The McInerny Foundation, one of Hawai‘i's largest charitable foundations, was established with wealth from the McInerny family's clothing business. It is dedicated to making significant contributions primarily in education and social services within Hawaii. Additional focus areas include arts and culture, health, environment, and other projects that enhance the community's well-being.
The grant program by the McInerny Foundation focuses on major capital requests, specifically for projects with total costs exceeding $500,000. These can include capital campaigns, construction, renovations, equipment purchases, and occasionally land acquisition to protect the environment. It prioritizes fields of interest such as Arts & Culture, Community, Education, Environment, Health, and Human Services. The foundation prefers to fund alongside other contributors and requires recipient organizations to have board members actively financially and voluntarily support their organizations. Proposals are evaluated based on community need, budget reasonableness, and the applicant's ability to secure full funding for the project.