Advancing Equity and Development for Infants and Toddlers in Hawai’i
Proposals Are Due by April 15, 2026
(All funds for Invited Infant-Toddler providers have been committed for 2026)

      One of America’s oldest charitable foundations, the Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation, continually reviews its granting strategies, processes, and protocols. We are especially committed to every child receiving the best possible early education. This is so that children have every chance to achieve their fullest potential regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or religion. Consistent with our 19th-century charter, we have focused on all facets of public and private preschool and kindergarten education. The focus has included investment in school and learning lab facilities, preschool tuition assistance, curriculum innovation, university programs for teachers in the field, scholarships for teachers, supplemental funds for professional development, preschool leadership programs, and advocacy for increased state and federal spending for Hawaii’s children and families.

      After considerable conferencing with community advisors and being mindful of our focus on children 0-5, we have decided to sequester $700,000 for 2026 from our general endowment to support outstanding non-profits providing services to low-income families with infants and toddlers. We are especially interested in organizations with a solid track record serving the community and low-income families with services directed at, among other things, pre-natal/perinatal care, pediatric health, safety, parent education, nutrition, and ending domestic violence and pediatric trauma resulting from it. We seek to provide unrestricted or restricted program support to improve the lives of infants and toddlers (0-36 months of age). We also realize the needs far exceed what one private family foundation can accomplish. We intend the initiative to cover the state and have selected invitees with that geography in mind.

      We are primarily an early education funder. We hope that our investments each year will make it more likely that young children will be ready for high-quality preschools and thus more prepared to enjoy success in our pre-k to grade 12 educational system. Developing the full potential of every child and increasing the healthy social cognitive and emotional development of our state’s keiki is our framing purpose.

      For this RFP, our primary interests are as follows:

1. Health and Development

• Provide Early Head Start services and improvements; expand coverage or improve staff development
• Expand access to prenatal and postnatal care, developmental screenings, and early intervention service
• Support nutrition programs including breastfeeding education, formula distribution, and culturally appropriate food access
• Provide hygiene essentials such as diapers, wipes, and baby care kits

2. Family Support and Stability

• Offer emergency housing assistance and wraparound services for families with young children
• Implement trauma-informed care and domestic violence prevention programs
• Strengthen kinship and foster care networks with targeted resources and training
• Identify and remedy developmental delays in children up to 36 months old

3. Caregiver Education and Engagement

• Deliver parenting workshops focused on responsive caregiving, early learning, and child safety
• Support home-visiting programs that build caregiver confidence and connect families to services
• Promote culturally responsive practices that reflect Hawai’i’s diverse communities

4. Systems Change and Advocacy

• Advance implementation of Act 46 and advocate for universal access to early childhood education
• Promote policies that support paid family leave, caregiver protections, and equitable funding
• Build coalitions to address systemic barriers to infant and toddlers care and education

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Please note that this Request for Proposals is limited to carefully chosen applicants which we believe have a proven record of outstanding child and family support and strong financial management. The total budget for this initiative is $700,000 and will be divided and distributed to those invited organizations according to the quality of each organization’s proposal. Nine organizations will compete for these funds. In 2026, they are as follows:

• Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services
• Maui Family Support Services
• Parents and Children Together (P.A.C.T.)
• Wai‘anae Coast Early Childhood Services (WCECS)
• The Salvation Army
• Family Support Hawaii (Hawaii Island)
• Child & Family Service
• Imua Family Services
• Association for Infant Mental Health Hawaii

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     The following are the essential application items:

1. A cover letter indicating that the CEO and the Board of Directors of your organization approve the application and will exercise the usual prudence and oversight (Dual signatures).
2. An executive summary of no more than a page giving the general purpose of the program and how well it is serving children based on your evaluations. Please also provide a brief organizational description, including your founding date. Emphasize your commitment to serving the needs of infants and toddlers from low-income families.
3. A separate longer program description in your complete proposal. Why did you decide on the program, what it has accomplished, how many you are serving, what is the general socio-economic and racial profile of those that you serve, your plans for the program and how you intend to sustain it, the qualifications of your staff, how your organization fits into the community, why you started the program, and significantly why unrestricted funds from the Castle Foundation would assist your effort? Will the money you are asking for improve the ongoing program, and if so, how so? Will you be able to serve more infants and toddlers? Will our funds enhance the quality of services? Can you use any part of our grant, should you receive one, to seek matching funds from other corporations, foundations, or individual donors? Please let us know how you intend to, if you do, leverage our grant from other donors, whether public or private.
4. A current approved annual budget for your organization, a copy of your most recent budget, and a statement of the project’s cost for which you are applying.
5. A list of your trustees and their affiliations.
6. Any evidence you have from evaluative instruments that would help our trustees understand the qualitative and quantitative difference your program(s) is making.
   
   We require a final report detailing how the Castle funds were spent, who was served, and what was accomplished. The final report is due one year from the receipt of the grant and is required before your organization may apply again. You may wish to roll the final report of your achievements into your next application, if ever.

    All applications must be received by April 15, 2026 to be considered at our summer trustee meeting in July. Early submissions are encouraged.