Chan Zuckerberg Commits $100M to Kauaʻi

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg mark a decade of philanthropy on Kauaʻi, with more than $100 million committed to local organizations.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Philanthropy

Low island community building with a covered lanai and metal roof beside a green tropical field, with volcanic ridges behind it under a clear sky. — Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Priscilla Chan have committed more than $100 million to over 100 Kauaʻi organizations since 2016, marking a decade of local giving. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg marked ten years of philanthropy on Kauaʻi with more than $100 million committed to over 100 local organizations since 2016. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative also published a letter by Chan reflecting on the milestone.

Why it matters

The giving spans health, affordable housing, workforce development, education and emergency relief, reaching a state where the program has supported 101 organizations across Hawaiʻi. The initiative shows how sustained, locally directed funding can reach communities in a state with distinct economic and housing pressures.

The program reports $57 million invested directly in Kauaʻi out of $111 million committed statewide, across 296 grants to 101 organizations. The figures are self-reported by the initiative and do not include independent verification of outcomes.

The players

Priscilla Chan

Priscilla Chan is a physician and philanthropist who co-leads the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative with her husband, focused on education, science and community health.

Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg is the co-founder and chief executive of Meta Platforms, who has co-led the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative with his wife since its founding.

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is a philanthropic organization founded in 2015 by Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg focused on education, science and community programs.

The details

Funding is distributed through yearly conversations with residents, community leaders and service providers, with grants directed to existing local organizations under a trust-based approach. Health is the largest investment area, with grants to 18 local organizations, including a $10 million commitment to the University of Hawaiʻi medical school's Kauaʻi Medical Training Track.

Since 2016: Couple begins philanthropic giving on Kauaʻi.
2020 and 2021: $6 million committed to pandemic relief.
2023: Contribution to Maui wildfire relief.
2026: Ten-year milestone marked in a published letter by Chan.

Giving Trajectory

This ten-year Kauaʻi program extends the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's earlier $6 million pandemic relief and 2023 Maui wildfire contribution into a sustained, place-based model. It reflects a shift from one-time emergency gifts toward recurring funding for existing local organizations.

Residents of Kauaʻi and across Hawaiʻi may see funding flow to health programs, affordable housing and job training through existing local organizations. The Rise to Work gift revived a county program that created jobs for 364 unemployed residents.

The takeaway

Sustained, locally directed giving that listens to community leaders can reach needs across health, housing and jobs. Readers interested in local philanthropy can look at how existing organizations are funded in their own communities.