Cooke Foundation Limited
Accepts applications
Cooke Foundation Limited is a private foundation in Honolulu, Hawaii. In tax year 2024 it gave $1.4 million in 56 grants; the typical grant was $20,000 and the largest $200,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$1.4 million
- Number of grants56
- Typical grant$20,000
- Largest grant$200,000
- Assets$27.6 million
- New grantees79%
Giving in 2024 was down from $1.5 million the year before.
79% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $1.4 million | 71 | $25.8 million |
| 2023 | $1.5 million | 46 | $27.0 million |
| 2024 | $1.4 million | 56 | $27.6 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Elizabeth Lentz-Hill 827 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (808) 566-5543, elentzhill@hcf-hawaii.org |
| What to submit | Grant applications are submitted online. As part of the online application, an organization must provide a profile. The organization profile is to be certified annually & information to be provided includes - 1) IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter; 2) number of full-time, part-time staff & regular volunteers; 3) organization mission; 4) service location; 5) types of services provided; 6) financial statements & 7) board of directors list. The grant application consists of 4 sections - 1) program overview; 2) program information; 3) total program budget & 4) supporting documents & certification. For program information, the applicant must include information regarding - 1) organization description; 2) problem or opportunity; 3) project overview; 4) activities & expected results & 5) funding plan. If applicable, an addendum for capital requests must include information regarding - 1) capital campaign & 2) construction. |
| Deadlines | August 1 & march 1 of the fiscal year. |
| Restrictions | Part 1 of 3-THE foundation's priority interests are arts, culture, & humanities; education; environment; & human services. The foundation may make grants in other areas of interest at the discretion of the trustees, but unsolicited proposals outside its priority interests will not be considered. Applicants must have internal revenue code (IRC) 501(c)(3) public charity status or must apply through a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) public charity status. The foundation does not make grants to supporting organizations classified under section 509(a)(3) of the irc. The foundation does not generally fund loans, endowents, funds for re-granting, conferences, festivals or similar one-time events, religious programs, activities that have already occurred, scholarships, grants or direct cash payments to individuals or for the benefit of identified individuals. |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Cooke Foundation Limited funds
Where it gives
All of its grants went to recipients in Hawaii.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 56 | $1.4 million |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu Museum of Art | Homa beretania campus capital improvements (pmnt 5 of 5) | $200,000 |
| Punahou School | Punahou school academy learning commons | $200,000 |
| Honolulu Academy of Arts | Annual grant - unrestricted general support | $100,000 |
| Hanahauoli School | Annual grant - unrestricted general support | $50,000 |
| Manoa Heritage Center | Annual grant - unrestricted general support | $50,000 |
| Hawaii Symphony Orchestra | Hawaii symphony orchestra 2025-26 season | $30,000 |
| Molokai Land Trust | Annual grant - unrestricted general support | $25,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii | Annual grant - unrestricted general support | $25,000 |
| 808 Cleanups | Expanding stewardship opportunities for all | $20,000 |
| Downtown Art Center | Downtown art center's art exhibitions for fy 2026 | $20,000 |
| Feeding Hawaii Together | Expanding capacity to meet growing food insecurity | $20,000 |
| Hamakua Youth Foundation | Hamakua youth center | $20,000 |
| Hana Arts | Hana arts academy | $20,000 |
| Hawaii Foodbank | Food 4 keiki school pantry program | $20,000 |
| Honolulu Civil Beat Inc | Economic inequality reporting (year 1) | $20,000 |
| Hospice of Hilo | Family centered community grief support for east hawaii | $20,000 |
| Kupu | Kupu community program | $20,000 |
| Lyman House Memorial Museum | Lyman mission house restoration | $20,000 |
| Ma Ka Hana Ka Ike Building Program | Ma ka hana ka olelo hawaii | $20,000 |
| Neighborhood Housing Community Development Corporation | Beyond housing program | $20,000 |
| Ocean Alliance Project | Koaview:: a community based approach to coral restoration & ecological monitoring | $20,000 |
| Parker School | Broadening foundations for excellence | $20,000 |
| Rotary District 5000 Foundation | Centennial park waikiki phase 2 construction project | $20,000 |
| Ultimate Hawaiian Trail Run Foundation Inc | Keala kids: youth mental & physical health prevention programs | $20,000 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation | New & traditional korean music in honolulu: a collaboration between university of hawaii-dept of music, hawaii symphony & seoul national university college of music | $20,000 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation | Blackness belonging hi | $20,000 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation | The manoa mirror, new student-led, mobile-first community news organization in hawaii, aimed at deepening & broadening the state's public discourse | $20,000 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation | Empowering maui farmers: diversifying agriculture for economic recovery & resiliency | $20,000 |
| Young of Heart Workshop | Hoomau na maka o ka aina | $20,000 |
| Kauai Habitat for Humanity | Partial funding for (3) americorps ft positions - construction & homeowner services | $18,000 |
| When We Shine Foundation | Building a strong foundation in early childhood education: what's missing? | $18,000 |
| Hawaii Institute of Pacific Agriculture | Kohala agri-advocates: growing leaders, shaping policies by the hawaii institute of pacific agriculture | $17,000 |
| Uvsc | Financial assistance program for low-income cancer patients | $15,500 |
| Hawaii Nature Center Inc | Hawaii nature center school programs-engaging title i k-6 students | $15,300 |
| Chamber Music Hawaii | Chamber music hawaii 2024-25 season | $15,000 |
| Hawaii Youth Symphony Association | Envisioning a hawaii where music is a right | $15,000 |
| Hawaiian Volcano Education and Resilience Institute | Youth development for disaster resilience | $15,000 |
| Island School | Hooulu i ke ola o na pua: "to enrich the lives of children" | $15,000 |
| Palama Settlement | Palama settlement community services: combating food insecurity | $15,000 |
| Hawaii Council for the Humanities | Try think - 2025 | $14,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Gregory Wrenn
- Catherine Cooke
- Elizabeth Dunford
- Amber Makaiau
- Caroline Bond Davis
- Fred Cowell
Questions people ask
Does Cooke Foundation Limited accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: August 1 & march 1 of the fiscal year..
How much does Cooke Foundation Limited give?
$1.4 million in tax year 2024, across 56 grants, with a typical grant of $20,000.
Who runs Cooke Foundation Limited?
Its 2024 filing lists Gregory Wrenn (President/Trustee), Catherine Cooke (Vice Pres/Trustee), Elizabeth Dunford (Vice Pres/Treas/Trustee) and Amber Makaiau (Vice Pres/Trustee) among 6 officers and trustees.
What does Cooke Foundation Limited fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, arts and culture and environment and conservation.