resources and/or a mismatch with the Foundation’s strategic priorities.
Who makes the decision on our grant request?
Foundation staff generally makes initial decisions about Online Inquiry Forms. If a full proposal is invited, staff will review it and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Directors make all final funding decisions.
Can we meet with foundation staff before submitting an inquiry?
The Foundation has a very small staff. To use our time and yours as effectively as possible, we’d like to receive your inquiry before scheduling an in-person, zoom, or on-site meeting. We do require interested grantees to phone staff to discuss your application before beginning an online inquiry. Please contact Beth Murph at 808-554-5164.
When are your directors' meetings scheduled?
The last meeting date for 2024 is:
- December 5
The meeting dates for 2025 are:
- March 12
- June 5
- September 4
- December 4
Can we make a presentation to the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation board of directors?
No.
If we are invited to submit a full proposal, how soon after the directors' meeting will we know what action was taken on our proposal?
Within one week. Directors can approve, approve with conditions, defer a decision so more information can be sought, or deny.
Do we have to apply online?
Yes, we encourage all prospective grant applicants to begin by submitting an Online Inquiry Form. This relatively simple process shouldn’t take a significant amount of time or effort on your part. If you do not have Internet access and are not able to visit a public library or another source of Internet access, please contact Beth Murph at 808-554-5164.
Who should I contact if I have any questions?
Please contact Beth Murph at 808-554-5164.
How much funding can we request?
That depends on the size of the project, the anticipated impact, and other funding available for the project. The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation generally prefers not to be the only funder of a given project. Our average grant size is approximately $110,000, but grants range from $100 to $4 million.
The Foundation has set overhead rates for universities. Grants awarded below $500,000 are subject to a 1% overhead rate of the total amount of any grant made. Grants awarded at or above $500,000 are subject to a 2% overhead rate of the total amount of any grant made.
My organization already has an active grant. Can we apply for a new grant before the previous grant is complete?
No, each organization is limited to one active grant at a time.
My organization submitted a request that was declined. Can we re-submit the same request again?
We suggest that you wait one year before re-submitting the same request. You may also want to contact Foundation staff to learn more about why your request was denied. We also recommend that you review the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation’s strategic priorities to learn more about what we fund.
What are contingencies in my grant agreement?
Foundation staff will often recommend contingencies that are attached to grant payouts. Examples can include progress reports, securing matching funds or finalized building permits. Contingencies occur when we seek to further strengthen an already robust proposal. The grant agreement will show when the contingency is due; Foundation payments occur at the middle of each month so evidence that the contingency is satisfied should generally be uploaded into our Fluxx grants management system by the first of that month.
How do I request a No Cost Extension?
No cost extensions are required when project funds remain unspent by the end of the project term. You can request an extension before the project end date. The request should be made through your Fluxx account by clicking on the request amendment button on the top right of your active grant.
Am I allowed to modify my budget after the grant was approved?
It is normal during a project for actual expenses to vary from projected expenses. As such, you are welcome to move up to 20 percent of funds in any given year between budget lines without seeking approval from the Foundation; you may also move unspent funds from one year to the next. For example, if your “supplies” budget line is $2,000 but you only need to spend $1,600, you can move $400 to another budget line. You should contact your program officer if unexpected circumstances arise.
I’m ready to end the project. What are final expenditures?
The final expenditure report for all grants – especially those made to government agencies – needs to reflect actual expenditures rather than encumbered expenses.
What should I do with my unspent funds now that my project has ended?
Should the project end and grant funds remain, we require you to return all unspent funds to the Foundation.