Daily 3 Foundations - 10/28/25
10/28/2025
Here are today’s daily 3 foundations. Hawai'i Community Foundation, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, and Ruderman Family Foundation.
Hawai'i Community Foundation (HCF)
Website: https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/
Mission & Purpose: To create a more resilient, equitable, and thriving Hawai'i. HCF serves as the central philanthropic hub for the state, connecting donors, nonprofits, and community leaders to address critical issues.
Broad Funding Guidelines: Grantmaking is focused exclusively on serving the communities and people of Hawai'i. HCF manages hundreds of distinct funds and scholarship programs, each with its own criteria. They have an open "Community Grants" program and also run major strategic initiatives focused on areas like environmental protection (Holomua Marine Initiative), community health, and affordable housing.
Featured Opportunity: Following the 2023 Maui wildfires, HCF's Maui Strong Fund became a central and critical initiative. This fund provides a way for the foundation to collect global donations and strategically deploy financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs of the people and communities impacted by the disaster.
Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation
Website: https://www.dpwfoundation.org/
Mission & Purpose: To invest in people and communities to improve their quality of life. The foundation seeks to provide individuals with the tools they need to succeed and to benefit society as a whole.
Broad Funding Guidelines: Grantmaking is geographically focused on Montana and other communities where the Washington Companies operate (including parts of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon). They have an open online application process with quarterly deadlines, focusing on four pillars: Education, Health and Human Services, Arts and Culture, and Community Service.
Featured Opportunity: A core component of their Education pillar is a strong emphasis on scholarships for first-generation and low-income students. They have established major scholarship programs, such as the Montana Resources Opportunity Scholarship, which covers full tuition, fees, and living expenses for students from Butte, Montana, to attend Montana Tech.
Ruderman Family Foundation
Website: https://rudermanfoundation.org/
Mission & Purpose: To promote the full inclusion of people with disabilities in society. The foundation also works to strengthen the relationship between Israel and the American Jewish community.
Broad Funding Guidelines: This is a national (U.S.) and international (Israel) foundation that operates as a proactive funder, meaning it does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Their work is highly specialized, and they partner with organizations to drive systemic change in their two focus areas, often through advocacy, research, and leadership development.
Featured Opportunity: The foundation is a global leader in advocating for authentic representation in media. A signature initiative involves researching and publicly challenging the entertainment industry to cast actors with disabilities to play characters with disabilities. This advocacy work has been instrumental in raising awareness and changing casting practices in Hollywood.
