Pa’i Foundation

2011 Maoli Arts Month Poster

Maoli Arts Month Wearable Art Show

Pa'i Foundation’s mission is to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian cultural traditions for future generations. The goal of PA‘I Foundation is to establish a cultural center on O’ahu to better serve the broader Hawaiian community. The foundation is among a group who are the driving force behind movements to recover language, cultural traditions, healing practices, voyaging, navigations and agricultural practices of a people that are now the minority population in their ancestral land.  Since 2006, the PA‘I Foundation and the Bishop Museum have been engaged in a successful partnership that allowed the two organizations to secure funding to launch the Native Hawaiian Arts Market.  Modeled on the Santa Fe Indian Market, this event serves as a way to celebrate Native Hawaiian contemporary artists.  The Market has established a venue for artists to share, exhibit and sell their work.  This two day celebration has grown into a month long event that incorporates an arts market; gallery showings; children’s arts events; a wearable art show; and an awards reception, all taking place throughout downtown Honolulu.

The award from NACF was used to increase accounting practice capacities at Pa'i Foundation, who hired a consultant to analyze their current financial accounting practices, make recommendations for improvement, and provide training to staff for implementation.  The consultant assisted in reconciling financial statements, in the preparation of accounts for 990 IRS tax returns, and fine-tuning accounts and classes to improve record keeping. Lastly, the award allowed for Pa'i to revise their website, a critical component of their communications strategy.