The Cades Foundation is a grantmaking program run by the Cades Schutte law firm in Hawaii that mainly provides funding to arts organizations but also assists with programs for education, the environment, legal, health, and social services programs. The Cades Foundation has provided grant money to the Blue Planet Foundation, which seeks to cut carbon emissions, and The Nature Conservancy, which advocates for environmental protections. 1
The Cades Foundation provides funding the Hawaii’s only law school, the legal aid society, and legal volunteer services. 2 The Cades Foundation provides funding to numerous art galleries, dance troupes, music ensembles, as well as public radio and public television. 3 The foundation aided after the 2023 Hawaii wildfires, 4 has given to the United Way, Boys and Girls Club, the American Red Cross, as well as other health and support organizations throughout Hawaii. 5
History
The Cades Foundation was founded in 1991 by Cades Schutte law firm partners Russell and Milton Cades. 6 The Cades Foundation is separate from the firm’s charitable giving program and pro bono work. 7 The Cades Foundation was formed to promote advocacy, volunteerism, and provide funding support. 8 Since inception, the Cades Foundation has become one of the largest private funders of the arts in Hawaii. 9
Funding
The Cades Foundation supports programs in academics, the arts, medicine, and improvement of the legal profession and justice in Hawaii. 10 In 2023, the Cades Foundation donated $35,000 in support of Maui wildfire relief through the Maui Strong Fund and the American Red Cross of Hawaii. 11
Environment
The Cades Foundation has provided grant money to the Blue Planet Foundation, an environmental group that seeks to cut carbon emissions; the Nature Conservancy; Hawaii Nature Center to education children about nature; and the Hawaii Wildlife Center, a medical and rehabilitative care facility for birds and bats. 12
Legal
In 2023, the Cades Foundation gave $500,000 to the Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (the only law school in Hawaii) to create professorships, supplement salaries, and pay for research, professional development, and conferences. 13 The Cades Foundation has also provided grant money to the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, the Hawaii Justice Foundation, and Volunteer Legal Services – Hawaii. 14
Arts and Media
The Cades Foundation is the one of the largest private arts donors in Hawaii, providing grants to Ballet Hawaii, Chamber Music Hawaii, Diamond Head Theatre, Hawaii Opera Theatre, the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Hawaii Theatre Center, Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus, Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Manoa Valley Theatre, and Ohana Arts. 15 The Cades Foundation has provided funding to PBS Hawaii, Hawaii Public Radio, Bamboo Ridge Press, and the media outlet Honolulu Civil Beat. 16
Public and Social Services Programs
The Cades Foundation has provided grants to groups assisting others including Aloha Harvest, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii Food Bank, Kauai Independent Food Bank, Maui Food Bank, Kauai Northshore Pantry, Aloha United Way, Boys and Girls Club, Child & Family Services, Family Programs Hawaii, Family Promise Hawaii, Hawaii Humane Society, Parents and Children Coming Together, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, YMCA of Oahu, Teach for America, and the taxpayer watchdog group Tax Foundation of Hawaii. 17
Health Organizations
The Cades Foundation has provided grants to the American Lung Association; the American Red Cross, Kapiolani Health Foundation, and the Institute for Human Services that provides meals and housing for low-income individuals. 18
Financials
In 2022, the Cades Foundation had net assets of $13,704,403. 19 In 2022, the Cades Foundation recorded $632,444 in revenue and had $911,016 in expenses. 20 In 2021, the Cades Foundation raised $2,312,551 in revenue and had $764,364 in expenses. 21
Leadership
Gunner Schull is senior Counsel at the law firm Cades Schutte and serves as president and director of the Cades Foundation. 22 Schull was chair of Cades Schutte’s corporate legal department until 2007. 23 After law school, Schull initially practiced law in San Francisco, California before moving to Hawaii in the 1960s to practice corporate law with Smith, Wild, Beebe & Cades. 24 Schull donated $250 to the Hawaii Democratic Party in 2004 and $1,000 to the unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives of state Senator Donna Mercado Kim (D-Honolulu) in 2013. 25
References
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; “Blue Planet Foundation.” Blue Planet Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://blueplanetfoundation.org; “Hawaii Wildlife Center.” Hawaii Wildlife Center. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.hawaiiwildlifecenter.org.
- “The Cades Foundation Gives $500K to UH Manoa Richardson School of Law.” University of Hawaii Foundation. March 13, 2023. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.uhfoundation.org/news/cades-foundation-gives-500k-uh-manoa-richardson-school-law.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022.
- “Cades Schutte and the Cades Foundation Each Donates $35,000 in Support of Maui Wildfire Relief.” Cades Schutte. August 14, 2023. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.cades.com/2023/08/14/cades-schutte-and-the-cades-foundation-each-donate-35000-in-support-of-maui-wildfire-relief/.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
- “The Cades Foundation.” Cades Schutte. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.cades.com/about/community/.
- “The Cades Foundation Gives $500K to UH Manoa Richardson School of Law.” University of Hawaii Foundation. March 13, 2023. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.uhfoundation.org/news/cades-foundation-gives-500k-uh-manoa-richardson-school-law.
- “The Cades Foundation.” Cades Schutte. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.cades.com/about/community/.
- “The Cades Foundation.” Cades Schutte. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.cades.com/about/community/.
- “The Cades Foundation.” Cades Schutte. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.cades.com/about/community/.
- “Cades Schutte and the Cades Foundation Each Donates $35,000 in Support of Maui Wildfire Relief.” Cades Schutte. August 14, 2023. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.cades.com/2023/08/14/cades-schutte-and-the-cades-foundation-each-donate-35000-in-support-of-maui-wildfire-relief/.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; “Blue Planet Foundation.” Blue Planet Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://blueplanetfoundation.org; “Hawaii Wildlife Center.” Hawaii Wildlife Center. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.hawaiiwildlifecenter.org.
- “The Cades Foundation Gives $500K to UH Manoa Richardson School of Law.” University of Hawaii Foundation. March 13, 2023. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.uhfoundation.org/news/cades-foundation-gives-500k-uh-manoa-richardson-school-law.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022; Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021; “Programs & Statistics.” Institute for Human Services. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://ihshawaii.org/about/programs-statistics/.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2022.
- Cades Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
- “E. Gunner Schull.” Cades Schutte. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.cades.com/attorney/e-gunner-schull/.
- “E. Gunner Schull.” Cades Schutte. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.cades.com/attorney/e-gunner-schull/.
- “Loving Their Work.” ThinkTech Hawaii. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBx82k5q0BI; “Boy Crossing Pali Highway Struck by Car.” The Honolulu Advertiser. July 4, 1967. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-honolulu-advertiser/10293406/.
- Center for Responsive Politics. “Gunner Schull.” Opensecrets.org. March 22, 2021. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=gunner+schull; “Donna Kim.” Ballotpedia. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://ballotpedia.org/Donna_Kim.