pauahi foundation

What pauahi foundation does

Pauahi Foundation (legal name: Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation) is a Hawai'i nonprofit corporation and 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support the mission of Kamehameha Schools by developing new and diverse sources of income for educational programs serving people of Hawaiian ancestry. The foundation's flagship product is an endowed scholarship program that awarded more than 540 scholarships totaling over $1 million in 2024-2025 to roughly 300 Native Hawaiian students annually, with applications exceeding available awards at a 5:1 ratio. The portfolio spans preschool scholarships, the Hulili scholarship for grades 6 and 9, postsecondary endowed scholarships, the Mānowai revolving scholarship fund, Ho'oulu verification services, the Māhuahua Ka Lae fellowship, and the Kāpili ʻOihana internship program.

The foundation's business model is donation-based and entirely fundraised; it generates no product or service revenue. Revenue streams include individual donations (online, phone, mail, gifts of stock, wire transfers), workplace giving through the Ho'ōla i ka Lāhui campaign targeting ~376 Kamehameha Schools employees, event-based fundraising across nine signature events (golf tournaments, benefit dinners, leadership forums, donor receptions), memorial and tribute gifts, and planned giving/bequests. Critically, all overhead costs are absorbed by Kamehameha Schools, allowing 100% of donations to flow to scholarships and programs. Distribution is regional, limited to Hawai'i, and supported by a small headquarters office in Honolulu at 567 South King Street, Suite 160; the foundation uses Blackbaud's third-party donation platform for online giving and has no proprietary technology, API, or AI/ML capabilities.

Name

pauahi foundation

Legal name

Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation

Website

https://pauahi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pauahi Foundation is a Hawai'i 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers endowed scholarships, the Mānowai revolving fund, fellowships, and workplace giving programs for Native Hawaiian students, funded entirely by donations with overhead covered by parent Kamehameha Schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Foundation / Nonprofit Education Funding

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Educational scholarships
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Endowment programs
• Workplace giving
• Foundation grant making

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation receives donations from individuals who support Native Hawaiian education. 100% of donations are allocated towards providing financial support as overhead costs are covered by Kamehameha Schools.
2. Workplace Giving: Annual workplace giving campaign 'Ho'ōla i ka Lāhui' engages Kamehameha Schools employees to make payroll deductions or one-time gifts in support of the foundation's mission.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue generated through event participation fees and associated fundraising activities at events such as golf tournaments, benefit dinners, and donor receptions.
4. Memorial and Tribute Gifts: Donations made in honor or memory of loved ones, providing a meaningful way for donors to commemorate individuals while supporting Native Hawaiian education.
5. Planned Giving: Bequests and planned gifts such as the Alaka'ina Foundation's planned donation honoring a milestone reunion.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pauahi Foundation administers an endowed and revolving scholarship program that awards roughly 300 Native Hawaiian students more than $1 million annually from donor-created funds, alongside fellowship (Māhuahua Ka Lae), internship (Kāpili 'Oihana), verification (Ho'oulu), and recognition programs that support people of Hawaiian ancestry from preschool through post-secondary education. It is the philanthropic arm of Kamehameha Schools, raising and deploying charitable contributions through events, workplace giving, and direct donations.

Product overview

Pauahi Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the mission of Kamehameha Schools by seeking and developing diverse sources of income to fund educational programs for people of Hawaiian ancestry. The Foundation's core product is its endowed scholarship program, which awards approximately 300 students annually with over $1 million in funding. The Foundation operates a portfolio of scholarship products including the flagship endowed scholarship program, the Mānowai revolving scholarship fund, and numerous named scholarships created by donors. Additional programs include the Workplace Giving campaign for employee donations, Service Awards recognition for Kamehameha Schools employees, verification services for eligibility, and fellowship/internship opportunities through the Māhuahua Ka Lae Fellowship and Kāpili 'Oihana internship program. The Foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025, having been established to honor the legacy of Ke Ali'i Bernice Pauahi Pākī Bishop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mānōwai Scholarship
• Preschool Scholarships
• Postsecondary Scholarships Scholarships for Native Hawaiian students pursuing post-secondary education, including college and career pathways, drawn from donor-created endowed funds.
• Hulili Scholarship (Grades 6 and 9) Scholarships for students in grades 6 and 9 attending Kamehameha Schools.
• Māhuahua Ka Lae Fellowship Fellowship program supporting Native Hawaiian emerging leaders in their professional development.
• Kāpili 'Oihana Internship Internship program connecting Native Hawaiian students and graduates with career pathways at Kamehameha Schools.
• Ho'oulu Verification Services Verification services for scholarship applicants to confirm eligibility and Hawaiian ancestry for the foundation's programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 540+ scholarship awards totaling more than $1 million awarded in 2024-2025 academic year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kamehameha SchoolsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization whose mission the Pauahi Foundation supports. Kamehameha Schools provides operational support including covering overhead costs, allowing 100% of donations to fund programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hawaiian Community Foundation: Hawaii's largest community foundation managing hundreds of donor-advised and scholarship funds for Hawaii residents. Directly comparable in mission (Hawaii-focused grantmaking and scholarship administration) and beneficiary base (Native Hawaiians among broader Hawaii population).
• Harold K.L. Castle Foundation: Hawaii-based private foundation with significant focus on K-12 education and community outcomes in Hawaii. Comparable as a geographically co-located education-focused grantmaker with similar programmatic scope.
• Cooke Foundation: Hawaii-based private foundation supporting education, arts, and community programs for people of Hawaiian ancestry. Highly comparable in mission focus on Native Hawaiian education and Hawaii-centric grantmaking.
• Atherton Family Foundation: Hawaii-based family foundation supporting education, community development, and Hawaiian cultural programs. Comparable in geography (Hawaii-only) and education mission.
• Alaka'ina Foundation: Hawaii-based foundation that committed $2M to Pauahi Foundation for Native Hawaiian educational programs. Directly comparable as a Hawaii education funder and active peer/partner in the same giving ecosystem.
• Office of Hawaiian Affairs: State agency administering programs and grants for Native Hawaiians, including a higher education scholarship program. Comparable as a major Native Hawaiian education funding body with overlapping beneficiary base.
• Nakupuna Foundation: Hawaii-affiliated foundation that has partnered with Pauahi to fund STEM2 teacher training for Native Hawaiian schools. Comparable as a peer/partner funder focused on Native Hawaiian education outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Kamehameha Schools: Parent organization and Hawaii's largest private landowner/educator, operating three K-12 campuses and providing direct educational services. Comparable as the primary institutional ecosystem Pauahi supports; broader scope as both educator and grantmaker.
• Lumina Foundation: One of the largest U.S. private foundations focused exclusively on post-secondary education access and success. Comparable as a national-scale education grantmaker, though broader in geographic scope.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Largest U.S. private foundation with significant post-secondary education grantmaking. Comparable as a broad-incumbent education funder operating at national scale with structured grant cycles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pauahi-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 pauahi foundation