The meaning of

Sand may seem like a characterless substance, a bland beige ​afterthought. But when Reverend Lorenzo Lyons penned the ​first line of Hawaiʻi Aloha in the nineteenth century, one ​(pronounced oh-neh), which means “sand” in Hawaiian, ​embodied the essence of home. Far from being unremarkable, ​one reverberates in song as a deep connection shared by ​those whose roots are in Hawaiʻi.

It is easy to overlook the rich diversity of elements that make ​up our shores. Nature and time have brought together unique ​combinations of rocks, minerals, and marine organisms to form ​our vibrant beaches in captivating shades of red, green, white, ​and black. As we reflect on our Foundation’s work this year, we ​see the various elements of our investments, past and present, ​coming together to create new opportunities and lasting ​impact. Together with our partners, employees, and nonprofits ​serving our communities, we are shaping a future as dynamic ​and beautiful as the sands of Hawaiʻi.

Giving Guided by Our Values

Total 2023 Giving

Contributing to local communities at our business locations.

The above list represents the U.S. Small Business Administration’s reporting categories.

Financial notes: Figures include cash and in-kind distributions by the Nakupuna Foundation and Nakupuna Companies to an outside beneficiary during the 2023 calendar year. Figures exclude voluntary ​employee giveback, federal/state/local taxes, job creation through Nakupuna for-profit operations, and Nakupuna employment of Native Hawaiians.

*Maui Wildfire Relief Support represents contributions to multiple organizations and initiatives to support the Maui community impacted by wildfires in August 2023.

**Project Kupu is an employee engagement program that represents multiple organizations selected by Nakupuna Companies employees.

In 2023, Nakupuna exceeded our annual giving target for the third consecutive year—outperforming our goal by 35%—​and celebrated another significant achievement: surpassing $11 million in cumulative giving.

Nakupuna’s success underscores the impact of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) business development ​program for Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs). As the economic engine for the Nakupuna Foundation, our federal ​work fueled operational growth in 2023, allowing us to increase investments in organizations committed to developing ​impactful programs and fostering connections rooted in a sense of place. With more than $2.5 million in cash and in-kind ​support returning to our communities, we proudly contributed to new, renewed, and expanded programs and services ​that align with the six desired outcomes comprising our vision for the lāhui (Native Hawaiian community), while also ​supporting organizations across the U.S. where Nakupuna employees work.

Desired Results

STEM Employment

Summer Science Institute

Funded a summer scientific research course for high school ​juniors to initiate cell biology projects

Undergraduate Scholarships - Hawaiʻi

Awarded two four-year scholarships ($40,000 each) to Native ​Hawaiian students from Hawai‘i who are majoring in STEM fields

Undergraduate Scholarships

Awarded five four-year scholarships ($20,000 each) to Native ​Hawaiian students anywhere in the U.S. who are majoring in ​STEM fields

Wahi Kupuna Internship Program​

Provided funding for interns in anthropology, archaeology, and ​cultural studies to conduct ethnohistorical research Interviews ​with lineal descendants and stewards of Kahaluʻu Ma Kai

Workforce Development Program

Jointly established next iteration of the Hiapo Program to train ​developers, testers, and analysts on the PeopleSoft platform

Summer Internships

Filled 6 paid full-time internships within the Nakupuna ​organization during the summer, offering in-person, remote, ​and hybrid options based on student circumstances and ​position requirements

Summer interns primarily recruited through the Kāpili ʻOihana Internship ​Program administered by the Kamehameha Schools

Nakupuna Fellowship

Awarded a graduate fellowship for an employed Native ​Hawaiian student with a STEM undergrad degree to pursue a ​masterʻs degree

Nakupuna Returnship

Piloted a short-term position called a “returnship” for ​underemployed mid-career professionals or work reentry ​candidates seeking resume-building experience

Economic Diversification

Local Entrepreneurship

Financially supported Hawai’i FoundHer, a six-month program ​for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) women ​entrepreneurs to help propel their business growth

Small Business Support

Sponsored the Native Hawaiian Organizations Association ​(NHOA) Small Business Summit in Honolulu to bolster industry ​representation and address pressing concerns and ​opportunities in government contracting

Near-Shoring

Continued working with clients of the Nakupuna Companies to ​source and fill continental U.S.–based jobs with individuals in ​Hawaiʻi when feasible

Digital Learning Program

Helped fund digital services in partnership with state agencies ​to support families in rural areas needing additional assistance ​to access and leverage online resources

Globally Competitive

Student Success Initiatives

Supported regional networking events for scholars to learn about ​support services and connect with alumni and Asian American & ​Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Contributed to an annual workshop for Native Hawaiian college ​students preparing to enter the job market, advising them on ​issues such as career planning and managing personal finances

Financial Literacy Program

Funded the development of in-school financial literacy ​curriculum and instructional support for grades 9-12 to help ​families overcome barriers to continuing education

Data Voyage Project

Provided funding for campus teams from UH-West Oʻahu, ​Kapiolani Community College, and Kauai Community College to ​address NHPI student data disaggregation challenges, as well ​as promote student success through learning labs, advocacy, ​and industry conferences

Navigator Center

Funded the renovation and replenishment of the Navigator ​Center with resources for students prior to the school year

Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae (POW)

Tracked progress towards pilot implementation for the Place-​based Literacy Support (PALS) program for Kamaile students at ​POW in addition to road paving and grading for warehouse ​space

Hawaiʻi Public Charter School Support

Donated to Kualapuʻu Preschool and Elementary School on ​Molokaʻi and Waimea Middle School on Hawaiʻi Island

Wish for Wheels

Held team events in coordination with elementary schools in ​predominantly Native Hawaiian neighborhoods to give away ​bikes and helmets to second-graders

Place-Based Learning

Provided educational outreach support and managed the online ​platform Waʻa Honua during the global launch in Alaska and ​subsequent sail down the West Coast and back to Hawaiʻi

Waʻa (Canoe) fo​r Maui Students

Funded construction of a voyaging canoe for Kamehameha ​Schools Maui to complement existing courses with a dynamic, ​living classroom for practicing ancestral navigational skills

Loko Iʻa Programming

Contributed to the growth and sustainment of programming for ​students, groups, and community members visiting and helping ​to restore the Mālama Loko Ea fishpond using traditional ​principles and restoration methods

Master’s Certificates

Sponsored a fourth cycle of the University of Hawaiʻi STEMS2 ​master’s certificate program, which trains educators to teach ​STEM in a place-based context that nurtures a sense of self

Cross-Generational Learning

King’s Journey Exhibit

Contributed to a new exhibit at Iolani Palace that focuses on ​King Kalākaua’s international travels

Navigation Programs

Financially supported educational programming centered on ​the community canoe Wanana Paoa with lessons for North ​Shore youth about the navigator’s mindset

Teacher Training

Funded a training workshop for 50 teachers from public, ​charter, Hawaiian immersion, and alternative learning centers in ​west Hawaiʻi Island to encourage the integration of Kahaluʻu Ma ​Kai programming into curriculum

Coordinated annual Nakupuna Companies–sponsored work ​day at Mālama Loko Ea fishpond for employees and families

Nonprofit Scalability

Salesforce Transition

Provided project labor for system customization and data ​clean-up to enable organizational migration to Salesforce

Collections Management System Requirements

Consulted on technical requirements and offered preliminary ​business analytics support to assess use cases for transitioning ​to a unified collections management system

Salesforce Implementation

Supported data migration planning and a phased rollout of ​Salesforce to meet various PVS requirements

Funded a vehicle for Hālau Hekili, an educational collaboration ​with Kailua High School and Windward Community College, ​where students earn their high school diploma, gain credit ​towards an associate degree, and develop technical skills with ​a grounding in Hawaiian culture and values

Contributed $50,000 to the Council for Native Hawaiian ​Advancement’s Maui campaign

Filled two vans with new and donated goods from ​Nakupuna employees that were ferried and deployed ​the first weekend after the fire

Donated a new 4x4 Kawasaki Mule for use by the ​Leialiʻi Hawaiian Homestead Hub and surrounding area

Joined Hoʻōla Maui, a hui of NHOs committed to ​working together as contractors for the timely and ​safe cleanup of Lahaina

Donated gift cards to displaced families

Raised funds for the Maui Food Bank and Maui ​Humane Society

Connecting Employees

We are committed to investing in the next generation of ​leaders within our organization and creating experiences ​that ground employees' personal connections to Hawaiʻi in ​an authentic sense of place.

In 2023, we continued integrating community service into ​our annual senior management conference and sent our ​first internal leadership development cohort to Hawaiʻi for ​a unique capstone experience with our nonprofit partners. ​In addition to our annual remembrance of our founder, ​Warren Nakupuna Ah Loo, we strive to keep our ​employees connected to our Hawaiʻi roots as our presence ​across the U.S. grows.

While the Nakupuna Foundation's mission centers ​on supporting the Native Hawaiian community, we ​also recognize the value of serving all communities ​to which we—and our employees—belong. ​Engaging locally enriches our perspectives, fosters a ​sense of purpose, and provides additional ​opportunities to express our values.

Military and veterans organizations, local schools ​near our continental U.S. offices, and nonprofits ​selected by our employees are a few of the ​additional communities that we proudly supported ​in 2023.