Two Hawaii organizations have the chance to win $100,000 in funding as part of a national challenge.
Startup accelerator FoundHer and nonprofit Residential Youth Services and Empowerment, or RYSE, are both finalists in the 2022 Gold Futures Challenge. The annual challenge, a joint effort by social equity ventures Asian American Futures and Gold House, awards funding to Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations for projects that positively impact the community.
The challenge is open to any AAPI-focused organization throughout the country, and FoundHer and RYSE are among just 10 finalists.
FoundHer, which is run by technology education nonprofit Purple Maia Foundation, supports early-stage businesses helmed by Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or Asian women. The six-month accelerator program provides founders with educational sessions and mentorship, as well as funding for their businesses and a stipend for child or elder care. FoundHer launched in 2021 and currently is running its second cohort.
RYSE is a nonprofit that serves the houseless youth population. It operates a range of services, including shelter and housing programs, medical and behavioral health support, education and employment counseling, and more.
All 10 finalists are already guaranteed to receive $25,000 in funding. The final winner — which will be determined by public voting that continues online until Sept. 27 — will win $100,000.
FoundHer Program Director Darien Siguenza told PBN that she was informed there were nearly 150 applicants for the Gold Future Challenge. Siguenza said she is “super excited” that two Hawaii organizations made it into the top 10.
“There is no losing here,” she said. “No matter what happens, I am proud of us and happy that we were able to get our message out about … what we’re doing. Of course, if we get more funding, it’s going directly to the women [founders] — it’s going to those care stipends, it’s going toward grants — so of course we want to win the higher amount so we can give them more money.”
