Honolulu-based nonprofit Hale Kipa has landed a coveted spot in the inaugural round of grants from the Decolonizing Wealth Project’s Youth Mental Health Fund, bringing in support to grow culturally grounded mental health services for young people across Hawaiʻi. The award comes out of a $5.07 million pot shared by the fund’s first cohort of community groups, and Hale Kipa leaders say the money will help them scale programs that center safety, healing and cultural connection for youth and families dealing with trauma and systemic inequities.
Inside the Youth Mental Health Fund
According to the Decolonizing Wealth Project, the Youth Mental Health Fund drew 1,551 applications that collectively requested more than $206 million. Out of that crush of interest, the fund is distributing $5.07 million to an inaugural cohort of 34 organizations. Edgar Villanueva, the group’s founder and CEO, said they were "elated to grant the inaugural round" and underscored how urgent it is to provide culturally grounded care for young people across the country.
Hale Kipa’s Plan To Grow Islandwide Care
In a news post, Hale Kipa said the grant will boost its capacity to serve youth and families across Hawaiʻi and expand programs rooted in cultural connection and trauma-informed practice. Venus Kauʻiokawēkiu Rosete-Medeiros, Hale Kipa’s president and CEO, called the award "an investment in Hawaiʻi's young people and their futures" and said it will help the agency grow services that build resilience and leadership.
Who Else Is Sharing The Pot
DWP’s Year 1 cohort brings together youth-led and community-based organizations, including Letters to Strangers, Future Focused Education’s Community Care Collective and Gage Park Latinx Council, reflecting an emphasis on culturally responsive, community-rooted models. The fund, which is seeded by Pivotal, will commit at least $5 million per year over three years and pairs grants with capacity-building support that is intended to help groups scale locally appropriate approaches, according to DWP’s fund materials.
How This Fits Hawaiʻi’s Bigger Mental Health Push
Local coverage by Maui Now highlighted just how competitive the funding was. That story and Hale Kipa’s own announcement described the cohort as 35 organizations, while DWP’s public cohort listing identifies 34 grantees. Either way, the award lands at a time when state and nonprofit leaders are trying to strengthen youth mental health services and chip away at the stigma that still surrounds getting help.
What Comes Next For Hale Kipa
Hale Kipa says it plans to use the funds to expand outreach, clinical services and culturally grounded programming across the islands, while also reinforcing family-centered supports in the months ahead. Rich Havard, director of the Youth Mental Health Fund, praised the inaugural cohort for meeting young people "where they are" and for centering creative, culturally grounded forms of care that aim to build long-term resilience.
