Chamber of Commerce Hawaii

Public Health Fund

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii as the trustee of the Public Health Fund (PHF) makes grants to various Oahu nonprofit organizations in support of public health related programs, projects and services.

— Our Most Recent Winner —

The Public Health Fund makes a $50,000 grant to Boys & Girls Club Charles C. Spalding Honolulu Clubhouse.
Boys & Girls Club Charles C. Spalding Clubhouse of Honolulu

Public Health Funds should be used for worthwhile projects that include education, research, and legislation for which funds are not always available from other sources. Priority is to be given to projects which will bring visible results and can readily be identified as Chamber initiated. Funds can be used as “seed money” to help start-up worthwhile programs.

The PHF volunteer Advisory Committee reviews each application that is submitted for funding and makes their recommendations to the Board of Directors for final approval. Over $100,000 in grants are awarded each year. The bi-annual application deadlines are June 15 and December 15.

For questions or more information please call 808-545-4300 or email phf@cochawaii.org.

Application Deadline: December 15, 2024

$3.5 million in grants to non-profits since 1985

  • Helping Hands Hawaii Bilingual Access Line: Spoken Interpretation & Written Translation Services
  • The Pantry by Feeding Hawaii Together – Supporting Nutrition & Health for Hawaii’s Food Insecure
  • Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii Spalding Clubhouse – Great Futures After School Program
  • Breast Cancer Hawaii – PROTEA Project – Partnering with researches in Oncology to educate and activate
  • Downtown Art Center – Bereavement Expressions: Art & Grieving
  • Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice – Kai Kalihi Project that serves struggling Micronesian youth (ages 13-16) from the Kalihi Valley Homes community
  • The Practice Center – Forgiveness Training to enhance workplace climate
  • Waikiki Health Center – Pu’uhonua Prison Program: Broadening the scope of health interventions to address a unique public health issue
  • Aloha Medical Mission – First Smile Train, Trainer Project
  • Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Spalding House – Social-Emotional Learning Programs
  • Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii – Community Based Doula Program
  • Helping Hands Hawaii – Bilingual Access Line
  • Mental Health America Hawaii – Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign

Watch the 2021 recipient video >

  • Hawaii Food Bank – Emergency Relief
  • Nuuanu YMCA – Child Care Tuition Waivers for Essential Workers
  • Meals on Wheels – Emergency Relief
  • Boy & Girls Club – Technical Equipment to Connect with Kids at Home
  • Single Grant: Hawaii Food Bank – COVID Emergency Relief

Watch the 2020 recipient video >

  • Institute for Human Services – Children’s Program
  • Hawaii Foodbank – Disaster Relief
  • Hawaii Public Health Institute -The Hawaii Community Health Worker Project
  • Hospice Hawaii – Moving Hospice Hawaii Care Forwarded Using Advanced Technologies
  • UH College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources – Creating a food Security Infrastructure at UH Manoa to Strengthen Tomorrow’s Workforce
  • Waimanalo Health Center – Cooking Matters Program
  • Single Grant: Ho’ola Na Pua
  • Alzheimer’s Association – Aloha Chapter – Public Awareness & Education Campaign
  • Family Hui Hawaii – Promoting on-Track & Development of Young Children: Early Childhood Developmental Screening & Follow-up System
  • Hale Hau’oli Hawaii – Nurse Aide Training Program
  • Hawaii Foodbank – Feeding North Shore & Windward Oahu Communities
  • Helping Hands Hawaii – Behavior Health for Low-Income, Homeless & Underserved Adults w/Mental Illness or Substance Use Disorders
  • Salvation Army – Salvation Army Meals Backpack Program Wahiawa Community Health Center – Hospital Equipment
  • Waikiki Health Center – “Homeless to Housed”: Pilot Program Offering Vouchers toward a Security Deposit or First Month’s Rent to Expedite Housing Placement for Residents of Waikiki Health’s Next Step Shelter in Kakaako
  • YWCA Oahu – Health Screenings for Seniors
  • Aloha Harvest – Rescuing Food to Feed Hawaii’s Hungry
  • Hawaii Health Info Corp. – Monitoring the Health of Hawaii’s Homeless
  • Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii – Piko Pals: New Mom Peer Support Group
  • Waikiki Health Center – Pu’uhonua: Pre/Post Incarceration: Health Education Model Targeting Inmate Population of Oahu Correctional Institutions
  • Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic – Promoting Good Oral Health Care Through the Honolulu Dental Clinic
  • Gregory House Program – Save the FoodBasket Program
  • Hawaii Association for Infant Mental Health – Certification License for Infant Mental Health
  • Hawaii Foodbank – Food 4 Keiki Backpack Program
  • Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii – Pregnancy Health Information: Meeting Community Needs
  • Institute for Human Services – Tutu Bert’s House
  • Project Vision Hawaii – Passport to Healthy Aging
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Public Health – Socioeconomic and Behavior Determinants
  • Aloha Medical Mission Dental Clinic – Promoting Good Oral Health Care Through the Honolulu Dental Clinic
  • Gregory House Program – Save the FoodBasket Program
  • Hawaii Association for Infant Mental Health – Certification License for Infant Mental Health
  • Hawaii Foodbank – Food 4 Keiki Backpack Program
  • Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii – Pregnancy Health Information: Meeting Community Needs
  • Institute for Human Services – Tutu Bert’s House
  • Project Vision Hawaii – Passport to Healthy Aging
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Public Health – Socioeconomic and Behavior Determinants
  • Alzheimer’s Association, Aloha Chapter – Enhance Outreach Program
  • American Diabetes Association – Stop Diabetes @ Work
  • American Heart Association – American Heart Association Worksite Wellness
  • Gregory House Programs – Save the Foodbasket Program
  • Hina Mauka – Hiki Ni’o Mentoring Program
  • Ho’oulu Pacific – Hihimanu Aquaponics Program
  • Institute for Human Services, Inc. – Installation of Bunk Beds to Improve Health & Safety at IHS’ Men’s Emergency Shelter & Improving Crisis Stabilization & Treatment for Medically Fragile Homeless
  • Keiki O Ka Aina – Hawaii Keiki Smiles Project
  • UCERA (JABSOM) – A Rush: Adolescents Reducing Unintended Pregnancy & STI in Honolulu
  • Waikiki Health – Start-up Pharmacy Services at New Makahiki Clinic
  • Waimanalo Health Center – Partnership to Increase Access and Education of Healthy Produce
  • Aloha United Way – Early Childhood Developmental Screening Program Outreach
  • Child & Family Service – Maintaining Senior Wellness in Ewa Beach
  • Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice – School Breakfast Expansion
  • Hawaii Foodbank – Hunger in Hawaii 2014 – A report on those needing food assistance in 2013
  • Healthy Mothers Health Babies Coalition of Hawaii – Breastfeeding for Businesses: Public Health & New Regulatory Compliance
  • IHS Institute for Human Services – Installations of Bunk Beds to Improve Health & Safety at IHS’ Men’s Emergency Shelter
  • Mental Health America – Mental Health Education and Awareness Campaign
  • The Wahiawa Center for Community Health
  • S. Vets – Women’s Homeless Veterans Program
  • Waianae Care, Inc. – CAPS (Community Adolescent Physicals for Sports) Project
  • Waikiki Health Center – Establishing a Dental Clinic Targeting Medically Underserved Populations
  • Aloha Medical Mission – Ke Pua Mae’Ole: Never Fading Flower
  • Ethnic Education Foundation of Hawaii – Access Care Today
  • Hawaii Foodbank – Food 4 Keiki Backpack Program
  • Joyful Heart Foundation – Increasing Community Education & Awareness to Strengthen Families and Prevent Child Abuse & Neglect
  • Kokua Kalihi Valley – Mahi ‘Aina: Community Food Initiatives Project
  • Lanakila Pacific – Multi-Purpose Van for “Growing Together to End Hunger Project”
  • Mental Health America of Hawaii – Grow a Rainbow
  • Save the FoodBasket – Grocery Distribution Program
  • The Institute for Human Services, Inc. – Improving Health & Safety and IHS Emergency Shelters
  • United Self Help – Educational & Supportive Services for Mental Health Consumers
  • S. VETS Initiative-Waianae – Bed Replacement Project
  • Wahiawa Community Health Center Project – Faith Action for Community Equity FACE
  • Young Women’s Christian Association of Oahu YWCA – Safety, Security and Sanitation Needs at Fernhurst Residence

Program history

In 1899, an epidemic of bubonic plague closed Honolulu Harbor and quarantined part of Honolulu. In an effort to exterminate rats from the wharves and prevent future epidemics, a committee of shipping company representatives and importers assessed themselves ten cents per ton of imports for rat control.

Fifteen years later the Public Health Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu* accepted responsibility for collecting the voluntary assessments and disbursing funds for public health programs.

In 1923, the Chamber was appointed trustee of the Public Health Fund and directed to limit grants to public health activities within the City and County of Honolulu. Assessments were discontinued in 1950. Since then, grant awards are made through the interest and dividends received from investment of principal.

*The Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu merged with the Hawaii State Chamber of Commerce on January 1, 1967 and became the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.