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Investing in communities.Building legacies.

ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia.

No task is too great when done together.

Sunfish Foundation was built on the belief that lasting community investment requires lasting partnership.

Founding Stewards are companies and organizations that make a long-term commitment to Sunfish Foundation through financial investment, professional expertise, and in-kind resources.

Rather than sponsoring a single project, Founding Stewards help build and sustain the foundation that makes Sunfish’s work possible.

Their commitment allows Sunfish to develop partnerships, identify community needs, evaluate projects, bring together technical expertise, pursue additional funding, and invest in energy and infrastructure improvements for community based organizations across Hawaiʻi.

Wind turbines rising over a sunlit coastal landscape beneath a rainbow

A Foundation Built to
Last

Community organizations are often asked to build long term solutions with short term funding. Sunfish Foundation does not want to recreate that same challenge within our own organization.

Founding Stewards provide the long term operating capacity that allows Sunfish to build a strong, sustainable foundation for its work.

Their multi-year commitments support the people, systems, relationships, technical expertise, and organizational infrastructure required to identify opportunities, develop projects, pursue additional funding, manage investments responsibly, and build trusted community partnerships.

This stable operating foundation allows Sunfish to focus additional philanthropic, public, and private resources toward what matters most: investing in community serving organizations and the infrastructure they need to thrive.

Founding Stewards help sustain Sunfish so Sunfish can help strengthen communities.

The Founding Stewards
Commitment

Founding Stewards make a sustained, multi-year commitment to Sunfish Foundation through financial investment, in-kind expertise, and other resources that strengthen the Foundation’s ability to serve communities.

Financial Commitment

Founding Stewardship is built around meaningful investment relative to an organization’s capacity.

We encourage Founding Stewards to consider an annual commitment of 1% or more of net profits.

Rather than establishing a single contribution level for every partner, Sunfish works with prospective Founding Stewards to develop a long-term commitment that reflects the organization’s size, capacity, and ability to contribute.

Multi-year support provides Sunfish Foundation with the stability needed to build organizational capacity, develop trusted community partnerships, pursue additional funding, and plan beyond individual grant cycles.

A Different Kind of
Partnership

More than a donation

Traditional corporate giving often begins and ends with a contribution to a specific project, event, or campaign. Founding Stewardship is designed differently.

Participating companies make a long-term commitment to help strengthen Sunfish Foundation’s operational capacity while contributing the expertise, relationships, resources, and industry knowledge they already possess.

This creates a partnership where companies are not simply funding community work.

They are helping build the infrastructure that allows community investment to grow.

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In Kind Expertise

Founding Stewardship extends beyond financial support.

Founding Stewards are encouraged to contribute professional expertise, technical resources, industry knowledge, relationships, equipment, services, or other resources that strengthen Sunfish Foundation’s ability to serve communities.

In-kind support allows Sunfish to access capabilities that would otherwise require significant investment to obtain.

Depending on the organization, this may include:

  • Engineering and technical expertise
  • Project development
  • Construction and infrastructure support
  • Energy modeling and system design
  • Financial modeling
  • Legal and regulatory expertise
  • Grant development
  • Procurement and supply chain support
  • Workforce expertise
  • Technology and data systems
  • Communications and professional services
  • Other specialized knowledge or resources

Multiplying the Investment

  1. Founding Steward InvestmentLong-term financial investment, expertise, and resources.
  2. Sunfish Capacity + ExpertiseStrengthening the Foundation’s ability to serve communities, build relationships, and develop projects.
  3. Additional Capital + PartnershipsLeveraging trusted relationships to bring additional funding, technical support, and industry partners to the table.
  4. Community Infrastructure InvestmentDirecting resources toward energy, resilience, and infrastructure projects that strengthen community-serving organizations.
  5. Lower Operating Costs + Greater ResilienceCreating lasting savings, stronger facilities, and greater stability for the organizations communities rely on.
  6. More Resources Remaining in CommunityMore organizational resources remain available for mission, community priorities, and long-term impact.

Stewardship Beyond
Giving

Founding Stewardship is built around participation, not simply recognition.

As Sunfish grows, Founding Stewards may have opportunities to contribute through:

  • Professional and technical expertise
  • Employee volunteerism
  • Strategic collaboration
  • Community engagement
  • Project partnerships
  • Industry relationships
  • Shared learning
  • Additional philanthropic and investment opportunities
  • Annual Community Impact reporting
  • Authentic community-centered storytelling
  • Recognition as a Founding Steward

Participation does not mean directing community priorities.

Communities lead. Founding Stewards help make the resources available to follow that leadership.

Paper figures joining hands in a gesture of partnership

Responsible Stewardship

Community interests come first.

Sunfish Foundation recognizes that Founding Stewards may also operate in industries connected to the Foundation’s work.

For that reason, strong governance and transparency are essential.
Founding Steward status does not guarantee contracts, projects, grants, procurement opportunities, or other financial benefits from Sunfish Foundation.

Potential conflicts of interest are disclosed and reviewed through the Foundation’s governance process, and decisions involving affiliated organizations are made with appropriate independent oversight.

The purpose of Founding Stewardship is to strengthen Sunfish Foundation and the communities it serves.

Community benefit must remain at the center of every investment.

Founding Steward

Sun Bear Industries is a founding partner of Sunfish Foundation and helped establish the Founding Steward model.

Through its commitment of financial support, renewable energy experience, technical expertise, industry relationships, and infrastructure knowledge, Sun Bear Industries is helping build the operational foundation necessary for Sunfish to begin investing in community-serving organizations.

Its involvement reflects the principle behind the

Founding Steward model:
Companies can contribute more than dollars. They can put their expertise, relationships, and resources to work alongside communities.

Become a Founding Steward

Sunfish Foundation is seeking partners that believe successful companies and strong communities can grow together.

Founding Stewardship is intended for organizations willing to make a meaningful, long term commitment to building the capacity, infrastructure, and investment needed to strengthen communities across Hawaiʻi.

This is not sponsorship.
It is not a one time contribution.

It is a commitment to stewardship.

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Other Ways to Partner

There is more than one way to invest in stronger communities.

Founding Stewardship represents our deepest level of long term partnership, but it is not the only way to support Sunfish Foundation.

Individuals, businesses, foundations, government partners, and other organizations may also contribute equipment, professional services, technical expertise, grant funding, or other resources that help expand what is possible.

Founding Steward
Invests in Sunfish Foundation’s long term operating capacity through a multi-year financial and in-kind commitment.
Project Partner
Invests in a specific community energy, infrastructure, or resilience initiative.
Donor
Supports the overall mission of Sunfish Foundation at a level that is meaningful to them.

Build something that lasts

Become a Founding Steward

Sunfish Foundation is seeking partners that believe successful companies and strong communities can grow together.

Founding Stewardship is intended for organizations willing to make a meaningful, long-term commitment to building the capacity, infrastructure, and investment needed to strengthen communities across Hawaiʻi.

This is not sponsorship.

It is not a one-time contribution.

It is a commitment to stewardship.

Start a Conversation

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Your support goes a long way

Every gift goes toward the energy and infrastructure investments that let community organizations keep more of their resources where they belong.

Donate to Sunfish