PILALI is a storytelling podcast produced by Funder Hui that amplifies the voices of Hawaiʻi nonprofits and funders working to build a more equitable, trust based philanthropic ecosystem. Rooted in the Hawaiian concept of pilali, the resin of the kukui tree symbolizing patience, reciprocity, and relational connection, the podcast explores how lasting impact is created through relationships rather than transactions.

Across conversations with nonprofit leaders, community practitioners, and funders, PILALI highlights stories of resilience, cultural stewardship, and collaborative problem solving across Hawaiʻi’s social sector. Episodes elevate themes such as disaster recovery, Native Hawaiian leadership, food sovereignty, arts and culture as infrastructure, and the future of giving, while centering the lived experiences of communities most impacted by inequity and crisis.

The project is grounded in Funder Hui’s role as a statewide philanthropy serving organization that convenes and connects funders to strengthen alignment, equity, and responsiveness across Hawaiʻi’s islands. PILALI extends this mission by translating network building into narrative form, making visible the relationships, trust, and coordination that often remain behind the scenes of effective philanthropy.

Through intentional storytelling, field based interviews, and community centered production, PILALI aims to shift how philanthropy is understood and practiced in Hawaiʻi. It invites listeners to reimagine giving as solidarity, to see nonprofits as essential infrastructure for community wellbeing, and to recognize that sustainable change emerges from reciprocal relationships rooted in care, listening, and shared responsibility.