Reflecting on 10 Years of Philanthropy in Hawaii

A Message from Priscilla Chan

2026 marks a meaningful milestone for our family: a decade of philanthropy on Kauaʻi and more than $100 million committed to over 100 local organizations. What began as a desire to give back to a place we call home has grown into lasting partnerships with organizations dedicated to strengthening communities, caring for local families, and stewarding the people and places that make Kauaʻi so special.

Throughout the past ten years, we've learned that meaningful giving begins with listening. Annual conversations with residents, community leaders, and service providers continue to shape our philanthropic priorities. Along the way, the opportunity to learn, volunteer, and build relationships with the Kauaʻi community has been one of the greatest gifts of this journey.

We are deeply grateful for the privilege of supporting this remarkable island and the people who call it home.

Grantees from the Chan Zuckerberg Kaua'i Community Fund of the Hawai'i Community Foundation.

Ten Years, By the Numbers

10 years of giving
101 Kauaʻi organizations supported
$111M committed across Hawaiʻi
$57M+ invested directly in Kauaʻi
$60M committed to the University of Hawaiʻi
296 grants awarded

Our Kauaʻi philanthropy that began in 2016 has grown into a decade-long partnership with the island - one shaped every step of the way by the people who live here.

NOTE: Numbers are as of Summer 2026.

Impact That Reaches Every Corner of the Island

Every moku, or district, of Kauaʻi has received funding for organizations rooted in that community.

Grant recipients consistently describe Priscilla and Mark's giving as unique:

"Their giving goes beyond one-time support; it is strategic, forward-thinking, and grounded in trust… This approach reflects a genuine commitment to listening to community voices, building strong partnerships, and investing in projects that preserve culture, protect the environment, and ensure that local families and workforce can thrive here on Kauaʻi for generations to come." - Permanently Affordable Living Hawaiʻi

• 81% of grant recipients say funding made a major or significant impact on their short-term capacity
• 67% used funding to serve more Kauaʻi residents
• 52% say the funding helped sustain their organization
• One-quarter leveraged the funding to secure additional support

"Every single time we wondered how we could implement a program or staff a program, their funding always came up at the perfect timing. They helped us with reaching milestones, but most importantly they really helped us to not give up in the process." - Kūkulu Kumuhana O Anahola

Our Approach: Listening First

Each year, priorities are shaped through annual conversations with residents, community leaders, and other stakeholders across the island. Those conversations surface both the needs and the solutions already being led by local organizations.

"Unrestricted funding has allowed us to pivot to meet the ever changing needs of our organization." - Friends of Kaua'i Wildlife Refuges

Most grants distributed by the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation are unrestricted, reflecting the trust placed in the organizations doing the work. Rather than dictating how funds should be spent, this approach gives nonprofits the flexibility to adapt, respond, and grow - meeting the moment, whether that's a global pandemic, a flood, or the quiet, steady work of building a stronger community year after year.

"[Priscilla and Mark's] support has reliably backed both core programs and major initiatives, allowing us to plan strategically and grow sustainably. This steady commitment has given us the flexibility and confidence to pursue transformative work that would not be possible with more limited or short-term funding." - Mālama Kaua'i

Seven focus areas have emerged from this process:

• Health and Wellbeing
• Affordable Housing
• ʻĀina and Culture
• Workforce Development
• Education and Youth
• Food Production and Distribution
• Emergency Relief

"Their approach to philanthropy funnels resources directly to local nonprofits that have been doing this work for many decades. They haven't tried to replicate the programs on their own or gain control of the work, they've just provided support that we all desperately need." - Save our Shearwaters

Giving by Focus Area

"It is clear the amount of effort that goes into balancing competing needs… It is unusual, in the best way, how much their philanthropy stems from listening to the community." - Namahana Education Foundation Health and Wellbeing

Health and Wellbeing

The largest area of investment, including grants to 18 local organizations and a $10 million commitment to launch the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine's Kauaʻi Medical Training Track - a program providing full tuition scholarships to future physicians who commit to practicing on Kauaʻi after residency. In 2026, the program had 22 future doctors training on the island and graduated its first cohort of five doctors who have moved on to their residency training. Support has also gone toward Wilcox Hospital's new CT scanner, urgent care expansion on the North Shore, and mental health and counseling services for families across the island.

"We see over 10,000 ill or injured patients a year and we simply wouldn't have survived without the generous support of Priscilla and Mark." - Makana North Shore Urgent Care

"… we're seeing how this kind of sustained, place-based medical education really makes a difference - not only for the students, but for the entire Kaua'i health care system." - John A. Burns School of Medicine

2023 JABSOM Kauai Medical training track students.

Affordable Housing

Nearly one-fourth of all giving on Kauaʻi has gone toward affordable housing - funding new construction, land purchases, rentals, emergency loans, and homeownership education across Hanalei, Kīlauea, Anahola, Waipouli, Līhuʻe, Kalāheo, ʻEleʻele, Waimea, and Kekaha. Gifts in this sector have included $5.4 million in grants to Kaua'i Habitat for Humanity for affordable housing construction and property acquisition, as well as $876,000 to Permanently Affordable Living Hawai'i to place homes into a community land trust that safeguards housing affordability for 200+ years. These investments support essential workers, Native Hawaiian families, and survivors of domestic violence, while building long-term pathways to housing stability.

"Priscilla and Mark are not only happy to volunteer in the community, but they also take time to discover the extent of impact beyond the gift. To truly understand the lasting impact, they take time to connect with the beneficiaries within the community." - Habitat for Humanity

ʻĀina and Culture

Native Hawaiians and all Kaua'i residents should have abundant opportunities to connect with cultural lands and traditional practices. ʻĀina and Culture giving has supported more than 20 organizations working to protect Kauaʻi's land, water, and native species - including $4 million for the preservation of the Alakoko fishpond for community-based stewardship, $675,000 endowment funding for the Kāhili Beach Preserve, and $50 million to The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology for research and programs that document changing ocean conditions, explore solutions for healthier ocean ecosystems, enhance coastal resilience from storms and sea-level rise, and tackle challenges to marine organisms ranging from corals to predators. By protecting land and funding the organizations dedicated to this work, we are making a positive impact on the land, ocean, rivers, and native species on all parts of Kaua'i, and creating opportunities for residents to connect with cultural lands and traditional practices through volunteer workdays, school field trips, and educational programs.

"Acquiring the land at Alakoko gave us the confidence to invest in the fishpond's restoration and advance our long-term vision for this special place, knowing that the work we are doing today can carry forward for generations to come." - Mālama Hulēʻia

"The support from Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg really stood out because the process and reporting were so simple…. That ease gave us the space to focus on what really matters, responding to community needs and taking action, instead of spending so much energy on administration." - Anaina Hou Community Park

Workforce Development

To create pathways for local families to be able to stay on Kauaʻi and thrive, community stakeholders have identified workforce development as one of the primary areas of need. During the pandemic, a $4.2 million gift to the County of Kauaʻi's Rise to Work Program created jobs for 364 residents facing unemployment - many of whom remain in those roles today. Ongoing support for trades training, green jobs internships, and community college programs continues to build pathways toward living-wage careers.

"Many strong organizations have benefitted, and by opening doors to funding and resources, they're making it possible for local initiatives to thrive in meaningful ways." - County of Kauaʻi Office of Economic Development

Education and Youth

Education can be the foundation for economic mobility, but without the necessary resources and support, youth on Kauaʻi may not achieve their full potential and realize these opportunities. This focus area has the most individual grant recipients - more than 40 organizations, including every public school and public charter school on Kauaʻi. Funding has also supported youth sports, mental health support for teens, and after-school programs, such as the renovation of the Boys and Girls Club of Hawai'i Kapa'a Clubhouse and the Kauaʻi Philippine Cultural Center's new bathrooms for youth sports activities.

"Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg's philanthropy on Kauaʻi demonstrates a commitment to long term community impact. Their support has helped strengthen local programs, provided stability for youth and families, and enabled organizations like ours to expand services and build capacity." - Hale Halawai 'Ohana O Hanalei

Food Production and Distribution

This focus area supports organizations working to grow food locally, restore traditional agricultural practices, and distribute food to families, students, and kūpuna across the island. This is a critical need as many households on Kauaʻi do not have sufficient income to cover the costs of essential expenses such as housing, childcare, and food. Grant recipients, such as the Kauaʻi Independent Food Bank, Hawaiʻi Food Bank Kauaʻi, and Kauaʻi North Shore Food Pantry, provide reliable access to nutritious food for residents. Mālama Kaua'i used its funding to expand its Moloaʻa ʻĀINA Center, providing infrastructure that supports local farmers and ranchers while increasing access to fresh locally grown food for keiki, kūpuna and the broader community. Funding has also supported food distribution, farm composting, a farm market, farm solar power, refrigeration, and school food pantries.

"By investing steadily in food security, education, and overall community wellbeing, [Priscilla and Mark] have shown a genuine commitment to Kauaʻi's future and the people who call it home." - Mālama Kauaʻi

Emergency Relief

When unexpected disasters impact the community, like the devastating effects of Hurricane Lowell, Priscilla and Mark respond quickly with philanthropic support. Within one day of Hurricane Lowell, Priscilla and Mark made a significant donation to Hawaiʻi Community Foundation's "Kauaʻi Strong Fund," as well as direct donations to grassroots organizations doing critical work on the ground.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, they committed a total of $6 million to Kauaʻi relief efforts in 2020 and 2021. These grants funded three mobile health units for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations and helped relaunch the County's Rise to Work program, creating more than 350 jobs while providing free health insurance for Kauaʻi residents who were unemployed due to the pandemic. Additional funding supported flood relief efforts including food security, housing, workforce stability, and other urgent community needs. In 2023, the family also contributed to Maui wildfire relief efforts.

At Home on Kauaʻi

Beyond philanthropic giving, Koʻolau Ranch - Priscilla and Mark's home on the island - has created 189 local jobs. Nearly all employees live on Kauaʻi, and Native Hawaiians represent 21% of the ranch's workforce, reflecting the ranch's commitment to creating opportunities for local residents. Koʻolau Ranch also supports an employee-directed giving program.

"Priscilla steps in wherever help is needed, even if that's holding a baby so that the mother can make a plate and eat her food." - Chicken in a Barrel, Kapaʻa

Looking Ahead

A decade in, the commitment remains the same: listen to community voices, support the organizations already doing the work, and respond when Kauaʻi needs it most. As one community partner put it:

"[Priscilla and Mark's] philanthropy has already made a big impact on Kauaʻi, and through future strategic support they will continue transforming the lives of people on Kauaʻi." - University of Hawaiʻi Foundation

Source of statistics and quotes: 2025 Impact Report, DARS Consulting LLC

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Press Contact
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
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Tag: Community

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