2016 Request for Proposals HCF Tobacco Cessation Program
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Note: FAQs may be updated. Date amended is at the bottom left.
Background What is the Hawaii Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund (Trust Fund)?
In 1998, 46 states, including Hawai‘i, joined forces and sued the tobacco industry to prevent it from marketing products to youth and to recover State resources spent addressing tobacco-related health problems and disabilities. The largest tobacco manufacturers agreed to make, among other things, substantial payments to the States (the “Master Settlement Agreement”). Hawai‘i received its first payment in December 1999. In 1999, the Hawai‘i Legislature enacted legislation specifying how funds from the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) would be spent. MSA funds flow into the State of Hawai`i on an annual basis and into a Tobacco Settlement Special Fund administered by the Hawai`i State Department of Health (DOH). These funds are then distributed according to state law to the Trust Fund, the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund (Rainy Day Fund), the General Fund, the UH Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), Dept. of Human Services (DOH) SCHIP (children’s health insurance), and to DOH Healthy Hawai‘i Initiative. The legislature has changed this distribution over time.
What is the role of the Hawaii Community Foundation with respect to the Trust Fund?
Since 2000, HCF has been contracted with the DOH. HCF’s role is to administer and manage the investment portfolio of the Trust Fund, manage a community grants program and its activities, and oversee vendor contracts of Trust Fund activities. HCF’s cessation grants program has provided over 180 grants to 50+ organizations statewide totaling more than $25 million to support prevention and cessation efforts.
Updated 3/4/2016