FAQ Questions we hear.

Yes. HLYF is IRS-classified as a private foundation (EIN 41-2734590). Contributions are tax-deductible subject to the 30% AGI limit applicable to private foundations. Consult your tax advisor — especially for non-cash gifts like appreciated stock, DAF grants, or IRA qualified charitable distributions.

  HLYF is currently classified by the IRS as a private foundation. This is a technical distinction that affects two things for donors: (1) cash gifts are tax-deductible up to 30% of your AGI in a given year (instead of the 50%–60% limit that applies to public charities), and (2) certain gift types — donor-advised fund grants, IRA qualified charitable distributions, and some appreciated assets — may be limited or unavailable. We are working toward reclassification as a public charity. If you're planning a gift larger than $5,000 or a non-cash gift, please contact us before initiating so we can confirm the path that works for your gift.

 Digital Piko is our official apparel partner. A portion of every Digital Piko sale is transferred to HLYF's account. The exact percentage and transfer schedule will be published here once finalized with our accountant. We are committed to full transparency on how funds flow. 

 Hana lima is Hawaiian for "work of the hands" — the skilled, tangible, physical work that the trades represent. We chose this name with intention. We believe in hand-work as a path forward, not a fallback. It carries the dignity of generations of Hawaiians who built with their hands. 

 Yes — visit hlyfoundation.org/donate to give securely via credit card, bank transfer, or digital wallet. For checks, ACH transfers, wires, or gifts above $5,000 (including DAF, appreciated stock, or IRA QCDs), email contact@hlyfoundation.org or call 808-318-2090. 

Yes. Hana Lima Youth Foundation is a Hawaiʻi 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Our articles of incorporation are filed with the State of Hawaiʻi, our IRS determination letter is in hand, our EIN is issued, our bylaws are adopted,    

HLYF's founding board is being expanded as the foundation moves toward public-charity status. Independent directors are being seated in 2026. Once the board is finalized, directors will be listed here with bios. We can provide documentation on request. 

No. Hawaiʻi already has excellent registered apprenticeships through the local unions, the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund, ABC Hawaiʻi, and others. They train. HLYF is the bridge that gets Hawaiian keiki to their door — application coaching, drug-test and boot costs, transport, family conversations — and stands with them through the first ninety days of apprenticeship, the stretch where most dropouts happen. We are a funnel and a wraparound, not a parallel training program.

We connect keiki into apprenticeship pathways across Hawaiʻi's union and registered training programs — electrical (IBEW), plumbing and pipefitting, carpentry (HCATF), HVAC, solar, laborers, operating engineers, and others. The trades we focus on in any given year depend on which apprenticeship intakes are open and which partner programs are placing our keiki. HLYF doesn't run training in-house — Hawaiʻi already has world-class apprenticeships. We get keiki to the door and stand with them through the first ninety days.

 We are currently building partnerships with Hawaiʻi high schools and trades organizations. We'll announce partners publicly as agreements are signed. Check our Progress page for the latest updates. 

 Absolutely — especially if you're in the trades in Hawaiʻi. We're looking for people who want to invest their skills and experience in the next generation. Reach out to us at contact@hlyfoundation.org and tell us what you have in mind. Every connection matters. 

 Email us at contact@hlyfoundation.org and ask to be added to our updates list. We'll notify you when there's real news — milestones hit, partnerships formed, keiki placed.

 Email us at  contact@hlyfoundation.org We aim to respond within 48 hours. We also welcome anyone who wants to talk story in person — just reach out and we'll set something up.