HO‘OMAKA FOUNDATION

ALOHA KAKOU

Welcome to the Ho‘omaka Foundation (formerly the Native Hawaiian Legal Defense & Education Fund). Founded in 2005, we are a non-profit Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO) dedicated to improving the lives of Native Hawaiians. In Hawaiian, the word “ho‘omaka” means “to begin.”

Our Mission

As an NHO, we understand the unique position of Native Hawaiians in the United States. We develop programs that foster education and economic development to promote Native Hawaiian advancement.

Family walking together on beautiful Hawaii beach
Portrait of a Hawaiian Polynesian family outdoor in their backyard. Two young girls with their mother and family pet dog, smiling and looking at camera full body group portrait.

How Do We Accomplish This?

One of the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) goals is to help small, disadvantaged businesses gain access to Federal contracts, and the 8(a) Business Development Program is one of the primary ways the SBA accomplishes that goal. Businesses owned by Native Hawaiian Organizations such as ours are authorized to participate in the 8(a) Program, which affords certain benefits to our Government customers. Profits generated from these 8(a) businesses go back into the Native Hawaiian communities they serve in the form of assistance programs which directly benefit those communities socially, economically, and culturally.

Portrait of a Hawaiian Polynesian family outdoor in their backyard. Two young girls with their mother and family pet dog, smiling and looking at camera full body group portrait.

A Family of Companies

As the majority owner of several for-profit 8(a) NHO Entities, the Ho‘omaka Foundation serves as a central point for the businesses, providing oversight, administration and mission guidance. The foundation is governed by an independent Board of Directors, the members of which have no personal ownership or direct management responsibilities for the NHO-owned Entities.

Cityscape of Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu Island, Hawaii

NA WAIWAI — OUR VALUES

As an organization created to improving the lives of Native Hawaiians, we follow these values as expressed in Native Hawaiian tradition:

Mālamalama (Wisdom)

He pohō o na ka pohō o i o ke akamai no ke hana nui.

Losses come easily; it requires skill and wisdom to avoid them.

Laulima (Unity)

A ‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia.

No task is too big when done together by all.

Ho‘omau (Perseverance)

He ‘a‘ali‘i ku makani mai au; ‘a‘ohe makani nana e kula‘i.

The ‘a‘ali‘i bush that grows on the mountain ridges can withstand the worst of gales, twisting and bending but not breaking off or falling over.

Pono (Righteousness)

He ‘ike ‘ana ia ka pono.

One sees the right thing to do and does it.