The Supporting Healthy Development of Young Children funding opportunity supports organizations that provide direct services to Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable young children (ages 0-5) and their families to ensure equitable access to nurturing environments and resources and promote healthy development, well-being, and long-term success for young children in Hawaiʻi.
Donor Name: Hawai‘i Community Foundation
State: Hawaii
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/28/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
Funded by the Rev. Takie Okumura Family Fund, the 2025-2027 Supporting Healthy Development of Young Children Funding Opportunity will support organizations that provide direct services to Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable young children (ages 0-5) and their families to ensure equitable access to nurturing environments and resources and promote healthy development, well-being, and long-term success for young children in Hawaiʻi.
The five key protective factors are:
- Parental resilience
- Social connections
- Knowledge of parenting and child development
- Concrete supports
- Social and emotional competence of children.
Program Focus
This funding opportunity invites proposals that focus on preventing the “stones” from falling into the bowl through family-strengthening efforts that emphasize prevention. Additionally, it seeks projects that help children “turn over the bowl” by fostering Positive Childhood Experiences, using the HOPE Framework or other proven, evidence-based strategies. Proposals can include mental health support as a key component for both preventing adversity and promoting recovery and resilience.
Program Focus Areas
The primary focus of this program is to support the healthy development of young children (ages 0- 5). Applications should align with one or more of the following focus areas:
- Family Strengthening
- Build parental resilience and support parenting education.
- Promote social connections and create support networks for families.
- Strengthen knowledge of parenting and child development.
- Provide concrete support in times of need.
- Foster social and emotional competence in children.
- Mental Health Support
- Provide mental health services aligned with infant early childhood mental and behavioral health, especially in areas with limited access.
- Engage mental health professionals in innovative ways to support young children and families to aid the healthy development of young children.
- Combating ACEs with Positive Childhood Experiences
- Create environments that reduce the impact of ACEs and encourage positive interactions for young children.
Funding Information
Grants will be up to $40,000, $20,000 per year for a two-year period. The grant period will be May 2025 to May 2027. The total funding pool is $380,000 annually depending on the availability of funds.
Priority Populations
This program seeks to support Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable young children and their families. This includes young children and families who are:
- experiencing housing insecurities such as homelessness/houselessness, high housing burdens, or severe housing problems (overcrowding, high housing costs, lack of kitchen, or lack of plumbing facilities)
- experiencing food insecurities
- living in rural or remote communities as identified through the provision of key data
- considered high-risk populations as identified through the provision of key data.
Eligibility Criteria
Hawai‘i nonprofit organizations that are 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt organizations or programs with a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. Organizations currently funded by HCF with overdue final reports are not eligible to apply. Organizations can submit 1 application for this funding opportunity and must be providing services in Hawaiʻi.
For more information, visit Hawai‘i Community Foundation.
