Project Dana

What Project Dana does

Project Dana is a Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides volunteer-based social support services and caregiver programs to elderly residents (kupuna) and family caregivers. Founded in 1989 by Shimeji Kanazawa and Rose Nakamura at Mo'ili'ili Hongwanji, the organization operates under the group tax exemption of Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (EIN: 99-0143990) and is headquartered at 902 University Ave, Honolulu. Its core offerings consist of the Caring for the Caregiver (C4C) program (support groups, counseling, caregiver training, public presentations, and the REACH Community dementia training and Fall Prevention modules) and Social and Support Services (visitation, light housekeeping, transportation to appointments, and grocery shopping). A Student Practical Education Program supplements the service portfolio with Public Health and Social Work internships.

The organization runs a lean operating model with three paid staff (holding advanced degrees in Public Health or Social Work) supplemented by a large volunteer corps. Service delivery is handled directly by trained volunteers coordinated through an interfaith coalition of 30+ churches and temples across Hawaii, with no traditional sales or distribution channels. Technology is minimal: Zoom is used for remote caregiver counseling, Donorbox for online donations, and Facebook and Instagram for community engagement. There is no proprietary technology platform or software product.

Project Dana's revenue model is entirely donation- and grant-based. Funding streams comprise individual tax-deductible donations, federal Title III Older Americans Act grants administered through Hawaii's Executive Office on Aging and the City and County of Honolulu Elderly Affairs Division, and foundation grants from entities such as the Hawaii Community Foundation. All services are provided free of charge to eligible elderly and caregivers in Hawaii, with no pricing structure. The organization has no subsidiaries, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and operates exclusively within Hawaii.

Name

Project Dana

Legal name

Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (Project Dana)

Website

https://projectdana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Dana is a Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing volunteer-based social support services and caregiver programs to elderly kupuna and family caregivers, funded by donations and government grants and delivered through a 30+ church interfaith coalition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adult Day Respite Programs (Daytime Relief) (HLADAKAC)

Keywords

• Elderly care services
• Caregiver support programs
• Volunteer social services
• Nonprofit senior services
• Community aging support

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the nonprofit cause
2. Federal Government Funding: Partial funding from Federal Administration on Aging, Title III Older Americans Act, administered by the Executive Office on Aging, State of Hawaii through the Elderly Affairs Division, City and County of Honolulu
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from Hawaii Community Foundation support programs
4. State, City, and County Funding: Collaborative funding from state, city and county, and community organizations

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Dana provides volunteer-based, non-medical support services to Hawaii's elderly kupuna, including visitation, social events, light housekeeping, transportation to appointments, and grocery shopping assistance. Through its Caring for the Caregiver (C4C) program, it delivers counseling, support groups, caregiver training, and public presentations to family caregivers of elderly individuals aged 60+ living at home. All services are provided free of charge by trained volunteers coordinated through an interfaith coalition of 30+ churches and temples.

Product overview

Project Dana is a Faith In Action nonprofit program offering a unified portfolio of elderly and caregiver support services in Hawaii. The core offerings consist of the Caring for the Caregiver (C4C) program, which provides counseling, support groups, and training for family caregivers, and Social and Support Services, which offer non-medical assistance including visitation, transportation, and grocery shopping for kupuna (elderly). The organization also operates a Student Practical Education Program for interns and relies on a Volunteer Program as the backbone of service delivery. The organization functions as a single integrated service delivery model rather than a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 22 years of continuous Caring for the Caregiver program operation

Named customers2 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

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mō'ili'ili Hongwanji MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Dāna is a program of Mō'ili'ili Hongwanji Mission, which operates under the group 501(c)(3) exemption of Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. The Mission provides organizational oversight and support.
• Churches and Temples CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterfaith coalition of 30 or more churches and temples throughout Hawaii that participate as partner congregations, providing volunteer coordinators and volunteer support for the organization.
• State, City, and County OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationships with state, city and county, and community organizations for program funding and community outreach.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Family Caregiver Alliance: National nonprofit offering caregiver counseling, training, respite guidance, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable to Project Dana's Caring for the Caregiver (C4C) program in service mix and target audience (family caregivers of older adults).
• Aloha United Way: Statewide community-support nonprofit in Hawaii that funds and collaborates with social services organizations across the islands. Comparable nonprofit operating model and inter-organizational partnership network within the Hawaii social services ecosystem.
• Catholic Charities Hawaii: Faith-based social services organization serving Hawaii's vulnerable populations, including elderly and caregivers. Comparable faith-affiliated nonprofit structure, geographic footprint, and multi-program service portfolio targeting similar community needs.
• Meals on Wheels Hawaii: Hawaii affiliate of the Meals on Wheels network, providing volunteer-driven meal delivery and social contact to homebound seniors. Closely comparable volunteer-dependent service model, target population (kupuna), and Hawaii operating geography.
• Faith In Action: National interfaith volunteer caregiving network of which Project Dana is explicitly a 'Faith In Action program'. Operates the same volunteer-based elder caregiver support model across multiple U.S. communities, making it the most direct strategic and operational peer.
• Easter Seals Hawaii: Hawaii-based disability and aging services nonprofit with comparable geographic focus and a similar mix of direct service delivery, volunteer engagement, and grant-funded program operations.
• Alzheimer's Association - Hawaii Chapter: Local chapter providing caregiver support groups, education, and training for families affected by Alzheimer's and dementia. Directly overlaps with Project Dana's REACH Community dementia caregiver training and family-caregiver support services.

Broad incumbents

• National Council on Aging: National organization that supports community-based programs serving older adults, including caregiver support initiatives. Operates as a broader incumbent in the same space with policy, advocacy, and program-development functions overlapping Project Dana's work.
• AARP Hawaii: State office of a large national organization serving older adults with caregiver support resources, advocacy, and community programs. Larger and broader in scope than Project Dana, but with overlapping caregiver and aging-services mission.

Others

• Hawaii Executive Office on Aging: State-government agency that administers Title III Older Americans Act funding and operates the Hawaii Aging and Disability Resource Center. Functions as a key funding and referral partner for Project Dana and a direct comparator for caregiver-support service design in Hawaii.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61575508119171
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectdana_hawaii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dana-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Project Dana