Past Events — Funder Hui

2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025

We host regular learning circles on relevant and progressive topics in philanthropy, along with other events, both in-person and virtual. Any recorded events will be shared here for easy reference and viewing.

Resistance to Militarism in the Pacific

Join us for a powerful learning call with Mālama Mākua, a Kanaka Maoli–led nonprofit working to reclaim sacred lands at Mākua from U.S. military control. This session explores cultural sovereignty, land stewardship, and resistance to militarism in Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific, with a short presentation followed by open discussion.

Speakers:

James “Sparky” Rodrigues, Mālama Mākua
Lynette Cruz, Mālama Mākua
M. Kalani Souza, Olohana Foundation
R. Mahealani “Kumu Ramsay” Taum, LEI of the Pacific
B. Kainoa Azama, Olohana Foundation

AI: Superpower Your Grant Writing Program

In this session, we introduce the essentials of prompt engineering, and share practical ways to make AI a powerful, time-saving partner while keeping human insight, voice, and values at the center.

Speaker

· Dr. Evan Reppun Beachy, Senior Education Consultant at Kamehameha Schools, and the Hawaiʻi Alliance of Nonprofit Organization

Climate & Environment Learning Call | FH x HCF | Aug 13, 2025

Updates about the state of current climate issues and solutions in Hawaiʻi. Co-Hosted by Funder Hui and Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

Speakers:

· Dr. Makena Coffman is Director of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Institute for Sustainability and Resilience (ISR), Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, and a Research Fellow with UHERO. She leads campuswide sustainability initiatives and an interdisciplinary research team focused on climate policy. Dr. Coffman holds a B.A. from Stanford and a Ph.D. in Economics from UH Mānoa.

· Jeff Mikulina is a climate and social impact strategist with over 25 years of experience leading sustainability efforts in Hawai‘i. As Executive Director of Climate Hawai‘i, he helps leverage the collective influence of organizations to accelerate equitable climate solutions. Jeff also hosts the TV show Empowered Hawai‘i, serves as Senior Advisor to Blue Planet Alliance, and writes on climate issues, including for Esquire magazine. He previously led Blue Planet Foundation, where he helped establish Hawai‘i’s groundbreaking 100% renewable energy law.

Maui Resilience Learning Series | Lāhainā Strong | Aug 7, 2025

A conversation on ʻāina stewardship and collaborative recovery efforts.

Speakers:

Pā’ele Kiakona, Public Affairs Director, Lāhainā Strong
Jordan Ruidas, Advocacy Director, Lāhainā Strong
Courtney Lazo, Community Services Director, Lāhainā Strong
Kaniela Ing, Co-Founder Lāhainā Strong
Evan Weber, Co-Founder Lāhainā Strong

Maui Resilience Learning Series | Lahaina Community Land Trust | Aug 6, 2025

Exploring community-led efforts for land ownership and housing justice in Lahaina.

Speakers:

Autumn Ness, Executive Director, Lahaina Community Land Trust
Carolyn Auweloa, Director of Operations, Lahaina Community Land Trust
Cari Cullen, Program Officer of Domestic Funds, Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Maui Resilience Learning Series | Immigrants & the Gendered Impact of Fire | Aug 5, 2025

A conversation on how wildfire recovery intersects with gender and immigrant experiences.

Speakers:

Nadezna Ortega, J.D., Executive Director of Tagnawa
Khara Jabola-Carolus, Senior Advisor to and Author of the New Report, Equality in Flames: The Impact of the Lahaina Wildfire Disaster on Gender Equality and Filipino Women in Hawai'i.

Maui Resilience Learning Series | Nā Kiaʻi O Maui with Auntie Nettie | Aug 4, 2025

Join Auntie Nettie to hear updates from Nā Kiaʻi O Maui and reflections on grassroots efforts supporting Lahaina’s recovery and protection of ʻāina.

Speakers:

Auntie Nettie Aquino, Executive Director, Nā Kiaʻi O Maui

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | June 6, 2025

This is our Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing series, hosted by Funder Hui. The topic of this week's call is on Rapid Response Systems in Immigration.

Moderator: Liza Ryan-Gill, Executive Director, Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights

Speakers:

Dr. Amy Agbayani, Chair of Hawaii Friends for Civil Rights
Iris Mendoza, Language Access Coordinator, HCIR
Bettina Mok, Executive Director, The Legal Clinic
Aloha Latinos, Representative, Graciela Del Rio
Nicole Huguenin, Executive Director, Maui Rapid Response, co-organizer El Pueblo en Accion Maui

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | May 30, 2025

This is our Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing series, hosted by Funder Hui. The topic of this week's call is on national actions and responses.

Speakers:

Justina Acevedo-Cross, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
Chantias Ford, Trust-Based Philanthropy Project
Kristin Monahan, Maui Funders Recovery Collaborative

HUA Webinar: Disaster Preparedness & Resilience in Hawaiʻi | May 28, 2025

Hosted by the Hawaiʻi ʻUpena Alliance in partnership with Funder Hui and Vibrant Hawaiʻi, this webinar explored how funders and community leaders can support disaster readiness, rapid response, and long-term resilience across our islands.

Speakers:

• Janice Ikeda, Executive Director, Vibrant Hawaiʻi

• Keoni Lee, Co-CEO, Hawaiʻi Investment Ready

• Cari Cullen, Program Officer, Domestic Funds, Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | May 23, 2025

This is our Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing series, hosted by Funder Hui. The topic of this week's call is on "Local Actions to Protect Nonprofits"

Moderator: Michelle Bartell, Aloha United Way

Speakers:

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke
Senator Chris Lee

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | April 25, 2025

Join our speakers this week as they share the latest updates from Washington, D.C.Speakers:

Andy Winer, Strategies 360
Melissa Hampe, SR Partners

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | April 4, 2025

Moderator/Introduction: Josh Stanbro

Local perspectives:

Ulu Ching, Senior Program Manager, Conservation International Hawaii
Presenting work with Hawaii Conservation Alliance about federal funding impacts in climate and ‘aina work.
Kawika Riley, Governor’s Climate Advisory Team
State of Hawai’i climate resilience policy recommendations and funding status report in state legislature.
Jonathan Lance, Climate Justice Specialist and Jennifer VanderVeur, Grants Specialist at the State Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission
Status of local and state climate program progress given federal cuts.
Marti Townsend, Earthjustice
Hawai'i innovations via litigation and polluter pay policy outside of federal funding limitations.
Josh Stanbro, former Honolulu Chief Resilience Officer and current Harold KL Castle Foundation Consultant
Opportunities for Hawaii’s local climate resilience ecosystem to rebuild and evolve to protect communities in the face of federal rollbacks.

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | March 28, 2025

Moderator: Melissa Miyashiro, President & CEO, HANO

Speakers:

Dave Day, Special Assistant to the Attorney General, State of Hawaii
Gavin Thorton, Deputy Director of the City and County of Honolulu's Office of Economic Revitalization
Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Maui County Councilmember
Heather Kimball, Hawaii County Councilmember; President of the Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | March 21, 2025

Moderator: Amanda Shaw, Statewide Food Systems Coordinator, Dept of AgSpeakers

Amanda Shaw, Statewide Food Systems Coordinator, Dept of Ag
Rachel Fukumoto, Farmer Grant Writer, Oʻahu Resource Conservation and Development Council (ORCD)
Sharon Hurd, Chairperson, State of Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
Davis Price, Climate Justice Initiative Director, NDN Collective
Patti Chang, Feed the Hunger Foundation
Kukui Maunakea-Forth, Founder and Executive Director, MAʻO Organic Farms

Federal Funding Cuts Emergency Briefing | March 14, 2025

Moderator: Laura Thielen, Partners In Care

Speakers:

Tanya Brown, USVets Waiʻanae
Darryl Vincent, USVets
Heather Lusk, Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center

Ahupuaʻa: kNEW Food System Management Series | March 11, 2025

Historical land management practices on Moloka’i have left huge areas of the island in a state of high degradation and erosion, impacting the community’s food security and key cultural subsistence resources depended on for survival.Through community-led restoration efforts, ’Āina Momona is building a workforce development program that seeks to revitalize the ahupua’a management system in the 21st century, bringing the inherent sustainability of these systems back to our land management practices today. Their current work mitigating erosion and protecting subsistence resources mauka to makai in the Ka’amola ahupua’a displays the efficacy and power of their vision.

Speakers: