Monty Richards Hawaii Island Community Leadership Award

For the 2017 Monty Richards Hawaii Island Community Leadership Award, Bank of Hawaii Foundation was particularly interested in nonprofits focused on helping Hawaii Island youth of low- to moderate-income households gain access to internships, jobs or other leadership, entrepreneurship or skills training.

About Monty Richards
Richards served as a board director at Bank of Hawaii from 1989 to 2000. He was also a regent at the University of Hawaii for 16 years and is a board member of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. He is a past member of the board of Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management.

A fifth-generation kama‘aina, Richards, presently serves as the chairman and trustee of Kahua Ranch, where he has worked since 1953. Richards has been recognized as an innovator for his strides in bringing alternative renewable energy to the ranch and as being the first on Hawaii Island to use rapid rotational grazing, and to experiment with hydroponic (soil-less) farming, solar energy and wind energy. He also diversified his livestock by integrating sheep into his herd, which has resulted in one of the largest flocks in the state.

Bank of Hawaii Foundation Monty Richards Hawaii Island Community Award

In 2017, the $30,000 award was divided as follows:

• Akamai Workforce Initiative ($20,000)
• North Kohala Community Resource Center-Kohala Elementary School Discovery Garden ($5,000)
• The Kahala Center Inc. ($5,000)

In 2016, the $36,000 award was divided equally among:

• East Hawaii Cultural Council
• Holualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture
• Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra Society
• Kanu o ka ‘Aina Learning ‘Ohana
• Volcano Art Center
• Kahilu Theatre Foundation

In 2015, the $30,000 award was divided equally between:

• ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii
• The Kohala Center

In 2014, the $30,000 award was equally divided among:

• Hawaii Island Adult Care
• Ka‘u Hospital Charitable Foundation
• Kona Historical Society

In 2013 the award, the $25,000 award was divided among:

• Friends of the Future’s Hawaii Collaborative Health Initiative (HI-CHI) ($5,000)
• Hilo Medical Center ($10,000)
• Kona Hospital Foundation ($10,000)

In 2012, the $25,000 award was divided among:

• The Arc of Hilo ($5,000)
• North Kohala Community Resource Center ($10,000)
• O Ka‘u Kakou ($5,000)
• West Hawaii Community Health Center ($5,000)

In 2011, the $25,000 award was divided among:

• Bay Clinic, Inc. ($10,000)
• Family Support Hawaii ($10,000)
• Kokua Christian Ministries ($5,000)

In 2010, the award was doubled to $20,000, which was divided among:

• Big Island Substance Abuse Council ($5,000)
• Habitat for Humanity West Hawaii ($5,000)
• Hamakua Health Center, Inc. ($10,000)

In 2009, the $10,000 award was divided equally between:

• Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii
• West Hawaii Mediation Center

In 2008, the $10,000 inaugural award was divided equally between:

• Ka‘u Hospital Foundation
• North Kohala Community Resource Center