In 2009, as the global financial crisis began hitting island communities hard, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife, Pam, pledged $50 million over six years to the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF). At the time, the historic commitment stood as one of the largest single charitable gifts ever made by living donors in Hawaii, laying the groundwork for a stabilisation drive that went on to assist more than 10,000 individuals and families across the state. The couple, who relocated back to the islands in 2006 to raise their children, came forward to expand their local giving right as households faced financial strain.
The Omidyar fund contributed approximately $2.3 million in the initial seed funding, and then 11 partner organisations contributed an additional $2 million. Together, the coalition unlocked another $23 million in federal assistance and vital support services. A centerpiece of the effort was the Hawaii Community Stabilization Initiative, launched to support households hurting from the recession.
Given the economic crisis and hardships throughout the state, we felt it was especially important at this time to expand our philanthropy in the islands,” Pierre Omidyar said in a release announcing the pledge at that time. “Pam and I are privileged to call Hawaii home. Administered by HCF through the Omidyar Ohana Fund, the initial grant was designed to respond swiftly to the downturn while encouraging collaboration among regional philanthropists.
Kapiolani Medical Center ($906,000): Financed building technology design and systems integration at the hospital facility. Operational Foundation Support ($2.3 million): Dedicated funding to assist HCF with general organizational management and operational capacity. Punahou School ($6 million Challenge Grant): Provided as a matching grant to help finance the construction and operations of the Omidyar Kindergarten-First Grade Neighborhood at the Mānoa campus. Community grantmaking: Hundreds of smaller targeted grants distributed roughly $7 million to localized causes.
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When it came to community impact, HCF said that the initiative delivered direct relief, including emergency housing support, food assistance and credit counseling, to more than 10,000 people and families. Between 2009 and February 2015, the Omidyar Ohana Fund distributed about $41 million of the original $50 million pledge. Beyond immediate recession relief, the multi-million-dollar pledge financed a wide range of social, educational and medical initiatives across Hawaii: Island Innovation Program ($2.4 million): A competitive grant initiative created to stimulate creative problem-solving and modern strategies among Hawaii’s nonprofit sector. Pathways Initiative ($1.7 million): Dedicated to supporting at-risk and vulnerable populations, including homeless individuals, struggling families, children, and seniors. Pillars of Peace Hawaii ($1.4 million): Founded to promote peace and social justice by bringing international figures to the islands. The effort gained broad public attention with the Dalai Lama’s 2012 visit, along with two visits from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.