What Epic Ohana does

EPIC 'Ohana, Inc. is a Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 that strengthens families involved with Child Welfare Services (CWS) and enhances the welfare of children and youth through transformative, collaborative processes. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected human-delivered programs — including 'Ohana Conferencing (family-centered decision-making meetings), Youth Circles (transition planning for youth ages 14–26 with foster care experience), Parent Partners and Youth Partners (peer support programs), Family Wrap Hawai'i (intensive wraparound services), the HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative (statewide youth advocacy), the Pono Process (youth grievance process), and the Nā Kama a Hāloa network (multi-stakeholder convening) — all delivered through trained facilitators rather than technology platforms. Services are provided at no cost to families, with no proprietary software or AI/ML capabilities.

The business model is a hybrid of two revenue streams: government grants from the Hawaii State Department of Human Services (the primary referral pipeline and funding source), and charitable donations via the Circle of Aloha recurring giving program ($10–$250/month tiers) plus one-time contributions. The go-to-market motion is community-led and referral-driven — families enter EPIC's services exclusively through CWS workers and partner organizations (Lili'uokalani Trust, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Pū'ā Foundation). The organization serves the State of Hawaii from offices in Honolulu (Oahu) and Hilo (Hawaii Island), with virtual delivery extending reach. Demand is functionally tied to a single institutional anchor (Hawaii DHS-CWS), creating concentration risk that is the dominant financial exposure. There is no evidence of M&A activity, equity fundraising, or expansion beyond Hawaii.

Name

Epic Ohana

Legal name

EPIC 'Ohana, Inc.

Website

https://epicohana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EPIC 'Ohana is a Hawaii-based nonprofit founded in 1998 that strengthens families and supports youth (ages 14–26) involved with the state's Child Welfare Services through a portfolio of human-delivered programs, funded by government grants and charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: EPIC Ohana operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations. The organization offers a monthly giving program called Circle of Aloha with tiered donation levels ranging from $10 to $250 per month. Donations support programs for families, youth, and community initiatives.
2. Government and State Funding: As a partner with Child Welfare Services and the Hawaii State Department of Human Services, EPIC Ohana receives government funding to support its family strengthening programs and services for families involved with CWS.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EPIC 'Ohana is a Hawaii-based nonprofit that strengthens families involved with the state's Child Welfare Services (CWS) and enhances the welfare of children and youth through a portfolio of programs including ʻOhana Conferencing, Youth Circles, Family Wrap Hawaiʻi, Parent Partners, Youth Partners, the HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative, and the Pono Process grievance procedure. Services are delivered at no cost to families and youth, are facilitated by trained staff and peer partners with lived experience, and operate statewide with offices on Oʻahu (Honolulu) and Hawaiʻi Island (Hilo).

Product overview

EPIC 'Ohana is a nonprofit organization that works to strengthen families involved with Child Welfare Services and enhance the welfare of children and youth through transformative, respectful, and collaborative processes. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including family conferencing services (ʻOhana Conferencing), youth support programs (Youth Circles, Youth Partners, E Makua Ana Youth Circle), parent peer support (Parent Partners), family support services (Family Wrap Hawaiʻi, Connections), advocacy initiatives (HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative, Nā Kama A Hāloa network), and a youth grievance process (Pono Process). These programs are designed to be solution-oriented and to honor voice and choice, providing families and young people with guidance, support, and tools to create self-efficacy and lasting positive outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ʻOhana Conferencing A family-centered meeting process that brings together families and their support networks to make decisions about children's welfare. Designed for families involved with Hawaii's Child Welfare Services.
• E Makua Ana Youth Circle A youth circle program providing support and guidance for young people navigating Child Welfare Services, including planning circles for youth ages 14-26 who have experienced foster care in Hawaiʻi.
• Family Wrap Hawaiʻi Wraparound services providing intensive support to families to keep them safely together and prevent deeper system involvement. Delivered to CWS-involved families in Hawaii.
• Parent Partners Peer support program connecting parents who have navigated Child Welfare Services with other parents for guidance and lived-experience mentoring.
• Youth Partners Program connecting youth (ages 18-27) with lived experience in foster care and other systems to support other young people navigating those systems.
• HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative A statewide initiative supporting youth with lived experience in foster care, mental health, and juvenile justice systems across Hawaii.
• Independent Living Collaborative Program helping young people transition successfully from foster care to independent living, with associated offerings such as the Opportunity Passport financial literacy training.
• Nā Kama A Hāloa A network that brings together parents, caregivers, and professionals to support children and families and improve systems serving families and young people.
• ʻOhana Finding Program helping families reconnect with relatives and find resources and support through community connections.
• Pono Process A youth grievance process ensuring that youth in care have their rights honored and upheld under Hawaiʻi State law.
• EPIC Better Together A program focused on collaborative approaches to strengthen families involved with Child Welfare Services.
• Connections Program connecting families with resources and support systems within their communities.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• State of Hawaii Department of Human Services - Child Welfare ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing strategic partnership with CWS to provide Ohana Conferencing, Youth Circles, and other family strengthening services. Referrals flow through CWS workers to EPIC programs.
• Lili'uokalani TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partner in National Reunification Celebration events honoring families who successfully reunified with their children through the child welfare system.
• Catholic Charities HawaiicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in National Reunification Celebration and collaborative efforts to support families involved with child welfare services.
• University of Hawaii Law SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in National Reunification Celebration events and advocacy efforts to improve systems serving families and youth.
• Nā Kama a Hāloa NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPIC co-convenes the Nā Kama a Hāloa Network, bringing together diverse stakeholders including cultural practitioners, state agency leaders, frontline workers, and people with lived experience to improve systems serving families and young people.
• Pū'ā FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on trauma-informed and culture-based approaches to building community resilience, particularly following the Maui wildfires tragedy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Casey Family Programs: The nation's largest operating foundation focused on child welfare, working with state systems on family preservation and congregate-care reduction. Comparable as a child welfare systems-change nonprofit, though Casey operates at a much larger national scale.
• KidsPeace: National nonprofit operating residential treatment, community-based programs, and foster care services for children and adolescents. Comparable as a multi-program child welfare nonprofit, with greater residential-care emphasis.
• Boys Town: National nonprofit providing child and family services including in-home family services, foster care, and residential programs. Comparable broad child welfare portfolio, but operates at national scale with a residential-care legacy.

Direct peers

• Youth Villages: National nonprofit delivering intensive in-home family services, wraparound support, and transition-age youth programs. Comparable operating model to EPIC's Family Wrap Hawai'i and Youth Circles offerings, though at multi-state scale.
• National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA): Advocacy and capacity-building organization promoting culturally based child welfare practice for Indigenous communities. Directly comparable in its cultural-alignment, Native-knowledge lens, and family-group conferencing orientation.
• Child & Family Service (Hawaii): Hawaii's oldest and largest human services nonprofit, providing child and family counseling, early childhood services, and domestic violence programs across the islands. The most direct local peer sharing both geography and child welfare mission.
• Lili'uokalani Trust: Hawaii-based trust serving orphaned and homeless Native Hawaiian children. EPIC's listed partner; comparable in cultural framework and Hawaii footprint, though focused on direct child-care services rather than conferencing.
• Catholic Charities Hawaii: Hawaii statewide social services arm delivering family strengthening, immigration, and housing programs. EPIC partner on Reunification Celebrations; overlaps in mission and Hawaii geography.

Emerging players

• Treehouse (Washington State): Seattle-based nonprofit focused on youth in foster care, supporting education, transition to adulthood, and basic needs. Comparable emphasis on transition-age foster youth, similar to EPIC's Youth Circles and HI H.O.P.E.S. programs.

Others

• Father Flanagan's Home for Boys / Boys Town National Research: Research arm advancing evidence-based practices in youth and family services. Relevant as a knowledge/standards-setter in the child welfare sector that EPIC's evidence-aligned conferencing and wraparound programs must measure against.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/epicohanainc
• Facebookfacebook.com/epicohana
• Instagraminstagram.com/epicohana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/effective-planning-and-innovative-communication-epic-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Epic Ohana