About Phase I Campaign
Our Greatest Need
Our greatest and most-immediate need is unrestricted funds to support the pre-construction and construction costs of Namahana School. Additionally, Namahana Education Foundation will be responsible for supporting the facilities costs once Namahana School opens, as well as additional operating costs that are not supported by state funding.
As tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Tax identification number 85-2393805.
Phase I Capital Campaign Goal: $10 Million
About Phase I Campaign
Namahana School will be opening in Fall 2025 with 7th and 8th grades. This fast-approaching deadline is set by the Hawaiʻi State Charter Commission. In order to adhere to this timeline, we must construct facilities for our incoming first year cohort of 7th and 8th graders. We have identified a vendor that manufactures eco structures that are energy efficient, sustainable and financially responsible facilities. These permanent state-of-the-art structures are extremely durable and can be customized to our current building designs. The use of pre-manufactured structures, which go up quickly within a three to five month period, will allow us to move straight into the build out of our permanent facilities.
Our Phase I Campaign includes:
Classrooms for 7th and 8th grades (120 students)
Administrative building, Resource Center, Maker Space and bathrooms
Site work and infrastructure
Soft costs, including design fees, project management, geotechnical, permitting and FF&E
Pre-construction and pre-opening operating cost
Reserve & contingency funds
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We are thrilled to share that the location of Namahana school has been finalized and will now be located on Ala Namahana Parkway, across from the post office in Kīlauea. Escrow closed on this 11.3 acre lot in early October 2023. The facilities will be located at this new school sight. A thoughtful phasing approach has been considered to accommodate school operations while the permanent campus is being constructed. You can learn more about the different phases on our Campus Design page.
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Hawaiʻi State charter schools receive a per-student allocation once they are in operation, but do not receive funds for physical infrastructure and other pre-opening costs. Now that Namahana School has been granted conditional charter approval, we must meet an extensive set of assurances required by the State, from detailed plans for governance, enrollment, staffing, and financial oversight, to compliance with state permitting and construction conditions.
$6+ Million in Total Gift & Grant Funding to Date
Initial Funding
$2.08 Million grant
Donor: Joan Porter
$150,000/year
Operating Funds through 2032
Donor Gift (2022)
$1 Million
Anonymous Gift
Unrestricted
Land Acquisition
Campaign (2023)
$1.4 Million raised
$420,000 Match Gift
Total Matching Gifts: 61
Hawaii Grant-in-Aid Award (2023)
$125,000 State Grant
Pre-Construction
Operating Funds
Charter School Program
Federal Grant (2023)
$1.01 Million Grant
School Operating Funds
Disbursed over 3 Years
Phase I Match Campaign (2023)
$1.3 Million Raised
$500,000 Match Gift
Donors: Mike Kaplan & Rose Contreras
Total Matching Gifts: 48
NewSchool Venture
Grant (2024)
$215,000 grant
Charter School Start Up Operating Funds
Middle School Structures Fabrication Campaign (2024)
$1.1 Million Raised
$250K Match Gift
Total Matching Gifts: 12
Total donations: 181
Rise to the Challenge
Given the significant investment this demands, most charter schools lease existing space in other facilities, and it is not uncommon for new schools to begin operating in trailers, yurts, or even tentsDespite the steep challenge, we are convinced that in order to truly unleash the potential of a Namahana School education, we must create a physical space for learning that reflects our vision and values.
Thanks to the remarkable support we have received so far, we believe we will be able to complete campus construction on our ambitious timeline. We know it can only happen with the full participation of our community in all its diversity and scope.
From the gift of land to the gift of expertise to the gift of capital, making the dream of Namahana into a reality depends on the generosity of those who resonate with our vision, values, and hopes for our children.
Now that our school’s values, mission, educational philosophy, and leadership are established, we are beginning the Herculean task of building the physical campus that will achieve our vision.
Hawaiʻi State charter schools receive a per-student allocation once they are in operation, but no funds for physical infrastructure. Now that Namahana School has been granted conditional charter approval, we must meet an extensive set of assurances required by the State, from detailed plans for governance, enrollment, staffing, and financial oversight, to compliance with state permitting and construction conditions.
We invite you to rise to the challenge with us!
Recent Fundraising News
“We are writing the history of our community today. This is a moment that our ʻohana [family] on the North Shore of Kauaʻi will always remember as a turning point in the lives of our children and their children.”
Kau‘i Fu
NEF Board Chair