New Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines Foundation to strengthen and support Alaska and Hawai‘i communities

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines launch joint foundation - Pacific Business News Oct 8, 2025

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have created a new 501(c)(3) foundation

to support nonprofits with grants in each of their namesake states. The Alaska

Airlines | Hawaiian Airlines Foundation will invest in programs that “celebrate

and preserve the unique way of life in Alaska and Hawaii,” according to a

statement by Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

The foundation will begin accepting grant requests on Jan. 1, 2026, and the first

round’s deadline is March 31. Eligible entities must be U.S.-based tax-exempt,

nonprofit organizations.

“The combined Foundation is built on the belief that the strength of our

communities lies in their cultural richness and resilience,” said Marilyn

Romano, president of the foundation and regional vice president for Alaska

Airlines, in a statement. “We are honored to support programs that reflect the

spirit of Alaska and Hawaii, places where identity, language and art are deeply

rooted in everyday life. These grants are an investment in the next generation

and the preservation of what makes these regions so extraordinary.”

Grants begin at $5,000 and must be spent in entirety within one year of award.

The foundation will give priority funding to organizations that can demonstrate

long-term program sustainability.

Programs should align with one or more of the following areas, according to the airlines:

Cultural programs that strengthen community identity

Preservation of natural environments

Preservation of art and language, with a preference for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian organizations but not to the exclusion of others.

“As we continue to grow and reach new markets as a combined organization,

it’s essential that we remain grounded in the origins of our two airlines —

Alaska and Hawaii,” said Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, director of community

and cultural relations at Hawaiian Airlines, in a statement. “This new

foundation reflects our enduring commitment to supporting the people, places

and cultural practices that shape our identity and carry forward the rich

traditions of these two remarkable places we call home.”

Earlier this year, the Hawaiian Airlines Foundation awarded a total of $150,000

in grants to three Maui organizations to support recovery efforts from the 2023

wildfires, as previously reported by Pacific Business News.