Past Events
LNG Part 2: LNG's Regulatory Pathway: How It Works and What Comes Next | Oct 2
This session unpacks the regulatory pathway LNG projects must navigate in Hawaiʻi and beyond — from permitting and environmental review to the federal and state approvals required before a project can move forward. We'll break down what these processes actually involve, where key decision points and opportunities for public input arise, and what to watch for as LNG proposals advance.
Speakers:
Chris Gunn, Founder, KPE Consulting
Isaac Moriwake, Managing Attorney in the Mid-Pacific regional office, Earthjustice
Moderator: Maka Gibson, Hawaiʻi Program Officer, Resources Legacy Fund
Bios:
Chris Gunn is the founder of KPE Consulting. Drawing on more than 20 years of legal, energy, and regulatory experience, Chris helps communities, governments, companies, Tribes, and Indigenous leaders navigate the regulatory and financial systems that determine who benefits from the energy transition. Chris previously served as Director of Technical Assistance at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where she worked to expand access to energy infrastructure. At the U.S. Department of Energy, she served as an attorney and policymaker and later as Senior Advisor for Energy and Environmental Justice and Director of Equity, Labor and Economic Prosperity.
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Isaac Moriwake is the Managing Attorney of the Mid-Pacific Office of Earthjustice, a non-profit, public-interest law firm working on environmental and energy cases across the nation. His legal practice includes litigation and advocacy before state and federal courts and agencies on a wide range of environmental laws. He has worked on clean energy issues in Hawai‘i for two decades and has engaged in dozens of proceedings before the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission relating to clean energy programs, rules, and policies and utility planning and regulation. He was also co-counsel in the Navahine youth climate case that achieved the landmark settlement to reform the state transportation system.
Year of the Ocean: Coral Reef & Ocean Restoration | Sept 30, 2026
Join Funder Hui for a learning call exploring coral reef and ocean restoration efforts across Hawaiʻi, part of our Year of the Ocean series.
Speakers:
James Morioka, Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project
Dr. Mark Hixon, Fish Pono–Save Our Reefs
Alika Garcia, Executive Director, Kuleana Coral Restoration
Moderated by Tiare Holm, Natural Environment Program Officer, with a focus on the Holomua Marine Initiative Fund, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
About the Organizations:
Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project trains early-career technicians to remove large-scale marine debris from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument on annual missions, with many technicians going on to careers in sanctuary and ocean conservation work.
Fish Pono–Save Our Reefs focuses on nearshore coral reefs and the role herbivorous fish play as grazers essential to protecting them.
Kuleana Coral Restoration runs an annual summer diving and coral training course — Coral Occupational Applications and Scientific Techniques — that has been seeding the coral restoration workforce with Pacific Islanders since 2024.
AI and the Nonprofit Sector in Hawaiʻi Learning Call | Sept 28, 2026
Join our conversation on how AI is showing up in our sector: where we are, where we're headed, and what it means for organizations acrossHawaiʻi.
What we covered:
How organizations are using and adopting AI
Challenges and wins from the field
Trends in Hawaiʻi and where we currently stand
Nuances and concerns worth keeping in mind
Speaker Bio: Ian Kitajima is Co-Founder of Design Thinking Hawaiʻi and President and CEO of PICHTR. Based in Honolulu, he helps students, educators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders use design thinking, AI education, and entrepreneurship to solve real problems, build new opportunities, and position Hawaiʻi as an innovation bridge across the Pacific.
This call is a Capacity Building Working Group meeting that is opened up to the full Funder Hui network (public event). Feel free to share with your networks.
Emergency Briefing: Hurricane Lowell | Sept 11, 2026
Join Funder Hui for an emergency briefing on Hurricane Lowell. We’ll hear updates from community partners on current and emerging needs, share what we’re learning from across impacted communities, and discuss how funders can coordinate and respond effectively. This briefing is intended to support timely information sharing and alignment across Hawaiʻi’s philanthropic community.
Speakers:
Kaina Makua, Executive Director of Kumano I Ke Ala
Stacy Sproat of Waipā Foundation
Megan Fox , Executive Director of Mālama Kāua”i
Wes Perreira, Kaua'i Hawaii Food Bank Director
Amy Miller, Hawaiʻi Food Bank
Lori L. Almarza, Kaua’i United Way
Amanda Corby, sharing updates from Pelika Andrade
Cindy Kan, Collective Energy
Novelyn Hinazumi-Child & Family Service Kauai
LNG & the Price of Energy in Hawaiʻi Learning Call | Sept 8, 2026
Join Funder Hui for a conversation about LNG, the price of energy in Hawaiʻi, and what a shift to liquefied natural gas could mean for the state’s energy future. We’ll explore Hawaiʻi’s current energy landscape, the potential costs and savings associated with LNG, and how changes to our energy system could affect residents and communities in the years ahead.
This learning call will offer Funder Hui members an opportunity to hear from Richard Rocheleau and engage in discussion about the economic considerations, tradeoffs, and questions surrounding LNG in Hawaiʻi.
Speaker:
Richard Rocheleau, Director, Hawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Emergency Briefing: Hurricane Lala | Aug 28, 2026
Community Resource Document | Access the Zoom Chat here | Slides + Info Flyers from Presentation
Funder Hui hosted an emergency briefing on Hurricane Lala to share timely updates from community partners and bring together funders responding across Hawaiʻi.
Community partners shared what they are seeing on the ground, including current impacts, emerging needs, and response efforts underway.
We also shared updates on the newly activated Hawaiʻi Resilience and Recovery Funder Collaborative (HRRFC) Hurricane Lala RFP, which directs support towards community-based response, recovery, and resilience efforts across Hawaiʻi.
Speakers:
Janice Ikeda, Vibrant Hawaiʻi
Uila Fotu Vendiola (Oahu), KEY Project Disaster Case Manager
Heather Kimball, Hawaiʻi County Council
Captain Sam LeMar, The Salvation Army Hilo Temple Corps Officer and Hawaiʻi County Coordinator
Representative Jeanne Kapela
John Vierra, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA)
Jeeyun Lee, Maui United Way
Michelle Bartell, Aloha United Way
Kehau Meyer, Hawaii Community Foundation
Year of the Ocean: Indigenous Stewardship and the Future of Ocean Philanthropy | Aug 19, 2026
This second conversation in our ongoing Year of the Ocean series focuses on Indigenous stewardship and the future of ocean philanthropy.
A Funder Hui conversation with ʻAulani Wilhelm, CEO at Nia Tero, exploring the vital role of Indigenous leadership in protecting and restoring our oceans. Together, we discussed how philanthropy can support place-based stewardship, strengthen community resilience, and advance a more just and regenerative future for our marine ecosystems.
Speaker:
'Aulani Wilhelm
Year of the Ocean: Leading Together: Community, Philanthropy, and Policy in Large Marine Protected Areas | June 17, 2026
This conversation comes at a pivotal moment. On June 11, President Trump issued a proclamation attempting to reopen portions of Papahānaumokuākea and other Pacific marine monuments to commercial fishing.
The drive to create and sustain large marine protected areas must come from the people who know and are most deeply connected to these places: Indigenous and local communities. Meaningful conservation takes time, relationship-building, and a diverse set of partners, including committed champions at the highest levels of government to advance policy and funders who understand that sustained investment is essential for lasting protections. Our speakers will dive into these topics and more.
Our speakers provided timely updates on these developments and discuss what they may mean for conservation, community stewardship, and philanthropy in Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific. Read more in this recent Civil Beat article and the response from the Papahānaumokuākea and Pacific Islands Heritage Coalitions.
Speakers:
Sheila Raha Sarhangi, Executive Director, Executive Director, Papahānaumokuākea and Pacific Islands Heritage Coalitions
Grace Reville, Program Officer, Blue Nature Alliance
Dr. Kekuewa Kikiloi, Co-Chair, Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group, Associate Professor Center for Hawaiian Studies UHM
Emergency Briefing on Flooding Impacts: Agriculture | April 24, 2026
This fifth briefing in our ongoing series focuses on agriculture, bringing together leaders across farming, food systems, and emergency response to share real-time updates, on-the-ground experiences, and evolving priorities.
Speakers:
Moderator: Amanda Shaw, Statewide Food Systems Coordinator, Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi
Ashley Lukens, Director, Funder Hui
Dean Matsukawa, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
Brian Miyamoto, Hawai’i Farm Bureau
Kaipo Kekona or Kirsten Ham, Hawai’i Farmer’s Union
Mya Hunter, Maui Dept of Ag Maui Farmer needs and impacts
Alicia Higa, ‘Elepaio Social Services - Waiʻanae farmer and food access needs
Emergency Briefing on Flooding Impacts: Immigration | April 10, 2026
This fourth briefing in our ongoing series focuses on immigrant communities, bringing together leaders across community advocacy and emergency response to share real-time updates, on-the-ground experiences, and evolving priorities.
Speakers:
• Moderated by Liza Ryan Gill
• Ashley Lukens, Funder Hui
• Kenna Reed: Founder Storm Kōkua
• Nadine Ortega: Executive Director Tagnawa
• Chantelle Matagi: Co-Executive Director at Tagata Moana Hui Foundation
• April Labrador: Community Equity Liaison, Office of Economic Revitalization
• Councilmember Matt Weyer, C&C Honolulu
Emergency Briefing on Flooding Impacts | April 3, 2026
This third briefing in our ongoing series convenes leaders across agriculture, community advocacy, and emergency response to share real-time updates, on-the-ground experiences, and evolving priorities.
Speakers
Councilmember Keani Rawlins, Maui County
Kui Adolpho, Kokua Logistics - Molokai
Rainbow Uliʻi, Key Project
Talia Cardines, Molokai Child Abuse Prevention Pathways
Representative Sean Quinlan
Kaniela Ing, Our Hawaii
Councilmember Matt Weyer, C&C Honolulu
Jeeyun Lee, Maui United Way
Justina Acevedo-Cross, Hawaii Community Foundation
Ashley Lukens, Funder Hui
Emergency Briefing on Flooding Impacts | March 27, 2026
In the wake of the recent Kona storm and flooding, communities across Hawaiʻi continue to navigate immediate impacts while looking ahead to recovery and long-term resilience. This follow-up briefing brings together leaders working across agriculture, community advocacy, and emergency response to share updated insights, on-the-ground experiences, and evolving pathways forward. We’ll be joined by community representatives.
Speakers:
Representative Amy Perruso
Rep Sean Quinlan
Councilmember Matt Weyer, C&C Honolulu
Rainbow Uliʻi, Key Project
Jeeyun Lee, Maui United Way
Jordan Ruidas, Lāhainā Strong
Kaniela Ing, Our Hawaii
Carlos Mozo, Lāhui Foundation
Amanda Shaw, Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi
India Clark, Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi
Amy Miller, Hawaii Food Bank
Alicia Higa from 'Elepaio Social Services
Michelle Bartell, Aloha United Way
Molly Schmidt, Red Cross
Kehau Meyer, Hawaii Community Foundation
Legislative Briefing | March 20, 2026
The 2026 Legislative Session is officially underway, and decisions at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol will have lasting impacts on our communities and environment. This briefing provides updates on key bills moving through the House and Senate and highlight priorities.
We also discuss opportunities for engagement and ensure our collective voice is heard as the session progresses.
Access the Zoom Chat Here
Speakers:
• Keari Shibuya, Small Business Procurement Coordinator, State Procurement Office
• Jessica Paisley, Legal Specialist, Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations
• Amy Miller, Hawaiʻi Food Bank
• Liza Ryan-Gill, Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights
• Doreen Wong & George Yarborough, Hawaiʻi Ocean Innovation Hui
• Evan Weber, Our Hawaiʻi
• Elise Inouye, HCF’s Policy & Public Affairs Director
• Doorae Shin, Navahine Settlement Coordinator, Our Children’s Trust
• Meredith Welch, Community Relations Associate, Hawaiʻi Statewide Food Systems Coordination team, Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi
Emergency Briefing: Kona Storm & Flooding | March 20, 2026
In the wake of the recent Kona storm and flooding, communities across Hawaiʻi are navigating immediate impacts while looking ahead to recovery and longterm resilience. We brought together leaders working across agriculture, community advocacy, and emergency response to share insights, on-the-ground experiences, and pathways forward. Follow along on this Notes Doc to find community resources discussed.
Access the Zoom Chat Here
Speakers:
• Janice Ikeda, Vibrant Hawaii
• Jordan Ruidas, Lāhainā Strong
• Jeeyun Lee, Maui United Way
• Kainoa Horcajo
• Rainbow Uliʻi, Key Project
• Amanda Shaw, Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi
• Brian Miyamoto, Hawaii Farm Bureau
• Cindy Kan, Collective Energy
• Kehau Meyer, Hawaii Community Foundation
• Molly Schmidt, American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region
• Michelle Bartell, Aloha United Way
FoundHer Learning Call: Wahine In Business | March 11, 2026
Learn more about FoundHer and its work with Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander women founders, featuring founder success stories.
Access the Zoom Chat Here
Speakers
• Nicole Brodie, Purple Maiʻa & FoundHer
• Taleea Carvalho, Wailua Granola Co.
• Mālie Sarsona, Waimea Herb Company
Year of the Ocean | Ocean Uprise | February 11, 2026
Funder Hui’s Year of the Ocean Learning Call Series with leaders from Parley for the Oceans and Ocean Uprise.
This session grounded global ocean protection efforts in the lived realities of Hawaiʻi and explore how philanthropy can support ocean-centered work rooted in equity, local knowledge, and long-term stewardship.
Access the Zoom Chat Here
Speakers:
• Kahi Pacarro (Parley for the Oceans Hawaiʻi)
• Antonia Mascarenhas (Parley for the Oceans)
• Bodhi Patil, Frankie Stevenson, Taylen Reddy (Ocean Uprise)