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Non Profits

Nonprofit Spotlight: The Henry Kapono Foundation

Nonprofit Spotlight: The Henry Kapono Foundation

Oʻahu Business Journal | Nonprofit Business Profile

At a Glance

  • Founded: 2018, by Grammy-nominated entertainer Henry Kapono Kaʻaihue and his wife, Lezlee Kaʻaihue
  • Legal status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, EIN 83-0567345
  • Mission: To support and empower Hawaiʻi's music industry to thrive through programs, grants, education, and resources
  • President: Henry Kapono Kaʻaihue
  • Executive Director: Lezlee C. Kaʻaihue
  • Mailing address: P.O. Box 22968, Honolulu, Hawaii 96823
  • 2025 impact: 440 paid opportunities created for Hawaiʻi's musicians, 21 emerging artists mentored through the On The Rise program, 43 community and venue partners engaged, and 27+ scholarships and grants awarded

Organizational Overview

The Henry Kapono Foundation (HKF) was founded in 2018 by longtime Hawaiʻi music icon Henry Kapono — best known as one half of the duo Cecilio & Kapono — and his wife, Lezlee Kaʻaihue, as a way to give back to the music community that shaped his career. Grounded in Henry's lifelong passion for music and his commitment to home, the foundation was built to keep Hawaiʻi's music industry vital by cultivating education, employment, and awareness opportunities for both established and emerging music creators.

The foundation's stated mission is "to support and empower Hawaiʻi's music industry to thrive through programs, grants, education, and resources," with a broader vision to elevate that industry, expand employment and awareness opportunities, and amplify Hawaiʻi's music culture on the world stage. HKF pursues that vision through concerts, mentorship, direct funding, and year-round programming aimed at helping island artists develop, grow, and share their work more widely.

Programs

HKF organizes its work into four guiding program pillars:

  • MELE (Artist Development & Music Programs): Supports working musicians through live-event sponsorships, paid work opportunities, and mentoring, including the foundation's flagship On The Rise (OTR) program, which pairs emerging artists with established mentors for career guidance, master classes, and paid performance opportunities, plus an OTR Next Level track for more advanced artists.
  • IMUA (Education & Scholarships): Advances music education through mentorship, scholarships, and early-career development, including the Henry Kapono Foundation Hawaiian Music Scholarship Fund, created in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation and Windward Community College to support students in WCC's Hawaiian Music Certificate Program.
  • KŌKUA (Emergency & Community Support): Provides emergency financial assistance to musicians and industry professionals during times of hardship, an effort that began in earnest during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued through natural disasters and other crises affecting the music community.
  • KUKUI (Career Advancement): Offers career-advancement information and services, including a digital resource center covering royalty management and other business tools for working musicians.

Fundraising and Community Support

As a 501(c)(3), HKF funds its programs entirely through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events, with the foundation emphasizing that every dollar donated stays in Hawaiʻi to support local musicians. Signature fundraising efforts have included the annual Makana Mele benefit concert supporting the Windward Community College scholarship fund, corporate partnerships such as its founding collaboration with First Hawaiian Bank, and seasonal giving campaigns like its Giving Tree ornament donation drive. The foundation accepts donations by credit card, check, PayPal, Venmo, and workplace giving programs such as Benevity.

Leadership

HKF's Board of Directors is chaired by founder and President Henry Kapono Kaʻaihue, with Sean P. Dee of Outrigger Hospitality Group serving as Vice President, Gregory Sitar of First Hawaiian Bank as Treasurer, and award-winning artist Alx Kawakami as Secretary. Additional board members include Carolyn Berry Wilson, Stanford S. Carr of Stanford Carr Development, and John De Fries of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority.

Day-to-day operations are led by Executive Director Lezlee C. Kaʻaihue, alongside Director of Marketing and Program Development Theresia Howe, Logistics Managers Haumea Ho and Shelby Carlos, Event Manager Olivia Wastman, and Master Class Program Managers Kalaʻe and Kalena Parish.

Why It Matters for Oʻahu's Economy

By channeling grants, paid gigs, mentorship, and scholarships directly to Hawaiʻi's musicians, HKF plays a distinctive role in sustaining the state's creative economy — an industry that depends heavily on live performance venues, tourism-related entertainment, and a pipeline of new talent. Its emergency relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and Maui wildfire recovery underscored the foundation's role as a safety net for music-industry workers during economic shocks, while its scholarship and mentorship programs help build the next generation of professional musicians who will keep Hawaiʻi's live music scene — and the tourism dollars it draws — thriving for years to come.

Contact Information

This profile is part of Oʻahu Business Journal's ongoing nonprofit spotlight series highlighting the organizations shaping Oʻahu's civic and cultural landscape.

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