Funding Opportunity: FestPAC Travel Grants for Youth Programs

Rolling online application deadline until all the funds are awarded or  by Friday, May 31, 2024, 4:00 p.m. HST

BACKGROUND

The Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC) is the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders. The 13th FestPAC will convene in Hawaiʻi on Oʻahu from June 6 – 16, 2024. “Ho‘oulu Lāhui:

Regenerating Oceania” will serve as the theme of FestPAC Hawaiʻi 2024, honoring the traditions that FestPAC exists to perpetuate with an eye toward the future. The primary venues include the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Capital Modern, and Bishop Museum. 

OVERVIEW

We believe that change can happen when we understand the challenges in front of us and work together to find and implement equitable solutions to those challenges. Established by Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), the CHANGE Framework identifies six essential sectors, or areas, that affect the overall well-being of these islands and people. HCF has focused on community convening around each sector of CHANGE. Through a variety of talk story gatherings, a vision for the Arts and Culture Sector was created:

Opportunities to practice and participate in arts and culture are inclusive and accessible to everyone, from keiki to kūpuna. The perpetuation of Hawaiʻi’s diverse cultures, including indigenous knowledge and practices, strengthens connections between people and place. Arts and culture experiences are recognized as essential to community well-being, advancing social change, and fostering a healthier community in Hawaiʻi. 

In alignment with the vision to increase access to arts and culture in Hawaiʻi, this Funding Opportunity will provide travel grants to organizations with youth programs to support access to FestPAC for youth participants and staff/volunteers. This Funding Opportunity is targeted to reach youth that experience barriers or challenges to accessing this festival, including those living in rural communities.

ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS

• Hawai‘i nonprofit organizations that are 501(c)(3) IRS tax exempt organizations. 

• Organizations currently funded by HCF with overdue final reports are not eligible to apply. 

• Grant funding can support travel expenses for youth program participants and staff/volunteers. 

• Grant funding can be used for travel expenses including airfare, ground transportation, lodging, food, and other travel costs related to attending FestPAC. 

• Applicants must have a comprehensive Child Protection Policy including staff and volunteer background checks and procedures so that one staff or volunteer will not be alone with a child at any time. If your plans involve an overnight stay, appropriate policies for chaperones and sleeping arrangements must be in place. Written permission from the youths’ guardians must be received prior to travel. A copy of these policies is not required to be submitted with the application but must be provided if requested by HCF.

• Applicants assume all risks and liability associated with travel and related activities and agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HCF and its directors, staff, and agents against all claims arising from or related to actions taken by applicant pursuant to the grant award.

• Grantees will be required to submit a final narrative and expenditure report to share about the impact of the funding and how the funds were utilized.

FUNDING

Grant awards will be up to $3,000 per organization. A total of $30,000 is available for this Funding Opportunity. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until all the funds are awarded or by Friday, May 31, 2024, 4:00 p.m. HST.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Online Application

Applications must be submitted online through HCF’s Grants Portal available here:

https://hawaiicf.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp. New users must register for an account. Registered users may login to their account to submit an application. Please give yourself adequate time before the submission deadline to access the system and familiarize yourself with the application process and requirements.

Instructions

• Only complete and timely applications will be accepted. 

• The online application accepts diacritical markings in written ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language).

ORGANIZATION PROFILE

As part of the online application your organization profile must be certified prior to the submission of grant applications and must be certified annually. Information needed to complete your organization’s profile includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter (not required if previously applied to the Foundation or if applying through a fiscal sponsor)

• Number of full-time, part-time, or regular volunteer staff

• Organization Mission

• Service Location(s)

• Types of services provided – including age, gender, and target populations served

• Financials – including income statement (or profit/loss statement) and balance sheet for the most recently completed fiscal year, and annual operating budget for the current year. Audited financial statements are preferred but not required. Local units of national organizations must submit local unit financial information. Your organization’s updated financial documents must be submitted in the Organization Profile prior to submitting the application. If the financial documents are not up to date, the application will be administratively denied.

• Board of Directors List

APPLICATION 

The application consists of 4 sections. Information needed to complete your application includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Program Overview

• Provide general information and characteristics about the program including program title, duration, area of interest, program location(s), ages and genders served, and the CHANGE sector(s) your program most closely aligns with.  

• For more information about the CHANGE Framework, please visit our website https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/change.  

2.     Program Information – Provide a short narrative response (~5-6 sentences) for each question:

• 1. Share about the youth program and participants that the travel grant will support to attend FestPAC. 

• 2. Share about the need for the travel grant and any barriers youth participants experience in accessing FestPAC. 

• 3. Describe how many people will benefit from the travel grant and the expected impact of FestPAC on participants. 

• 4. Describe the expenses the travel grant will support as reflected in the program budget. 

• Complete the attestation regarding having a Child Protection Policy.

3.     Budget

• Provide the amount requested through this application.

4. Supporting Documents & Certification

• Upload a Program Budget showing:

  • Anticipated income including source, amount, restrictions, and whether secured or pending.

  • Anticipated expenses including overall expenses, and expenses for which this grant, if awarded, will be used.  

  • Applicants are strongly recommended to use the FestPAC Program Budget template available in the Grant Portal’s Resources section.

• Complete the certification.

Note, to support our validation and verification process, organizations less than one year old and/or first-time applicants to HCF, may be requested to submit references during the evaluation process.

CONTACT INFORMATION  

If you have questions about this Funding Opportunity, please contact Elise von Dohlen of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation at 808-566-5585 or by email at evondohlen@hcf-hawaii.org.

For technical assistance with the online application process, please submit a support ticket at http://hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/ticket.